FOUNTAIN HILLS, Ariz. (February 26th, 2025) – The Town of Fountain Hills and the Sonoran Conservancy of Fountain Hills are excited to announce the recent opening of the new Mesquite Hollow Trail, accessible through the Adero Canyon Trailhead in the McDowell Mountain Preserve. As all trails in the preserve, it was built entirely by volunteers as part of the conservancy’s Trailblazers program and opened after a year of construction.
To celebrate the completion of the new trail, and honor Bill Craig who led the group for over ten years, the conservancy and Town of Fountain Hills will host a grand opening ceremony on Thursday, March 6 at 12 p.m. at the Adero Canyon Trailhead.
“Ending my tenure at the conservancy with the completion of this trail means a lot; it’s a testament to the dedication of our volunteers and the enduring beauty of our natural spaces,” said Bill Craig, former leader of the Trailblazers who retired following the completion of the Mesquite Hollow Trail. “It was very rewarding to be the leader of this incredible group, who together were able create a network of trails that will last for generations to come.”
“We are incredibly grateful to Bill and the Sonoran Conservancy of Fountain Hills’ Trailblazers for their dedication to expanding the network of trails in our community,” said Fountain Hills Parks Superintendent Brandon Putman. “Fountain Hills is a premier destination for Arizonans and visitors to enjoy our beautiful desert. The addition of this trail gives our guests more fantastic opportunities to spend time outdoors.”
The Mesquite Hollow Trail is a nearly five-mile roundtrip, moderately difficult hike that is the second to final trail build of a trail master plan the Trailblazers have worked on for two decades. Every Saturday, up to 20 volunteers would meet to build the trails with guidance from Craig and other crew leaders. What is truly unique about these trails is that volunteers have built them all using hand tools and no power machines.
The new trail is named after a resilient mesquite tree, estimated to be more than 100 years old. The tree appears to have survived by being in the path of a small waterfall of the arroyo, getting the runoff from the surrounding slopes directed to its roots. The trailblazers added a spur around the tree to further mark its significance.
Following Craig’s retirement, Jim Kanya will be the new Trailblazers’ leader and spearhead construction of the final trail part of this project. The final trail will also be the one with the highest elevation and more rugged than others in the network, with a length of over a mile. It is estimated to be completed by the end of this year. For more information about the Sonoran Conservancy of Fountain Hills, please visit scfh.org.