The Trails at
Desert Mountain
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| China Wall Loop |
At the risk of inciting
an uproar, be warned--I’m about to write about private hiking trails.
I hear you. What?
Why? Don’t tease me!
In fact, I
wrestled with this one myself, and ultimately decided that although only residents
and invited guests may hike on The Trails at Desert Mountain in Scottsdale, the
story of their development is an inspiration.
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| A Sugar Sumac tree shades a trail |
Many of us
traipse along Arizona trails never giving a thought about how they got there or
who takes care of them.
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| Desperados Trail Scouts prep to lead guided hikes |
Some hikers I’ve
encountered believe that tax dollars and some mysterious well-funded branch of
government plans, builds and hires the magic fairies who fix damage and haul
out dog poop and trash. Although some
trails are within the domain of federal, state and city governments, they may also
receive additional support from non-profit agencies and volunteers. Other trails
exist solely by the efforts of individuals who raised funds, secured land,
built the trails and made the ongoing commitment to maintain them. If you’ve hiked anywhere in the Greater
Phoenix area, you’ve likely benefited from the efforts of the McDowell Sonoran
Conservancy, Desert Foothills Land Trust, Maricopa Trail & Parks Foundation
and the Arizona Trail Association. These are just a few examples of foundations
that work tirelessly to save land from development and build trails for our
use. The work isn’t reserved for public lands.
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| The trails are surrounded with lush desert vegetation |
Private communities are stepping
up to preserve precious swaths of Sonoran Desert for the protection of
indigenous plant and animal species, sensitive ecosystems and responsible
recreational activities. One group that champions the cause in the private
sector is the Desert Mountain Community Foundation and the Desperados Trail
Scouts.
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| Ocotillo and agave decorate a scenic highpoint |
THE VISION.
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| The trails share a border with Tonto National Forest |
When you stand on
the 4890-foot highpoint of the Desert Mountain Trails System, you’re witnessing
a miracle of sorts.
“Look to the
right and you’ll see 3 million people. Look to the left and you’ll see 3
million acres,” says Troy Gillenwater, community resident and one of the
founders of the private North Scottsdale trails. “It’s a buffer zone between civilization and
wilderness,” adds co-founder Bob Borsch.
Inspired by the
beauty and potential of the mountainous, 3000-acre parcel that shares five
miles of border with the Tonto National Forest, Gillenwater and Borsch set out
to preserve the developer/investor-owned land.
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| Skull Mesa on the western horizon |
During
exploratory hikes within the property, Gillenwater bushwhacked through pristine
swaths of high desert and chaparral discovering incredible bio-diversity, washes,
springs, geological features, historic artifacts and abandoned mine prospects.
The two men
decided to harness their respective skill sets and business acumen into preserving
ownership of the site.
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| Views of McDowell Sonoran Preserve peaks to the south |
THE ACTION PLANS.
In 2010, the Desert
Mountain community residents raised $72 million in 72 days to purchase all
community assets from the developer, including six golf courses, clubhouses and
3000 acres of pristine Sonoran Desert adjacent to the Tonto National Forest. All
funds came from community members. With
ownership in the hands of the Desert Mountain community versus the developer,
the land was protected from development.
Today, 2700 acres of the site are zoned as conservation/open space in
perpetuity. It will never be developed.
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| The award-winning trails run through pristine desert |
The next step
was to plan and build a sustainable trail system. Gillenwater and Borsch rallied community
residents to step up and donate all the needed funds. Matt Woodson of internationally-acclaimed Okanogan
Trail Construction was contracted to build the 15-mile stacked loop network that
offers a mix of easy walks and aggressive summit climbs that top out at nearly
5000 feet. The first trails in the
system were opened in 2012 and won the 2013 American Trails International Award
for Best Developer Trails.
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| Hikers navigate the 15-mile trail system |
Of course, a
trail system this good begs to be shared.
On April 15,
2018, the Desperados Trail Scouts hosted their first annual Desert Mountain
Wilderness Hiking Invitational. Several
area hiking clubs were invited to participate in a day of fun, networking and
hiking. The Desperados offered several
guided hikes. I participated in the China Wall-Sunset Summit Loop, a
moderate-rated trip through some of the most lush desert I’ve seen in the
area. On the trail’s highpoint, views of
suburban homes and golf courses lapping at the edges of surrounding mountain
ranges and national forest clearly illustrate the vulnerability of our precious
open spaces.
THE BIG PICTURE.
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| Troy Gillenwater and Bob Borsch at The Ranch trailhead |
With the land
protected and the core trail system in place, objectives for the site continue
to evolve. Some ideas on the table
include linking with the Valley-circumnavigating Maricopa Trail and adopting
nearby Tonto National Forest trails.
Although no concrete plans are in place, it’s possible that communities
like Desert Mountain could follow the Arizona Trail Gateway Communities model
of providing support and facilities for long distance hikers.
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| Trailhead kiosk recognizes project movers & shakers |
If you think
these exclusive trails don’t matter because you can’t hike them, consider the following
the next time you’re hiking the trails around Skull Mesa and Seven Springs.
Those untouched mountain peaks and natural geological formations you see on the
southern horizon instead of homes are there because a community worked to
preserve your view.
The private land
is not a barrier, it’s a bridge.
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