Mogollon Plateau facts for kids

The Mogollon Plateau is a big area of land covered in pine trees. It's part of the larger Colorado Plateau and is found in east-central Arizona and west-central New Mexico, United States. The southern edge of this plateau is called the Mogollon Rim. The Mogollon Plateau is very high, reaching about 7,000 to 8,000 feet (2,100 to 2,400 meters) above sea level.

The plateau gets its name from the Mogollon people. They were a group of ancient people who lived in this area and nearby places from about 5,000 to 2,500 years ago. Many believe that the Ancestral Puebloans are descendants of the Mogollon people.

Lakes of the Mogollon Plateau

There are many beautiful lakes on and around the Mogollon Plateau, especially near its southern and southwestern edges, close to the Mogollon Rim.

• Eastern Lakes: Near the town of Show Low, Arizona, you can find lakes like Little Mormon Lake, Whipple Lake, Long Lake, and Fool Hollow Lake.
• Western Lakes: In the western part of the plateau, there are lakes such as Soldier Lake, Tremaine Lake, Soldier Annex Lake, and Stoneman Lake further west. Just south of these is Blue Ridge Reservoir, which is on East Clear Creek.
• Central and Southern Lakes: East of the plateau's center, and south near the Rim, you'll find Knoll Lake, Bear Canyon Lake, Woods Canyon Lake, Willow Springs Lake, and Black Canyon Lake. Just north of this group, on Chevelon Creek, is Chevelon Canyon Lake.

Many small streams and washes flow north across the plateau from the Mogollon Rim. In the western part, they tend to flow more towards the northeast, heading towards the Painted Desert area.

Wilderness Areas

There are three special wilderness areas that stretch west from the Mogollon Plateau. These are protected areas where nature is left wild.

• Fossil Springs Wilderness: This area is located more closely to the Mogollon Rim in the south.
• West Clear Creek Wilderness: North of Fossil Springs, this wilderness area runs west along a creek called West Clear Creek.
• Wet Beaver Wilderness: This area is also north of Fossil Springs and runs west, similar to West Clear Creek Wilderness, following the Wet Beaver Creek.

See also

In Spanish: Meseta de Mogollón para niños