A regional park is an area of land preserved on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, recreational use or other reason, and under the administration of a form of local government .
50-556: The White Tank Mountain Regional Park is a large regional park located in west-central Maricopa County, Arizona . Encompassing 29,271 acres (45.736 sq mi; 118.456 km) of desert and mountain landscape, it is the largest regional park in the county. The bulk of the White Tank Mountains range is located within the park's boundaries. The park was established in the 1960s. The developed portion of
100-575: A natural preserve . The majority of the park is undeveloped wilderness prohibiting motorized vehicles except on existing roads. Hiking throughout the majority of the park is also restricted to marked trails. Some hunting is permitted within the park boundaries, but subject to restriction. A number of local, indigenous species inhabit the park and are often spotted by park visitors, such as mule deer , coyotes , and javelinas , as well as several species of small rodents , and more rarely, mountain lions . A number of bird species are also common, including
150-491: A large regional campus in Chandler. The Metropolitan Area ranks 5th in the nation in economic growth, which is a major comeback from the recession. The unemployment rate of the area is 5.3%, lower than the national rate of 6.3%. It also has slightly higher recent job growth (2.0% compared to 1.2%) and higher projected job growth (38.7% compared to 36.1%). Although the area has significantly higher sales tax rates compared with
200-1187: A province, county, or city. There are 101 regional parks in Saskatchewan. All parks are operated by volunteer boards. Regional parks in Italy are administered by each region in Italy , a government unit like a U.S. state. Distinguished from National Parks in the Republic of Ireland , which are owned and run centrally by the state's National Parks and Wildlife Service , Ireland's regional parks are managed and operated by individual local authorities in Ireland . Examples include Ballincollig Regional Park (managed by Cork City Council ), Millennium Regional Park ( Fingal County Council ), and Malahide Demesne Regional Park (also Fingal County Council). A law to establish regional parks in Lithuania took effect in 1992. As of 2022, there were 30 such regional parks ( regioniniai parkai ). In New Zealand , regional parks are administered by regional councils rather than
250-662: A total area of about 14,600 square miles. Because of the size of counties in Arizona, even though Maricopa and Pinal counties together contain nearly 4.9 million people, most of the area is uninhabited, which gives the MSA an extremely low density compared to other major MSAs in the nation. The average elevation in the city itself is about 1,100 feet (340 m), with the highest point being in South Mountain Park Preserve 2,704 feet (824 m).The highest point in
300-401: Is 300 miles away. As of the 2010 census, there were 4,192,887 people, 1,537,137 households, and 1,024,971 families residing within the MSA. The racial makeup of the MSA was 73.0% White (58.7% White Non-Hispanic), 5.0% Black , 3.3% Asian , 2.4% Native American or Alaska Native (virtually all Native American) and 16.2% of other or mixed race . 29.5% were Hispanic of any race. In 2010
350-486: Is adjacent to the park's north and east borders; in response to the environmental concerns, city planners have identified the White Tank Mountains and the adjoining desert environment's preservation as one of the most critical planning issues in their general plan. To that end, the plan includes a greenbelt "buffer" between residential development and the park. Critics respond that the park will still suffer
400-534: Is due to the occasional corrections in the grid caused by the curvature of the Earth . This results in arterial roadways deviating slightly from a straight line, as can be seen in many locations where roads abruptly curve either just north or just south of Baseline Road to follow a new section line. The majority of the cities in the metropolitan area, as well as unincorporated areas in Maricopa County, observe
450-489: Is known as "11 Mile Corner"). Exceptions include: Apache Junction continues Mesa's convention of numbered north-south street names by having the sequence continue east from 112th St while simultaneously having east-west numbered avenues south of Apache Trail and east-west numbered streets north of Apache Trail. In terms of safety, the Phoenix–Mesa–Chandler, AZ metropolitan area has been ranked 16th most dangerous in
500-460: Is located on the western fringe of the Phoenix metropolitan area , and abuts the rapidly growing suburbs of Buckeye and Surprise . The rapid growth of these cities along with plans by various developers to construct large residential developments in the park's proximity has alarmed some environmentalists and park officials worried that the human impact may disrupt the area's ecology . Surprise
550-612: Is officially designated by the US Census Bureau as the Phoenix–Mesa–Chandler, AZ Metropolitan Statistical Area. The total population for metropolitan Phoenix at the 2020 Census was 4,845,832. The Phoenix Metropolitan Area is hundreds of miles away from any other metropolitan area of similar population size. For instance, the closest metropolitan area with almost the same population size is the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA Metro Area , which
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#1732775345119600-543: Is served by the Southwest Chief . Amtrak's Los Angeles-New Orleans Sunset Limited served the city of Phoenix directly from 1971 until it was rerouted on June 2, 1996, to a more southerly route between Tucson and Yuma, Arizona , in order to accommodate the Union Pacific Railroad 's desire to abandon a portion of its Phoenix-to-Yuma "West Line." This made Phoenix one of the largest cities in
650-968: Is that the major north-south arterial roads are rarely similarly named; the "avenue" arterials in the West Valley are all odd-numbered and the "street" arterials in the East Valley are even-numbered, with the exception of 7th Ave. & 7th St., both being major roadways running parallel and each one-half mile from Central Ave. Communities in Maricopa County that have their own street numbering systems include: Additional confusion can be encountered in Mesa in its urban core, with east-west numbered avenues and drives counting down from 11th Avenue north towards Main Street), and numbered streets and places counting down from 11th Place south towards Main Street. Then, in
700-660: The Arizona Sun Corridor megaregion along with the second-most populous metropolitan area in the state, the Tucson metropolitan area . The gross domestic product of the Phoenix metropolitan area was $ 362 billion in 2022, 14th highest amongst metro areas in the United States. As of the 2020 census , the two-county metropolitan area had 4,845,832 residents, making it the 11th largest metropolitan area in
750-631: The Census Bureau which consists of the entirety of the counties of Maricopa, Pinal, and Gila. This includes the Phoenix metropolitan area and the Payson, AZ micropolitan statistical area . As of April 1, 2020, the Phoenix–Mesa CSA had a population of 4,899,104, making it the fourteenth-most populous in the nation. The Phoenix Metropolitan Area comprises Maricopa County (2020 population: 4,420,568) and Pinal County (2020 population: 425,264). It
800-514: The Department of Conservation or territorial authorities . In the United States, a regional park is sometimes referred to as a 'Metropolitan Park (Metropark)' or as an open space reserve . The terms region and metropolitan can have different meanings in U.S. local government agencies. Regional parks can be administered by a regional park board, a state , county or other units of local government . A special authority can be set up, under
850-599: The San Francisco Bay Area , protecting habitat and offering recreation. In Scotland , regional parks are defined to co-ordinate the management of areas of attractive countryside that are of importance for recreation due to their proximity to population centres. The parks have been defined and are managed by local authorities . As of 2018, Scotland had three regional parks: Northern Ireland Lagan Valley Regional Park Phoenix metropolitan area The Phoenix metropolitan area , also known as
900-760: The Three Rivers Park District in Minnesota . In Ohio, under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 1545, metroparks such as the Cleveland Metroparks Park District, Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks have their own Police Departments with sworn police officers . The Toledo Metroparks , and Dayton Five Rivers Metroparks are also in the state. The East Bay Regional Park District and Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District have extensive parklands in
950-810: The Valley of the Sun , the Salt River Valley , metro Phoenix , or The Valley , is the largest metropolitan statistical area in the Southwestern United States , with its largest principal city being the city of Phoenix . It includes much of central Arizona . The United States Office of Management and Budget designates the area as the Phoenix–Mesa–Chandler Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) , defining it as Maricopa and Pinal counties. It anchors
1000-592: The addressing system employed by the city of Phoenix. A number of cities, however, retain their own addressing systems with differing reference points, creating the potential for multiple instances of a house number being found on the same named road. In terms of numbering systems, some roads that continue through multiple cities will switch numbering conventions several times. Broadway Road, for example, starts and stops multiple times, passing through Goodyear, Avondale, Phoenix, Tempe, Mesa, and Apache Junction, each with their own reference point for address numbering. Though
1050-429: The roadrunner and the cactus wren , the official state bird of Arizona. Being in the desert, the park is also home to many species of reptiles , as well. Guided hikes offered by the park service offer visitors an excellent opportunity to learn about and view the native flora and fauna . Although normally dry, the area is subject to sudden and sometimes severe flash flooding in the narrow canyons that run through
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#17327753451191100-575: The Main Street line 2 + 1 ⁄ 2 miles from Sycamore to Mesa Drive in Downtown Mesa, finished construction and opened on August 22, 2015. The Northwest rail project opened March 2016. The project extended the 19th Avenue track from its former terminus at Montebello Ave to Dunlap Avenue, 3 miles north. Many more extensions are funded, with further projects being studied for feasibility. In 2010, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
1150-799: The USA, based on its Pedestrian Danger Index, computed on the share of local commuters who walk to work and the most recent data on pedestrian deaths as found in a 2016 report released by Smart Growth America . Amtrak serves the Phoenix metropolitan area with their Sunset Limited and Texas Eagle trains—both of which stop in Maricopa , located about 40 miles south of downtown Phoenix. Amtrak's Stagecoach Express provides Amtrak Thruway service from Maricopa station to both Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and Tempe station . Amtrak also provides additional Thruway Motorcoach service from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport to Flagstaff station , which
1200-402: The area, including Avnet , PetSmart , Apollo Education Group , Republic Services , ON Semiconductor , Insight Enterprises, and Sprouts Farmers Market . Other Fortune 500 companies with significant presence include Banner Health , the state's largest private employer, American Airlines , which merged with Tempe-based US Airways , American Express, Wells Fargo, Boeing, and Intel , which has
1250-602: The boundaries of the Phoenix–Mesa, AZ US are in bold below. Principal city Places with 250,000+ inhabitants Places with 150,000–249,999 inhabitants Places with 75,000–149,999 inhabitants Places with 30,000–74,999 inhabitants Places with 10,000–29,999 inhabitants Fewer than 10,000 inhabitants Over 10,000 inhabitants Under 10,000 inhabitants As of 2020, the Phoenix Metropolitan area consists of Maricopa and Pinal counties, comprising
1300-484: The construction of new freeways where no road existed before such as SR 24 , SR 30 , and I-11 . Most of the arterial roads in the Phoenix metropolitan area are laid out on a regular grid , following the section lines established in the Public Land Survey System . As a result, arterial roads in cities that had once been geographically separate may have been given different names while occupying
1350-586: The core city. However, Arizona has relatively large counties and a harsh, rugged desert landscape. For these reasons, much of the land that is part of the Metropolitan Statistical Area is rural or completely uninhabited. The core part of the Phoenix Metropolitan Area is the Phoenix–Mesa, Arizona Urban Area, which is far smaller than the Metropolitan Statistical Area. Places that fall completely or partially within
1400-412: The desert environment combined with darker skies due to the semirural setting provide for stargazing and amateur astronomy opportunities. The park hosts an organized stargazing event at various dates through the year. A number of other organized events take place regularly during the year, including interpretive nature hikes, guided health walks, and youth-oriented events. Opened in 2010 and located at
1450-569: The eastern part of the city, north-south streets and places count up from 22nd St east of Gilbert Rd, to 112th Street on the Apache Junction border. Numerous trailer parks inside the city limits run their own contradictory variations of the numbered street system. Most communities in Pinal County use the Pinal County street numbering system, whose point of origin is at SR 287 and 11 Mile Corner Road (the intersection of which
1500-401: The effects of being isolated from surrounding areas, becoming in effect an ecological island. 33°35′18″N 112°32′54″W / 33.5882664°N 112.548349°W / 33.5882664; -112.548349 Regional park A regional park can be a special park district covering a region crossing several jurisdiction boundaries, or a park system of a single jurisdiction, such as
1550-677: The joint jurisdiction of two or more government bodies or as an independent park district to administer parks. Individual parks may or may not cross governmental boundaries. The park district holds the authority, similar to fire protection districts, to manage and raise taxes to cover park acquisition and management costs. Examples of large regional park systems are the Cleveland Metroparks in Northeast Ohio, Huron-Clinton Metroparks in Southeast Michigan ; and
White Tank Mountain Regional Park - Misplaced Pages Continue
1600-479: The median income for a household in the MSA was $ 50,385 and the median income for a family was $ 58,497. The per capita income was $ 24,809. What follows is a list of places in Metro Phoenix (populations for incorporated places are as of the 2020 census). The Office of Management and Budget defines a metropolitan area as the core city plus its county and any nearby counties that are economically dependent on
1650-475: The mountains, particularly during thunderstorms common in the late summer. While this creates a potential hazard situation, the appearance of temporary waterfalls in the rugged terrain is a seasonal attraction to park visitors. The mountains are also home to a number of archaeological sites, with 11 having been identified within the park boundaries, including seven Hohokam villages that were occupied between 500 and 1100 CE. The Black Rock Trail provides access to
1700-479: The nation as a whole (8.3% to 6.0%), income tax rates are lower than the national average (3.4% to 4.7%). The largest occupation by population is in the office/administrative sector, comprising more than a quarter of all jobs in the region. The Phoenix Metropolitan Area is served by several controlled-access freeways, including: New freeways are planned in the future, either through upgrades of existing roads such as SR 74 , SR 85 , and Northern Parkway ; or through
1750-445: The nation by population. Metro Phoenix grew by 652,945 people from April 2010 to April 2020, making it one of the fastest growing metro areas in the country. This also contributed to the entire state's exceptional growth; the area is home to just over two-thirds of Arizona's population. The population of the Phoenix metropolitan area increased by 45.3% from 1990 through 2000, compared to the overall U.S. rate of 13.2%, helping make Arizona
1800-424: The nation without direct passenger service. A light rail system (dubbed the "METRO Light Rail") runs more than 20 miles from suburban Mesa, through Tempe and into Phoenix, traveling through the downtown area, offering access to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and linking two of the four metro area campuses of Arizona State University . The light rail began public operation on December 27, 2008, and it
1850-418: The national average of 205. The average July high is about 104 °F (40 °C), with the average January low being about 36 °F (3 °C), still above freezing. Bestplaces gives Metropolitan Phoenix a comfort index of 44/100, which is also the national average. Below is a chart showing climate data collected from Sky Harbor Airport . Due to the vast area covered by the MSA, climates vary throughout
1900-499: The park provides a number of outdoor recreational activities. Ramadas (generally shaded tables), picnic areas and campgrounds are available and often used for informal gathering places. Several of the campground areas are available for RV access and are semi-developed, including picnic tables, barbecue grills and restroom facilities equipped with showers. The park is better renowned for its extensive network of hiking trails. Nearly 26 miles (42 km) of hiking trails wind through
1950-498: The park's entrance, the White Tank Library and Nature Center is housed in a 29,000-square-foot LEED-certified building. The library features a large viewing area of the park. The nature center includes live native reptiles, an information center, and a gift shop. Nature education programs are offered for children, families, and adults. The park encompasses a large swath of desert and mountain environment and doubles as
2000-498: The remnants of one of these villages, although the remnants are not well preserved and often overlooked by casual visitors. More readily apparent are a number of petroglyphs scattered throughout the park. Most are of Hohokam origin, but some may have been created nearly 10,000 years ago, by Meso-Indians . Park visitors are encouraged to photograph petroglyphs or other archaeological remains, but park regulations prohibit touching or otherwise disturbing them. The White Tank Regional Park
2050-559: The same section line. When these roads were extended to accommodate the growth in the area they eventually merged into a single road while the previous segments retained their existing names. This results in several cases of a road abruptly changing names; for example, Dunlap Avenue in Phoenix becomes Olive Avenue west of 43rd Avenue, in Glendale. Another quirk of a grid system based upon the Public Land Survey System
White Tank Mountain Regional Park - Misplaced Pages Continue
2100-513: The second-fastest growing state in the nation in the 1990s behind Nevada . The 2000 census reported the population of the metropolitan area to be 3,251,876. Water insecurity and drought in conjunction with climate change have become a significant concern for the metropolitan area's future growth prospects. The Phoenix–Mesa combined statistical area (CSA) was designated in September 2018 by U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and by
2150-616: The street does not curve, the direction changes from west to east in each city and back again when moving from one city to the next, causing considerable overlap in numbers. Most communities in Maricopa County use the Phoenix-County numbering system, with the point of origin at Central Avenue and Washington Street. In the Phoenix-County system, north-south numbered roads labeled "avenue", "drive", and "lane" are West of Central Avenue, while those labeled "street", "place" and "way" are east of Central Avenue. Starting with 579th Avenue in
2200-545: The terrain in the park, ranging in difficulty from a simple walk to moderately challenging. The most commonly used is the Waterfall trail, a 0.9-mile (1.4 km) walk that culminates in a narrow canyon featuring a seasonal waterfall. Bicycling and horseback riding are permitted on many of the trails. In addition to the network of hiking trails, the 10-mile (16 km) competitive track is designed for "high speeds, challenging one's skills, and racing". Clear weather typical of
2250-496: The two county area is 7,657 feet (2,334 m) in the Four Peaks mountain range. Metropolitan Phoenix is notable for its warm, desert climate. On average, the area receives about 9 inches of rain annually, with less than 1 inch of snow every decade. In total, the region will see about 32 days of measurable precipitation each year. The MSA is one of the sunniest major metropolitan areas, receiving 295 days of sunshine, compared to
2300-465: The two largest industries are manufacturing and tourism. About 10 million people visit from other states and Canada each year, due to the area's mild winters and long, sunny days. The technology and service industries currently account for almost 77% of total employment in the region. As well as a strong tourism industry, the Phoenix area has a significant business sector. Several Fortune 500 and Fortune 1000 companies have their international headquarters in
2350-419: The valley. Metropolitan Phoenix has historically been the center of the state's economy. As with the state of Arizona, the area relied on the 5 C's (copper, cattle, climate, citrus, and cotton) for its economic growth and expansion. However, after World War II, the area entered the manufacturing industry, which spurred the growth of what would eventually be one of the largest urban areas in the nation. Currently,
2400-608: The west near Tonopah the avenues count down with approximately 8 numbers per mile to 19th Avenue and count up again to from 16th Street to 228th Street near Queen Creek in the east. They go, in order from west to east (although not all necessarily exist): This has been a source of confusion for a few newcomers, who might end up, for example, at 91st Avenue and Thunderbird Road, when in fact they intended to go to 91st Street and Thunderbird Road, between 30 minutes and an hour away from one another depending on traffic. One beneficial quality of this arrangement for unfamiliar travelers
2450-480: Was projected to accommodate 26,000 boardings a day, or more than 8 million boardings in its first year. Valley Metro Rail boardings has experienced constant growth since the beginning. In the year 2012, the light rail boarded just over 14 million people. Many expansions to the METRO system are currently in the early planning stages, and others are under construction. The Central Mesa extension project, which extends
2500-486: Was the 24th busiest passenger facility in the world and the 10th busiest in the United States, with more than 38 million passengers using the facility. With three terminal buildings encompassing 120 gates, more than 20 airlines offer daily non-stop flights to destinations throughout the world. Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport began commercial passenger flights in 2004. The airport provides service to over 40 destinations. There are several municipal and regional airports in
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