 picacho peak state park is a state park surrounding picacho peak in picacho, arizona. the park is located between casa grande and tucson near interstate 10 in pinal county. its centerpiece spire is visible from downtown tucson, a distance of . the summit rises to  above mean sea level. though appearing to be the remnant of a volcanic neck, it is now believed to be a tilted and eroded piece of rock overlain by a lava flow. the place name is redundant: "picacho" means "big peak" in spanish. ==description== the park is celebrated for wildflowers that appear mid-march to early april following good winter rain. though set next to an interstate highway, the park's west face possesses an unspoiled sonoran desert setting. a small flat space on top of the spire can be reached via two trail heads. portions of the trails are precarious, and hikers are aided by cables and catwalks, making the routes some of the few via ferrata in the united states. from the top, there is a view south to the santa catalina mountains near tucson, northwest to tabletop mountain near casa grande, north to the many mountain ranges surrounding phoenix, and west to where the north-running santa cruz river runs underground supporting farms in a desert the hunter trail is a hiking path to the top of the peak. it is not a technical climb, but includes an interval where steel cables have been installed to aid ascending hikers. the park recommends that hikers wear hiking boots and carry two liters of water per person. gloves are commonly used to help grip the cables. ==history== pechacho or picacho station a stop on the butterfield overland mail existed here until the 1870s. the park is near the site of the battle of picacho pass, one of several american civil war era engagements to occur in arizona territory. a [[union army|
1965_establishments_in_Arizona Parks_in_Pinal_County,_Arizona Protected_areas_established_in_1965 Sonoran_Desert State_parks_of_Arizona