Piestewa Peak is one of the highest points in Phoenix. Its peak is visible towering across the Valley and many flock to its trails to hike each day.
While hikers take to the peak’s popular trails, not all might know about how the mountain within the Phoenix Mountains Preserve was renamed to honor the first Native American woman to die serving in the U.S. military overseas.
Here’s everything you need to know about Lori Piestewa, how the famous Phoenix peak was named after her and how to hike the popular trails.
Who is Lori Piestewa?
Lori Piestewa was the first Native American woman to die serving in the U.S. military overseas. She was in the U.S. Army and was deployed to Iraq in February 2003. One month later her convoy was hit by an enemy grenade. She died from her injuries on March 23, 2003, in a hospital. Piestewa was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart, a military decoration for bravery in action.
Why is the Phoenix mountain named Piestewa Peak?
The mountain’s previous name was widely considered a slur. Less than a month after Piestewa’s death, a state panel voted to rename the mountain in her honor . Following the mandatory five-year waiting period, the mountain was officially renamed Piestewa Peak in 2008…