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South Mountain Park, Phoenix

South Mountain Park may not have the allure of Camelback Mountain or the challenge of Piestewa Peak but there are several reasons why families should consider an outing at this rocky outcrop on the southern edge of the City of Phoenix. At nearly 17,000 acres, it is the largest municipal park in the world and a Phoenix Point of Pride. South Mountain Park is crisscrossed by nearly 60 miles (97 km) of shared-use - hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding - trails of varying length and grade. It is a great place to spot d... Read Moreesert wildlife - javelina (collared peccary), Gila monsters, chuckwalla, jackrabbit, cottontail rabbit, fit fox and coyote - and Southwest birdlife - great horned owl, red-tailed hawk, cactus wren and roadrunner. It comprises three mountain ranges, Ma Ha Tauk, Gila and Guadalupe. More than 300 species of plant life and 9 species of cactus are found in this corner of the Sonoran Desert. Hohokam Indian petroglyphs and ruins of stone structures offer a peek at times long past. Scenic drives and horseback rides offer a reprieve for trail worn kids. And the displays at the park's Environmental Education Center detail the area's history from the Hohokam Indians to gold-seekers.

Fun Facts about the Gila Monster

Gila Monsters

National Park Service

There are lots of fun facts about the Gila monster (pronounced HEE-la). Did you know that:

The Gila monster is a venomous lizard that can measure up to 60 cm or 2 feet long.
It is named after the Gila River in Arizona and is native to northern Mexico and the U.S. Southwest.
The Gila monster is one of the few living reptiles to have osteoderms, the small bony plates common in dinosaurs.
Its small, bead-like scales are black, pink and orange and form a pattern on its back.
The Gila monster is active for only about 90 days during the year. For the remainder of the year they hibernate underground.
Gilas eat small mammals, birds and eggs. An adult Gila monster can consume all the food it requires for an entire year in just 3 or 4 meals!
The Gila monster injects venom differently than snakes. The Gila monster injects venom through the grooves in its lower teeth as it chews. Snakes inject venom through hollow upper fangs when they bite.
The treatment for a Gila monster bite is the same as the treatment for a poisonous snake.
There are no recorded deaths from Gila monster bites in the U.S. state of Arizona in the last 130 years.