Mount Baldy, Sacred summit in Apache County, Arizona

Mount Baldy is an extinct stratovolcano in Apache County, Arizona, reaching 11,409 feet (3,477 m). Its summit, the highest point in the White Mountains and Apache County, lies within the Fort Apache Indian Reservation and is largely bare of vegetation. An unnamed 10,890-foot sub-peak about 0.5 miles north is off the reservation and accessible via a maintained trail.

The peak was named Mount Thomas in 1873 by Captain George Wheeler to honor General Lorenzo Thomas for his role in the Mexican-American War. Over time, the simpler name Mount Baldy became more common locally and eventually replaced the original designation.

The Western Apache name the mountain Dził Łigai, White Mountain, and count it among the four most sacred ranges of the Arizona Apache, together with the Pinaleno Mountains, Four Peaks and the San Francisco Peaks. The summit itself lies within the Fort Apache Indian Reservation, so the peak is not open to public access.

The true summit lies inside the Fort Apache Indian Reservation and is closed to the public; the accessible goal is the unnamed 10,890-foot sub-peak about half a mile north, reached by a maintained trail. The Mount Baldy Wilderness covers the eastern slope under Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest management. Plan for the mountain's heavy precipitation, the wettest in Arizona.

The peak serves as the source for two major river systems in the region, which develop into some of the most productive trout streams in the state. This water source feature makes the summit interesting not just for hikers but also for those curious about the land's natural water systems.