TRAILBLAZERS PROGRAM

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The Trailblazers build and maintain the hiking trails in the Fountain Hills McDowell Mountain Preserve. They also maintain the Lake Overlook and the Desert Botanical Garden trails. Work can involve everything from brush clipping to digging, chopping and moving heavy rocks. All of this is accomplished through good old manual labor.

The Trailblazers meet almost every Saturday morning

for about 3 hours from November through April. Often

there is a group of more than 15 energetic people.

On the job training and tools are provided. The

Trailblazers have saved the Town hundreds of

thousands of dollars through their hard work and

dedication.

Click here to view recent and past Trailblazer photos.  

PRESERVE STEWARDS PROGRAM

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SCFH organizes exercise and interpretive hikes from October

through April. All hikes are led by experienced hikers or by

experts in fields such as botany, geology, archaeology,

photography, birding and wildlife. Most interpretive hikes are

held within the Fountain Hills McDowell Mountain Preserve.

Hikes can be within the Preserve, into the adjoining Scottsdale

McDowell Sonoran Preserve or McDowell Mountain Regional

Park, or out of town into other Valley preserves or National Forests.

As a steward you will be supporting the leader and making sure all hikers are safe and accounted for. Your fitness level should be appropriate for the hike you are supporting. You will need to have appropriate hiking clothing and boots. For some hikes, poles are recommended. If you are interested, we will have you join hikes with experienced stewards and ask that you take advantage of the excellent classes provided by the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy. 

TRAILHEAD HOSTS

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Hosts volunteer at the Adero Canyon Trailhead to assist hikers, cyclists and visitors by providing basic information about the Preserve and the trails. We ask that Trailhead Hosts commit to a minimum of one 2-hour shift at the trailhead per month during the months of November through mid-April. You do not have to be a strong hiker to be a host. You do need to enjoy talking to people, welcoming them to the Preserve and helping them select a trail or hike that is appropriate to their abilities. You will be provided orientation materials and either attend an orientation class or shadow an experienced trailhead host before being assigned a time slot. We can team you with someone else until you are comfortable being at the trailhead by yourself. If you are unsure whether being a host is right for you, we invite you to shadow a trailhead host for a shift.

DESERT BOTANICAL GARDEN

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The Fountain Hills Desert Botanical Garden was originally founded by

Jane Haynes in 1975.  Today it hosts a 1 mile looping trail with

numerous native plants labeled. It is located on Fountain Hills Blvd, just

north of Kingstree Blvd. The trail is maintained by garden volunteers

who rake, sweep, trim and do the odd trail repair. Meetings are held on the 3rd Thursday of the month at 10 AM in the Community Center from October to April. A Variety of subjects are discussed with occasional educational programs pertaining to the desert. New members are always welcome.

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CLICK HERE for a segment on how Jane Haynes celebrated her 100th birthday!