Sentinel Peak - Tucson, AZ - Mountain ridge in Arizona

Sentinel Peak, often better known as "A'' Mountain, is a mountain ridge in the Tucson Mountains. Standing at 2,897 feet high it offers great views of the Tucson valley, and is well worth the visit to see the infamous "A'' that gets painted on the side of it every year.

Sentinel Peak has a long history, and it was at its base that some of the earliest traces of human settlement in the area were found. It's made of various types of volcanic rock dating back some 20 to 30 million years, and for over 4,000 years the floodplains that surrounded it were used as agricultural fields. In the 1700's it was used as a lookout point for Spanish colonists, who posted a sentinel at its peak - thus the name.

More recently the peak has the notoriety of being known as "A'' Mountain, a moniker that's been used since 1915 when University of Arizona students created a large letter "A'' on the side of it. The idea came when the football team defeated Pomona College, and they decided to create the "A'' to show their victory. The idea soon took off and they've been re-painting it every year since.

The letter is made out of basalt rock and measures in at around 70 ft wide and 160 ft tall. It was originally painted white, but since September 11th it's been painted red, white and blue - not only the school's colors, but also a mark of respect and patriotism. It sometimes gets painted green on St Patrick's Day, but hasn't yet returned to its original whitewash.

Getting to the top of the peak involves a paved road climb, making it accessible for all without the need for any strenuous hiking. It's a particularly easy and enjoyable walk, just a 2.7 mile roundtrip. Many people choose to drive to the top to watch the sunset, and there are a number of barbeque grills available at the top to enjoy the views even more.

The peak is part of Sentinel Peak Park, but there are no fees to visit either one of them. However, both the park and the peak itself are closed at 8pm most days and at 6pm on Sundays, so it's worth getting there early to enjoy the best views.

Sentinel Peak, or "A'' Mountain, offers some of the best panoramic views of the area. Visitors will be able to get 360? views from the very top, making it the perfect place to get some great photos. In such a great location and being so easily accessible means that it attracts visitors from all over, and tourists are sure to want to visit, if only to see the famous "A'' for themselves.

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