Some 17 years after then Fountain Hills Mayor Jerry Miles and his Scottsdale counterpart, Mayor Sam Campana, met on an old Jeep road leading into the McDowell Mountains from Cholula Drive to dedicate joint preservation efforts in “Hands Across the Mountain,” a trail was dedicated that connects the preserves of the two communities.

The trail was dedicated in honor of two men whose efforts epitomized the cooperation and hard work that has made the McDowell Mountains accessible to the public.

The Andrews–Kinsey Trail stretches some two miles from the Western Loop Trail in Fountain Hills to the Sunrise Trail in Scottsdale – the first direct connection between the two preserve areas.

The late Chet Andrews was a driving force on the Scottsdale side mobilizing the public and urging on the city in land acquisition and trail building.

Andrews’ daughter, Mary, described him as one of those who goes out to do what they do without seeking recognition for the effort.

Len Marcisz, a preserve steward and trail guide who has worked with both Andrews and Roy Kinsey over the years, described them as “two gentleman who led by example and encouragement.”

“They would get you to say yes without you realizing it and then get the most out of you,” Marcisz said. “They were masters of leading with the gentle hand.”

Mary said her father lived by the creed set in the Margaret Mead quote, “Never doubt that a group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed it’s the only thing that ever has.”

She added that her father once noted that “there are two sides to this mountain (McDowells) and we are very blessed that Roy has the other side.”

Kinsey himself made the trek up the mountain to the new trailhead.

“There are many reasons to celebrate the Andrews–Kinsey Trail,” he said.

“It gives me this opportunity to thank all the volunteers, many who are here, trail blazers, stewards and all for their hard work over the years.”

Mayor Linda Kavanagh, in presenting Kinsey with a plaque commemorating the dedication, said, “The old proverb states that ‘a journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step’ and Roy took that step, and it has been a formidable journey, and we thank him for his vision and hard work.”

The trail is a major step in providing access for recreational hikers and bikers enjoying the preserve lands.

It offers a secondary connection between the approximately seven miles of preserve trails within Fountain Hills to more than 300 in the Scottsdale McDowell Mountain Preserve, McDowell Mountain Park and into Tonto National Forest.