Lori Ann Piestewa, the first known Native American woman to die in combat in the U.S. military,[5] and the first female soldier to be killed in action in the 2003 Iraq War.

[7] As the term "squaw" is considered derogatory by many, numerous efforts to change the name of the mountain were made through the years.

State Representative Jack Jackson, himself a Navajo, submitted a bill to change the name annually beginning in 1992, which generated repeated and often raw debates in Arizona.

[8] In 2003, newly elected Governor Janet Napolitano petitioned the state board to rename the mountain for Lori Piestewa.

The U.S. Board on Geographic Names, however, refused to accept a similar petition at the time, citing their own five-year waiting rule.

[12] Flora in this area is typical of the lower Sonoran Desert and includes almost all varieties of Arizona cactus such as saguaro, barrel, hedgehog, pincushion, jumping cholla and prickly pear.

[13] Many species of reptiles thrive in the preserve, including gila monster, horned lizard, chuckwalla, and western diamondback rattlesnake.

The mammal population includes coyote, bobcat, jackrabbit, cottontail rabbit, ground squirrel and kit fox.

Water is only available at the trailhead, and at several ramadas along squaw peak road, uphill from the summit trail parking lot.

This unique late availability combined with proximity to city lights, and a light-colored rock translates to a popular location for night hikes.