Greer, Arizona facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Greer, Arizona
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Aspens in Greer
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 Greer, Arizona
Location in Arizona
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| Country | United States |
| State | Arizona |
| County | Apache |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.53 sq mi (1.37 km2) |
| • Land | 0.53 sq mi (1.37 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 8,403 ft (2,561 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 58 |
| • Density | 109.85/sq mi (42.42/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-6 (MDT) |
| ZIP Code |
85927
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| Area code(s) | 928 |
| FIPS code | 04-29850 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2582792 |
Greer is a small community in Apache County, Arizona, United States. It is known as a census-designated place, which means it's a special area counted by the government. Greer is located high up in the White Mountains of Arizona. It is surrounded by the beautiful Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest.
Greer is the highest town in Arizona. It sits at about 8,400 feet (2,560 meters) above sea level. In 2020, only 58 people lived there. Mormon settlers from Utah founded Greer around 1879. The town's ZIP code is 85927.
Contents
History of Greer
Greer was first called Lee Valley. It was founded in 1879 by Willard Lee and his family, who were Latter-day Saints. When a post office was built, they needed a shorter name. So, they chose Greer, named after Americus Vespucius Greer, a town planner. The community slowly grew over time.
In 1897, a simple one-room schoolhouse was built. Later, a church, a library, and restaurants were added. One famous place is the Molly Butler Lodge and Restaurant. It is the oldest guest lodge and restaurant in Arizona. Today, Greer has several resorts, cabins for rent, a general store, and two fire stations.
The Apache Railway
West of Greer, you can still see parts of the old Apache Railway. This train track once stretched from Holbrook to a logging camp south of Greer. Logging started in 1918. Later, a scenic train called the White Mountain Scenic Railroad ran on the line from 1964 to 1976. Part of the track was removed in 1982.
The Wallow Fire
Around Greer, you can see signs of the huge Wallow Fire. This massive wildfire started in the White Mountains on May 29, 2011. It began because of a campfire that was not put out properly. Many towns, including Greer, had to be evacuated.
On June 8, 2011, the Wallow Fire reached Greer. It destroyed some buildings, but most of the town was saved. The fire was finally put out on July 8. It burned over 522,000 acres (2,115 square kilometers) in Arizona. This made it the largest wildfire in Arizona's history.
Geography of Greer
Greer is located at 8,356 feet (2,547 meters) above sea level. It is in the White Mountains of Arizona, close to the New Mexico border. The town is surrounded by the Apache Sitgreaves National Forest. The Little Colorado River flows right through the middle of town.
Because Greer is in a valley near several lakes, its temperatures are much milder than other nearby areas. Greer is a popular summer vacation spot in Arizona. It is usually 20-30 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than the deserts.
Greer is about a 20-minute drive south of Springerville and Eagar. You can get there by taking Highways 260 and 373. From Show Low and Pinetop-Lakeside, it's about a 45-minute drive east.
Greer is also home to Sunrise Ski Resort. This is the largest ski park in Arizona. It has 7 ski lifts and covers three mountains: Apache Peak, Cyclone Peak, and Sunrise Peak.
Climate in Greer
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Greer has a climate with warm summers and cold, snowy winters. Because it's so high up (over 8,000 feet), summer temperatures are usually in the 60s and 70s Fahrenheit. Sometimes, it can reach around 80°F (27°C).
During summer, monsoon storms happen almost every day in the late morning and early afternoon. These storms bring heavy rain, strong winds, thunder, lightning, and sometimes even hail. These storms help cool down the area.
In July, the average high temperature is 76°F (24.4°C), and the average low is 46.8°F (8.2°C). In January, the average high is 42.6°F (5.9°C), and the average low is 13.5°F (−10.0°C).
Winters are very cold, with nighttime lows often below zero. Snowstorms are common. Greer gets about 97.5 inches (248 cm) of snow each year. Snow can pile up to 6 feet deep. Lakes freeze over in late November and don't thaw until March. The White Mountains are one of the coldest and wettest places in Arizona.
On November 5, 2001, the Northern Lights were seen from Greer. This rare event happened because of very strong Solar flares. The lights appeared deep red and pink.
| Climate data for Greer, Arizona (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1916–2011) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 66 (19) |
65 (18) |
75 (24) |
75 (24) |
89 (32) |
89 (32) |
90 (32) |
87 (31) |
86 (30) |
78 (26) |
74 (23) |
63 (17) |
90 (32) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 55.2 (12.9) |
54.9 (12.7) |
62.0 (16.7) |
69.9 (21.1) |
76.7 (24.8) |
83.0 (28.3) |
84.9 (29.4) |
80.6 (27.0) |
75.6 (24.2) |
70.8 (21.6) |
61.4 (16.3) |
55.6 (13.1) |
85.6 (29.8) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 42.6 (5.9) |
44.7 (7.1) |
50.2 (10.1) |
57.4 (14.1) |
66.0 (18.9) |
75.9 (24.4) |
76.0 (24.4) |
73.4 (23.0) |
69.9 (21.1) |
61.0 (16.1) |
51.5 (10.8) |
42.9 (6.1) |
59.3 (15.2) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 28.1 (−2.2) |
30.2 (−1.0) |
35.9 (2.2) |
41.4 (5.2) |
49.5 (9.7) |
58.4 (14.7) |
61.4 (16.3) |
59.7 (15.4) |
55.3 (12.9) |
45.6 (7.6) |
36.3 (2.4) |
28.4 (−2.0) |
44.2 (6.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 13.5 (−10.3) |
15.7 (−9.1) |
21.5 (−5.8) |
25.5 (−3.6) |
33.0 (0.6) |
41.0 (5.0) |
46.8 (8.2) |
45.9 (7.7) |
40.8 (4.9) |
30.2 (−1.0) |
21.2 (−6.0) |
13.8 (−10.1) |
29.1 (−1.6) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | −2.6 (−19.2) |
1.1 (−17.2) |
7.0 (−13.9) |
14.6 (−9.7) |
22.0 (−5.6) |
31.6 (−0.2) |
41.7 (5.4) |
41.8 (5.4) |
31.8 (−0.1) |
16.1 (−8.8) |
6.3 (−14.3) |
−4.6 (−20.3) |
−8.0 (−22.2) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −24 (−31) |
−21 (−29) |
−15 (−26) |
−4 (−20) |
8 (−13) |
24 (−4) |
33 (1) |
30 (−1) |
20 (−7) |
6 (−14) |
−13 (−25) |
−20 (−29) |
−24 (−31) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 1.22 (31) |
1.32 (34) |
0.92 (23) |
0.50 (13) |
0.67 (17) |
0.49 (12) |
4.05 (103) |
4.79 (122) |
2.37 (60) |
1.29 (33) |
1.09 (28) |
0.57 (14) |
19.28 (490) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 20.1 (51) |
21.0 (53) |
15.8 (40) |
5.3 (13) |
0.7 (1.8) |
0.1 (0.25) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
1.5 (3.8) |
9.7 (25) |
18.4 (47) |
92.6 (234.85) |
| Average extreme snow depth inches (cm) | 12.4 (31) |
15.8 (40) |
10.8 (27) |
2.8 (7.1) |
0.5 (1.3) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
1.4 (3.6) |
4.9 (12) |
10.6 (27) |
20.1 (51) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 5.5 | 5.5 | 4.3 | 3.3 | 3.7 | 3.5 | 14.9 | 16.2 | 7.8 | 4.8 | 3.8 | 4.8 | 78.1 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 6.2 | 5.3 | 4.0 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 3.1 | 5.0 | 26.7 |
| Source: NOAA (snow/snow days 1981–2010) | |||||||||||||
Plants and Animals in Greer
Greer is surrounded by many different kinds of plants and animals. You can find trees like Narrowleaf Cottonwood, Maple, Boxelder, and Oak near rivers. Juniper, Pine, Aspen, Fir, and Spruce trees cover the hills. Many wildflowers and mushrooms also grow in the meadows.
The White Mountains area is very rich in wildlife. It is home to the Mexican Grey wolf. In 2021, there were only 186 wild wolves in eastern Arizona and western New Mexico. The area also has the rare Apache trout, which is Arizona's state fish. The Apache trout was almost extinct. Now, the Arizona Game and Fish and the White Mountain Apache Tribe are working to protect both the Apache trout and the Mexican Grey Wolf.
Long ago, Grizzly bears lived in the White Mountains. But the last grizzly bear in Arizona was killed in 1936.
Fish and Water Creatures
Many types of fish live in the rivers and lakes around Greer. These include Rainbow trout, Brown trout, Brook trout, Tiger trout, Cutthroat trout, and the native Apache trout. Other fish like Sonora sucker and Little Colorado spinedace are also found here.
You can also find some water creatures like Northern crawfish and different kinds of mussels and snails.
Birds of the Region
Many bird species live in this area. You might see Merriam's turkey, Dusky grouse, and different kinds of quail. Mourning doves and White-winged doves are also common.
Waterfowl like Great blue herons, Canada geese, and Mallard ducks can be found near the water. Many types of hawks and owls also live here, such as the Bald eagle, Golden eagle, and Great horned owl.
Mammals of the White Mountains
The White Mountains are home to many mammals. You can see hoofed animals like Elk, Mule deer, and White-tailed deer.
Predators include Black bears, Mountain lions, Bobcats, and Mexican grey wolfs. Smaller animals like Coyotes, Grey foxes, and Raccoons also live here.
Many types of rodents call this area home. These include Beavers, Muskrats, Porcupines, and various kinds of squirrels and mice. Rabbits like the Mountain cottontail and Black-tailed jackrabbit are also present.
Different kinds of bats fly around Greer, including the Big brown bat and Mexican free-tailed bat.
Reptiles and Amphibians
Even with the cool climate, many reptiles and amphibians live here. Snakes like the Arizona black rattlesnake and Sonoran mountain kingsnake can be found.
Lizards such as the Eastern collared lizard and Southwestern fence lizard are also present. The only turtle species is the Western painted turtle.
Amphibians like the Canyon tree frog, Chiricahua leopard frog, and Arizona toad live near the water. You might also find the Barred tiger salamander.
People of Greer
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 2010 | 41 | — | |
| 2020 | 58 | 41.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Greer has a small year-round population, with only 58 people living there in 2020. However, in the summer, the population grows to about 1,000 people. Many homes in Greer are cabins or summer getaways for people from Phoenix and Tucson. They come to enjoy the cooler temperatures.
The ZIP code for Greer is 85927, and the area code is 928. Greer is about 0.53 square miles in size. The average age of people living there is 61.5 years. Most people (90%) are married.
Fun Things to Do in Greer
- Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest: Explore 2.76 million acres of beautiful national forest.
- Sunrise Ski Resort: Enjoy skiing and snowboarding at Arizona's largest ski resort.
- The Molly Butler Lodge, Restaurant and Bar: Visit this historic lodge and restaurant, built around 1910.
- Rendezvous Diner: Grab a bite at this small, vintage diner.
- Hon-Dah Casino: A casino located on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation west of Greer.
- The Little Colorado River: Fish or relax by this medium-sized cold water stream that flows through town.
- The Black River: A large river perfect for camping and fishing.
- Greer Lakes: These lakes (River Reservoir, Bunch Reservoir, Tunnel Reservoir) are great for cold water fishing and other fun activities.
- White Mountain Lakes: Large lakes like Big Lake and Crescent lake offer amazing trout fishing, boating, and camping.
- Mount Baldy: Hike or explore Arizona's second-highest mountain.
- Escudilla Mountain: Discover Arizona's third-highest mountain.
Notable People from Greer
- Adam Driggs: An Arizona judge, lawyer, and former Senator.
- James Willard Schultz: An American author, explorer, fur trader, and historian.
See also
In Spanish: Greer (Arizona) para niños
