Wikieup is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located on U.S. Route 93 in Mohave County, Arizona, United States. It is located approximately northwest of Phoenix and southeast of Las Vegas. As of the 2020 census, the population of Wikieup was 135.
Geography and climate
Wikieup is in southeastern Mohave County in the valley of the Big Sandy River, between the Hualapai Mountains to the west and the Aquarius Mountains to the east. U.S. Route 93 passes through the community, leading northwest to Kingman, the Mohave county seat, and southeast to Wickenburg.
The lowest recorded temperature was in 1990, with a high of recorded in 1995. Average lows for January range from , with highs in July ranging from . Rainfall averages annually.
Demographics
History
There is a vandalized historic marker in Wikieup whose inscription once read:
"First exploration probably by early Spanish explorers, Espejo in 1582 and Farfan in 1589. Explored later by Lt. Amiel W. Whipple in 1854. Important agriculture, mining, milling, and smelting area in our early days. The McCrackin Mine discovered by Jackson McCrackin and H. A. "Chloride Jack" Owen in 1874, lies 18 miles south. The Signal Mine was 12 miles south. Stamp mills were at Greenwood, 8 miles southwest and at Virginia City, 9 miles southwest. Cofer Hot Springs 3 miles east."
Education
Residents are zoned to the Owens-Whitney Elementary School District, which operates one K-8 school. Students may choose to attend Bagdad Unified School District or Kingman Unified School District for high school.
Notable people
Donald Machholz (born 1952), amateur astronomer who is number one in the world for visual comet discoveries. Machholz is credited with the visual discovery of 12 comets and currently resides in Wikieup.
