The board of the Sonoran Conservancy of Fountain Hills (SCFH) strongly recommends that the Town Council approve a plan for the development of Adero Canyon. The SCFH is an organization composed solely of volunteers who, among others things, spend countless hours leading and supporting hikes and maintaining the trails in the preserve and around our community. With this hiking season not yet completed, over 300 people have participated in SCFH hikes, with most of these people living in our community. The people joining the hikes represent a cross section of our community, from school children learning about our magnificent Sonoran desert environment to active adults hiking into the Preserve to enjoy the special views at its highest points.

While our Preserve belongs to all Fountain Hills residents, sadly, access to our Preserve is currently available to only a few. The rest view the eastern side of the McDowells from town but can only imagine the magnificent views from the Preserve itself.

Currently, the only legal unguided access is from the Dixie Mine Trailhead at the end of Golden Eagle. It requires a 7.5-mile round trip hike with a 1700 foot elevation gain that takes hikers to just the edge of our Preserve -- where another five miles (one-way!) of trails await their exploration. So for the vast majority of our residents, access to Fountain Hills’ most important natural area is through one of just two avenues: (1.) a three-mile roundtrip hike guided by SCFH volunteers through Adero Canyon to the edge of our Preserve or (2.) a volunteer led drive-in to our Preserve. These access options are also not by right, but are dependent upon an existing contractual arrangement with MCO.

Completion of the road to the Preserve and construction of the trailhead is critical. SCFH volunteers currently drive their own vehicles up to the Preserve to build and maintain the trails and to support hikes and drive-in events. The only drive-in access is through Adero Canyon on a dirt and rocky road requiring high clearance vehicles. Vehicle limitations pose one more obstacle to expanding access options for the town residents until a suitable road and construction of the trailhead is completed.

Construction of the trailhead is dependent on availability of funds. Some $1.7 million has been collected from local developmental fees assessed over the years. While these funds have been set aside for now, they remain vulnerable to being tapped for other purposes or lost altogether in a few years. If those funds should vanish before an Adero Canyon development plan is approved, then access to our Preserve for all Fountain Hills residents is very likely to be impaired for a long time to come.

The present development plan (PAD) for lower Adero Canyon ensures that access will be provided for immediate trailhead/road construction. The SCFH believes that all Fountain Hills residents are entitled to easy access to our Preserve. Access issues for road and trailhead construction have lingered for far too long and are overdue for resolution. The Sonoran Conservancy of Fountain Hills strongly recommends that the town approve a plan for the development of Adero Canyon and trailhead construction