Picketpost Mountain
Encyclopedia
Picketpost Mountain is located just outside the town of Superior, Arizona
approximately 40 miles (64 km) east of the Phoenix Metro Area
. The mountain is located in the southern desert
region of Tonto National Forest
and is popular with hikers. The mountain is also well known for an oddly placed mailbox
at the top of the mountain, which contains the log books for the Picketpost Mountain Trail.
The mountain’s unusual name stems from an early military camp founded at the base of the mountain by General George Stoneman
in 1870. The soldiers nicknamed the mountain “Picket Post” due to its usage as a sentinel point to guard their camp from attacks. This military camp eventually grew into the present day town of Superior.
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
approximately 40 miles (64 km) east of the Phoenix Metro Area
Phoenix Metropolitan Area
The Phoenix metropolitan area, often referred to as The Valley of the Sun, is a metropolitan area, centered on the city of Phoenix, that includes much of the central part of the US state of Arizona...
. The mountain is located in the southern desert
Desert
A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
region of Tonto National Forest
Tonto National Forest
The Tonto National Forest, encompassing 2,873,200 acres , is the largest of the six national forests in Arizona and is the fifth largest national forest in the United States. The Tonto National Forest has diverse scenery, with elevations ranging from 1,400 feet in the Sonoran Desert to 7,400 feet...
and is popular with hikers. The mountain is also well known for an oddly placed mailbox
Letter box
A letter box, letterbox, letter plate, letter hole, mail slot, or mailbox is a receptacle for receiving incoming mail at a private residence or business...
at the top of the mountain, which contains the log books for the Picketpost Mountain Trail.
The mountain’s unusual name stems from an early military camp founded at the base of the mountain by General George Stoneman
George Stoneman
George Stoneman, Jr. was a career United States Army officer, a Union cavalry general in the American Civil War, and the 15th Governor of California between 1883 and 1887.-Early life:...
in 1870. The soldiers nicknamed the mountain “Picket Post” due to its usage as a sentinel point to guard their camp from attacks. This military camp eventually grew into the present day town of Superior.