The Town Council has approved a modification to the original plans for the Ridgeline Trail development in the Fountain Hills McDowell Mountain Preserve.

The council voted 7-0 at its Dec. 15 regular session to approve a plan to change the route of the next phase of the trail to create a loop.

In early 2019 the original plan by the McDowell Mountain Preservation Commission and Fountain Hills McDowell Sonoran Conservancy was approved to develop the trail within the boundary of existing and newly acquired preserve territory. Since that time, the volunteer trailblazers have constructed the Ridgeline Trail from the Adero Canyon Trailhead south to a high point overlooking SunRidge Canyon.

The Trailblazers sought the change as they prepare to begin work on the next phase to create a loop rather than the straight out and back route.

In her staff report to the council Community Services Director Rachael Goodwin said, “the route proposed and approved by the council in 2019 has proven to be difficult to traverse due to the topography of the slope.”

The new route proposed by the Trailblazers remains within the Preserve boundary although it deviates up to 250 feet from the original plan. There remains a buffer of approximately 600 feet from the nearest residential property, which is in the Shadow Canyon neighborhood.