Miller Peak, at , is the second-highest mountain in
Cochise County
Cochise County () is a county in the southeastern corner of the U.S. state of Arizona. It is named after the Native American chief Cochise.
The population was 125,447 at the 2020 census. The county seat is Bisbee and the most populous city is ...
,
Arizona
Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...
(after
Chiricahua Peak). Located approximately 10 miles south of
Sierra Vista, Arizona
Sierra Vista is a city in Cochise County, Arizona, United States. According to the 2020 Census, the population of the city is 45,308, and is the 27th most populous city in Arizona. The city is part of the Sierra Vista-Douglas Metropolitan Are ...
, it is the highest mountain in the
Huachuca mountain range and a popular local hiking destination. The Miller Peak Wilderness encompasses 20,190 acres and is managed by the
Coronado National Forest
The Coronado National Forest is a United States National Forest that includes an area of about 1.78 million acres (7,200 km2) spread throughout mountain ranges in southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico.
It is located in parts of ...
. This is also the most southerly peak and land area to rise above 9,000 feet in the continental United States. The area was affected by the 2011 Monument fire and most of the pine trees seen in older photographs were burned and destroyed. Scrub oak are beginning to replace the areas that were previously covered by pine.
Google “Satellite” images from 2018 would seem to show that many of the pre-fire pine and fir trees are still there and very much alive. Furthermore, the satellite images also tend to suggest that in the few locations where 100% tree kill took place, the forest is already beginning to regenerate.
[Google Satellite]
Hiking up Miller Peak
The summit of Miller Peak can be gained by any of several trails, which all involve moderately strenuous hikes requiring approximately in elevation gain and distance round-trip. Perhaps the most well-known trailhead is found at the end of Miller Canyon Road, near
Hereford, Arizona
Hereford is a populated place in Cochise County along the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Arizona. It is southeast of Sierra Vista and is a part of the Sierra Vista-Douglas micropolitan area ...
. Other popular trails include the Montezuma Pass trailhead in the
Coronado National Forest
The Coronado National Forest is a United States National Forest that includes an area of about 1.78 million acres (7,200 km2) spread throughout mountain ranges in southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico.
It is located in parts of ...
and the Carr Peak trailhead, but the short trail to the summit off the main Crest Trail can be reached from nearly any other trail in the Huachucas. Notable landmarks along the way include Bathtub Springs and Bear Saddle. Nearby
Carr Peak () can be reached in the same day, along the Crest Trail.
See also
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List of mountains and hills of Arizona by height
The following is a list of the mountains and hills of Arizona, ordered by height.
Entries in bold indicate the peak is the highest point in its respective county.
Entries with a ''†'' indicate the peak has a low topographic prominence and may b ...
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List of Ultras of the United States
The following sortable table comprises the 200 most topographically prominent mountain peaks of the United States of America.
The summit of a mountain or hill may be measured in three principal ways:
#The topographic elevation of a summit me ...
References
External links
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Landforms of Cochise County, Arizona
Miller Peak
Mountains of Cochise County, Arizona