After more than 20 years of planning, land acquisition and construction, visitors are now able to drive directly to the Adero Canyon Trailhead entrance on a paved road effective Friday, Nov. 6. Also, the trailhead is open dawn to dusk each day. To access the Town of Fountain Hills Adero Canyon Trailhead, take Eagle Ridge Drive from Palisades and Palomino boulevards and drive through the Adero Canyon neighborhood to the end.

In 1996, the Adero Canyon Trail and Trailhead was a dream project for the town, as well as interested hikers and fundraisers. Acquiring land through tax support and development fees, the town finally dedicated the Adero Canyon Trailhead entrance, parking lot, and lookout and restroom facilities with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in 2018. However, getting to the parking lot and trailhead meant driving over a dirt road through a construction zone for more than a mile. Toll Brothers Construction Company, the luxury home builder and developer of Adero Canyon, funded the construction and paving of Eagle Ridge Drive to the trailhead.

After years of land acquisition through purchase, exchange with developers, and the City of Scottsdale extending its Sonoran Preserve holdings, the Fountain Hills McDowell Mountain Preserve is now 882 acres of contiguous, undivided land. The Preserve extends from the southern mountains of Scottsdale to the McDowell Mountain Regional Park border to the north.

Adero Canyon Trailhead provides access to the Ridgeline Trail, Easy Access Trail, Overlook Trail, Western Loop Trail, Promenade Trail and Lower Sonoran Trail.

Hikers and visitors should be aware that restrooms and water-fountains are currently not operable at the trailhead. Portable toilets are available, so plan accordingly if hiking.

For more information about Fountain Hills McDowell Mountain Preserve Trails, call the Town of Fountain Hills Community Services Department at 480-816-5100, or go to fh.az.gov/preserve.