Gray Mountain, Arizona facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gray Mountain, Arizona
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 Gray Mountain, Arizona
Location in Arizona
Gray Mountain, Arizona
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Arizona |
| County | Coconino |
| Elevation | 5,029 ft (1,533 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (Mountain (MST)) |
| ZIP code |
86016
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| Area code(s) | 928 |
| GNIS feature ID | 5319 |
Gray Mountain is a small place in Coconino County, Arizona, USA. It's called an "unincorporated community" because it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town.
You can find Gray Mountain along U.S. Route 89. It's about 39 miles (63 km) northeast of Flagstaff and 10 miles (16 km) southwest of Cameron. Its ZIP code is 86016.
Life in Gray Mountain
Long ago, Gray Mountain had a few motels, a trading post (a store where people traded goods), gas stations, and a place for the Arizona Department of Transportation to keep their equipment.
Trading Post History
The Gray Mountain Trading Post first opened in 1935. It survived a big fire in 1981. Sadly, the Gray Mountain Motel burned down in 1989. Since Gray Mountain didn't have its own fire department, it was hard to put out the fire quickly.
Most of these old buildings have closed down over time. The Whitling Brothers Motel, which was left empty in 2005, is now used by a group called the Painted Desert Project. They decorate abandoned buildings in the area with art. As of 2018, a small gas station was still open in Gray Mountain.
Future Plans and Wildlife
There have been ideas to build a wind farm on the Gray Mountain ridge. This ridge is just west of the community.
Wild Horses
The area around Gray Mountain is home to many wild horses. However, these horses have faced challenges because of dry weather conditions.
Climate
Gray Mountain has a semi-arid climate. This means it's usually dry, but not a true desert. On climate maps, this type of weather is shown as "BSk."
