Painted Rock Mountains Painted Rock Mountains The Painted Rocks Mountains are a short 15-mile (24 km) long mountain range of the north-central Sonoran Desert southwest of Phoenix, Arizona and in southwest Maricopa County. The Gila River flows through the central-north end of the range. The famous Painted Rock Petroglyph Site lies at the northeast end of the range, adjacent the Painted Rock Reservoir, and the reservoir lies at the eastern end of the agricultural river valley that is locally names as the Lower Gila River Valley, extending approximately from the Colorado River at Yuma to the west and the reservoir at the east.
Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park, formerly the Living Desert Zoological and Botanical State Park, is a zoo and botanical garden displaying plants and animals of the Chihuahuan Desert in their native habitats. It is located off U.S. Route 285 at the north edge of Carlsbad, New Mexico, at an elevation of atop the Ocotillo Hills overlooking the city and the Pecos River. It is open every day except Christmas. The park has been an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) since 2002. The zoo features more