White Tank Mountains facts for kids
Quick facts for kids White Tank Mountains |
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Petroglyphs in the White Tank Mountains
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 4,083 ft (1,244 m) |
| Geography | |
| Location | Arizona, United States |
| Topo map | USGS White Tank Mountains (AZ) |
| Geology | |
| Age of rock | 35 Ma |
| Mountain type | Metamorphic |
The White Tank Mountains are a beautiful mountain range found in central Arizona, USA. They are located on the western edge of the Phoenix metropolitan area. Nearby cities include Buckeye to the southwest and Surprise to the northeast. These mountains are home to the popular White Tank Mountain Regional Park, a great place for outdoor fun.
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Discover the White Tank Mountains
The White Tank Mountains are often called simply the "White Tanks." They are a medium-sized mountain range. Their highest points reach about 4,000 feet (1,219 meters) into the sky.
What Do They Look Like?
This mountain range has many ridges and deep canyons. It does not have one single, very tall peak. The highest spot in the range is Barry Goldwater Peak. It stands at 4,083 feet (1,244 meters) high.
How the Mountains Formed
The White Tank Mountains were created by powerful movements deep within the Earth. This happened about 30 million years ago. These movements are called tectonic activities. They caused a special type of break in the Earth's crust, known as a detachment fault.
Since these mountains are quite young in Earth's history, they haven't been worn down much by wind and water. This is why they still have a very rugged and rocky shape. You can see many rocky ridges and deep canyons.
The Story Behind the Name
During times of heavy rain, water rushes quickly through the steep canyons. Over time, this water carves out bowl-shaped holes in the white granite rock near the base of the mountains. These natural pools are called "tanks." Because the rock is white, they became known as "white tanks." This is how the mountains got their unique name!
Images for kids
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Granite "white tank" in the White Tank Mountains, Arizona, USA
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The White Tanks waterfall runs only right after rainfall
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Web-like petroglyph on the White Tank Mountain Regional Park Waterfall Trail
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Chipping petroglyph on the White Tank Mountain Regional Park Waterfall Trail
