The Town of Fountain Hills is the largest single landowner within our borders. In addition to maintaining the streets, sidewalks, municipal buildings, and essential facilities that keep daily life running, the Town also manages something just as important to residents: the places where we gather, play, explore, and enjoy the outdoors.

These include:

  • Our parks and public spaces where we connect with one another,

  • Our open spaces that protect the desert landscape, and

  • Our McDowell Mountain Sonoran Preserve, including the Adero Canyon Trailhead — the gateway to breathtaking mountain views and miles of wilderness trails.

These shared spaces define the character of Fountain Hills and make our community feel like home.

As an initial reference with maps, go to the 2020 Fountain Hills General Plan, starting on page 56:  Microsoft Word – Background and Current Conditions Draft 1 6 20 2018

Parks and Public Spaces

Fountain Hills offers an award-winning park system that exceeds national standards for park space per resident. Our parks are diverse, convenient, and spread throughout the community — many located alongside or integrated with our public schools. These shared spaces give residents of all ages a place to connect, play, recreate, and enjoy the outdoors.

Here are the major parks and public spaces that help define life in Fountain Hills:

Fountain Park
The signature landmark of our community — home to Fountain Lake and the world-famous Fountain. This park includes:

  • 29-acre lake and 35 acres of turf with a paved, lighted walking loop.

  • Ramadas, drinking fountains, restrooms, and two parking areas.

  • Kiwanis Splash Park.

  • A children’s playground — including outdoor musical instruments.

  • Milestones Presidential Overlook.

  • Amphitheater and large picnic areas.

  • Overlook Trail access (east side).

  • An extensive public art collection — 36+ sculptures.

  • An 18-hole championship disc golf course.

Golden Eagle Park
Our second-largest park at 25 acres, adjacent to Fountain Hills High School. Features include:

  • Four lighted ballfields.

  • Tennis and pickleball courts.

  • Concessions, restrooms, and ample parking.

  • Easy access to the high school’s lighted football field and track.

Four Peaks Park
A 15-acre neighborhood park with:

  • Large multipurpose fields.

  • A playground with zip line.

  • Restroom facilities and two nearby parking areas.

  • Direct connection to the Boys & Girls Club.

Desert Vista Park
A large and active recreation hub with:

  • Lighted fields for soccer and team sports.

  • Ramadas, restrooms, and surrounding parking.

  • Skate Park (recently remodeled and expanded).

  • Outdoor workout stations.

  • Fountain Hills Dog Park — with spacious areas for large and small dogs.

Avenue of the Fountains — Linear Park
A half-mile corridor of fountains, art, seating, and gathering areas in the heart of downtown. This space hosts:

  • Markets and fairs.

  • Holiday celebrations.

  • Live entertainment and community events.
    Surrounded by restaurants, shops, and mixed-use buildings, it is one of our most vibrant gathering places.

Pleasantville — Dark Sky Viewing Area
Our newest park — designed specifically for stargazing in support of our International Dark Sky Community designation.

Desert Botanical Garden
A walking trail and nature preserve dating back to the 1970s, featuring native plants, wildlife, and fascinating geology — all accessible from a dedicated parking area.

Centennial Circle
Not formally a park, but a beloved civic plaza connecting Town Hall, the Community Center, Library & Museum, and the future International Dark Sky Discovery Center. Created in 2012 to honor Arizona’s centennial, this area features artwork, event space, and community seating — and serves as a centerpiece for Town and private events.

Maintaining these community treasures requires ongoing investment. The Town’s annual budget funds the maintenance, equipment, supplies, and personnel needed to keep our parks beautiful, safe, and welcoming — ensuring residents can enjoy them year-round.

Ready for the next piece — Open Spaces or Preserve & Trails — whenever you are. I will keep the same friendly, knowledgeable voice throughout the section.

Parks | Fountain Hills, AZ – Official Website

Open Spaces

In Fountain Hills, open spaces are more than empty land — they are active parts of our desert ecosystem. Most of the Town’s undeveloped open spaces take the form of natural washes, which carry stormwater through the community and support wildlife habitat.

There are more than 40 named washes in Fountain Hills, most flowing west to east — from the McDowell Mountains, through town, and into the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation on their way to the Verde River. To support safe drainage during heavy rain events, the Town also manages nine stormwater-retention dams connected to the wash system.

These washes help:

  • Manage stormwater and protect property.

  • Maintain natural desert corridors for wildlife.

  • Preserve open views and native plants throughout town.

Because they cover such a large portion of the community, the Town has significant responsibility for managing these critical areas, especially during monsoon season.

Overall, the Town actively maintains more than 200 acres of wash area — and many more acres lie within our municipal boundaries. Some of the better-known washes include:

  • Ashbrook

  • Balboa

  • Legend

  • Colony

  • Aspen

  • Emerald

Our connection to the desert is one reason wildlife sightings are so common here. Javelina, coyotes, bobcats, raccoons, snakes, lizards, and a variety of birds — from hawks to hummingbirds to waterfowl — are part of daily life. Occasionally, even deer or black bears appear, reminding us that we live adjacent to a much larger natural world.

Just north of Fountain Hills are two large 640-acre State Trust land parcels (with a 5-acre portion set aside for a school). Though currently undeveloped, this land represents a major open space asset within the Town’s boundaries.

McDowell Mountain Sonoran Preserve & Trails

Fountain Hills made a forward-looking decision in 1995: protect the McDowell Mountains from unchecked development. Working with the City of Scottsdale, Maricopa County, nonprofit partners, volunteers, and voters, the Town built a legacy that continues today.

Residents approved the first funding in 1996. Over more than two decades, land protection, trail access, and recreational planning came together to form one of our community’s greatest assets — the McDowell Mountain Sonoran Preserve, with more than 800 acres protected in partnership with neighboring jurisdictions.

In 2023, the Town opened the Adero Canyon Trailhead, featuring parking, restrooms, scenic access, and nearly 10 miles of hiking trails into the McDowell Mountains. Every trail in the Preserve was created and is maintained by volunteers from the McDowell Mountain Conservancy (MMC). The first trail opened in 2004, and today there are six different routes ranging from easier desert foothill hikes to more challenging mountain climbs — some allowing mountain biking as well.

Beyond the Preserve, Fountain Hills also maintains an “urban trails” system with six additional designated routes connecting neighborhoods, parks, and scenic viewpoints — including the loops around Fountain Park and the Overlook trail. In total, our community features nearly 26 miles of planned trails!

Find detailed information about all trail routes and access points within Fountain Hills at:

McDowell Mountain Preserve & Trails | Fountain Hills, AZ – Official Website or McDowell_Mountain_Preservation_Trail_Master-4-19-22