NE Valley Times

The town of Fountain Hills is moving forward with plans for new trails and more appropriate trail names for some paths in portions of its McDowell Mountain Preservation system.

During the June 6 town council meeting, Mountain Preservation Commission (MPC) Chairman Scott Grzybowski and Commissioner Bill Craig presented the council with plans for new trails and new names for some existing trails. Grzybowksi pointed out that the MPC was hoping to add additional trails for hikers.

“We're here to request three new trails in the coming years in the McDowell Mountain Preservation,” he said during the meeting.

Grzybowksi also laid out the process for developing trails, noting that the organization considered several options and spent hours talking with working groups to come up with a viable plan to bring to the town council. The new trials would be maintained by the commission’s volunteer network and would not cost the town anything, with all trails being blazed by hand. Hand tools and manpower would be used to move rocks and mark ledges.

Plans call for the addition of a short Overlook extension and two Sonoran paths, with no impact on nearby residents, it was noted during the meeting. The extension at Overlook will make a complete loop for that location, creating the easiest and most accessible trail in the park. The two Sonoran trails would provide hikers with loop options and offer a greater challenge while opening access to new areas of the preserve, long a request of hikers.

The MPC also asked for name changes for improved clarity, changing Western Loop Trail to Western Trail and the Western Bike Loop to Andrews Kinsey Trail. Easy Access Trail would be renamed Overlook to line up with the planned extension.

“Easy Access Trial was built as the easiest trial that we have here,” Craig said during the meeting. “Back in the early days, we took people in wheelchairs on this trail.”

The commissioner also noted that planners were mindful of the residents in Shadow Canyon.

Councilmember Hannah Toth offered thanks to the MPC, which oversees land preservation in the town’s natural mountainous desert landscape.

“I just want to say thank you so much for your time and for everything you guys,” she said during the meeting. “I'm so excited to see the new trails, hopefully. And just thank you for coming in to share with us today. You guys do great work. So with that, I move to approve three new trails.”

The council gave its approval of the changes and new trails. Construction is set to begin this year.