About Agua Fria
The windswept, grassy mesas and formidable canyons of Agua Fria National Monument embrace an extraordinary array of scientific and historic resources. The ancient ruins within the monument, with their breathtaking vistas and spectacular petroglyphs, provide a link to the past, offering insights into the lives of the peoples who once inhabited this part of the desert Southwest. The area's architectural features and artifacts are tangible objects that can help researchers reconstruct the human past. Such objects and, more importantly, the spatial relationships among them, provide outstanding opportunities for archeologists to study the way humans interacted with one another, neighboring groups, and with the environment that sustained them in prehistoric times.
Agua Fria National Monument can be characterized an expansive mosaic of semi-desert accented by ribbons of valuable riparian forest. The relative availability of water and the diversity of topographical features throughout the Monument support outstanding biological resources including a wide array of sensitive wildlife species. The monument encompasses two mesas and the canyon of the Agua Fria River. Elevations range from 2,150 feet above sea level along the Agua Fria Canyon to about 4,600 feet in the northern hills.
Threats to the Existence and Protection of Agua Fria
Off-road vehicle use, overgrazing, cultural site vandalism, and possible tourism development
Agua Fria Facts
- Location: Arizona - approximately 40 miles north of central Phoenix
- Size: 71,000 acres
- Date: On January 11, 2000 Agua Fria was declared a National Monument.
- Managing Agency: The Bureau of Land Management
Partner Groups
Sierra Club
Arizona Wilderness Coalition
