Baboquivari Peak Wilderness
Scenic desert, rock climbing, splendid vistas
Location: Arizona
Size: 2,040 acres
Year Designated: 1990
Fast Fact: Baboquivari Peak is considered the center of the universe to the Tohono O'odham people—but due to reservation boundaries, the land no longer belongs to them.
Though it’s the smallest designated wilderness area in Arizona, the Baboquivari Peak Wilderness is of great importance to the Tohono O’odham people, who have lived in southwest Arizona for hundreds of years. According to Tohono O’odham cosmology, Baboquivari Peak represents the center of their universe, and is also the home of I'itoli, their Rock God and creator.
The entire wilderness area is at a relatively high elevation, ranging from 4,500 feet to 7,730 feet. Due to its elevation, a range of unique flora and fauna can be found in the wilderness area, from saguaro and paloverde at lower elevations to oak and walnut trees at higher elevations.
Though it remains a crucial part of the Tohono O’odham culture, Baboquivari Peak is not actually a part of their reservation. When the boundaries of the Tohono O’odham reservation were first created in 1916, the peak was excluded. In 1990, the Bureau of Land Management took over control of the area, and since the late 1990s, the Tohono O’odham have been actively trying to reclaim their sacred peak as part of their reservation.