Now, for the facts.

Located about 190 miles or 4 driving hours from Phoenix, Fort Apache Reservation is the home of the White Mountain Apache Tribe (WMAT for short). At roughly 75 miles long, 45 miles wide, the reservation makes up more than 1.6 million acres of east central Arizona, spanning Navajo, Apache and Gila counties. To the south is the San Carlos Apache Reservation. Climate and land contrast dramatically here, with desert foothills in the southwestern region reaching 2,700 feet in Salt River Canyon and forested mountains in the northeastern portions reaching beyond 11,000 feet near Mount Baldy. Whiteriver is the capital with the largest population on the reservation of over 2,500 residents.

The town of Pinetop, Arizona lies just north of the reservation with weather that is normally dry and cool. Summer highs are around the 70s and drop as low as the 40s on average. Summer thunderstorms are usual and expected. Just above, you can check out the current and weekly forecast for weather in Whiteriver, AZ, just northeast of Canyon Day. For July, the average daily low throughout is 58.9 deg F while the daily average high is 91.5 deg F. Average precipitation for this month is 2.59 inches.

The reservation is home to more than 12,000 Apache natives, most belonging to the White Mountain Apache Tribe. The tribal members are located on nine major reservation communities. Over 4,000 of these people are between the ages of 5 and 18 years. The WMAT are the direct descendants of the original tribes that lived in this area of the southwest. Once, they were a nomadic people, moving with the hunt, but now reside in more permanent dwellings. It's not unusual to hear "Hon Dah!" or "Ahi'yi'ee" said to you as they are examples of Apache greetings in the Apache language.

About 20 percent of the Apache living on the reservation in Gila county live in poverty, and 97 percent are literate. The unemployment rate comes in at about 22.6 percent of the total reservation population. The main source of county employment is services and trade. One of the best ski resorts in the Southwest, Sunrise Park Resort, is located on the reservation right near the Hon-Dah Casino. Their economy is based on tourism, forestry and ranching.

The reservation is governed by a tribal government of which there are three branches - executive office, tribal council and the legal department. The executive office consists of a Tribal Chairman who is elected for a 4 year term by popular vote of tribal members and who presides over council meetings, dignitary and world leader meetings, as well as excercising all authority allowed to him by law, ordinance or tribal council action. The other member of the executive office is the Vice Tribal Chairman who is also eleceted to a 4 year term by memeber of the tribe. Replaces Tribal Chairman in his absence and assists the Tribal Council and Chairman. The Tribal Council consists of the Executive Office and nine others elected for 4 year-terms from 4 separate districts. They represent the White Mountain Apache Tribe and look out for the welfare of it's tribal members. The Legal Department operates somewhat like the Attorney General of State or Country.

Arizona state does not tax reservation lands or property owned on the reservation. Incomes are not taxed by the state so long as it's wholly from reservation sources. State and local sales taxes are also exempt for native peoples on the reservation, unless taxed by the tribal government. The state of Arizona does tax gas, electricity, natural gas and telephone service.

There are no cable providers, no digital switching stations (for all you DSL fans), no internet service providers (not even AOL), no cable internet service and no fiber optics. They do have electricity, propane service, telephone and water/sewer services on the reservation.

The reservation also offers many community facilities including 3 community centers/rodeos grounds, a fairground, indoor swimming pool, Apache Culture Center, library, 3 gyms and a 4 acre public-use park in Whiteriver. There is a community college, elementary, middle and high schools. There is a bank. Tribal government services include a fire department and law enforcement. There is a 50-bed hospital operated by the Indian Health Unit. Whiteriver boats a 6,270 foot paved and lighted runway with UNICOM radio. (Should've landed there, eh?) Of course, there are churches - we should all be familiar soon with the Canyon Day Lighthouse Church. There is a youth organization on the reservation, Apache Youth Ministries, that works with the youth and the different communities on the reservation. (More on AYM at the Ministry page)

For those of us who wonder...are there lakes in Arizona? Fort Apache Reservation has within its lands 25 lakes, 420 miles of streams and over 7,000 campsites throughout. Whitewater-rafting on the Salt River is allowed with permit, as is use of camp areas. Historic Fort Apache is in its birth stages as a historic park and is home to the tribal Culture Center, an reproduction of an Apache village and a walking tour of the old fort. Just down the road from where we'll be in Canyon Day are the Kinishba Ruins. These ruins are the only Native American ruins on the reservation that are open. Some areas need special permits to access them as they are sacred to the Apache people.

Speaking of Apache people... They live just like we do. There are modern houses on the reservation, there are shopping centers, and there are regular businessess. As you can see, they are provided with most public services we are accustomed to as well as utilities. So far, though, my search has yet to turn up mention of a Starbucks on the reservation lands... :)

If you feel that there are some things missing on this page, first read the rest of the pages before emailing your comments. :) Since there is a page called "Apache Ministry" as well as one called "Apache People" it would make sense for me to somewhat limit each pages contents to the general area they're meant to target. :)