THEMARICOPAMOD.COM / WEATHER & ENVIRONMENT

McDowell Sonoran Preserve gets a new trail, and it's different from the rest

Those planning on visiting the new trail should come prepared for the three-mile round-trip hike.

PUBLISHED OCT 15, 2024

Sonoran Desert sunrise next to Four Peaks from Bell Pass in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve.

Scottsdale, Arizona: The new Brown’s Ranch Interpretative Trail is the latest way to explore Scottsdale’s McDowell Sonoran Preserve. The opening of the trail event will be held at 10am Friday, October 18, at the Brown’s Ranch Trailhead, 30301 North Alma School Parkway.

The new interpretive trail highlights the iconic Brown Family and aims to protect and educate the public about the Preserve’s rich cultural history. This is the first interpretive trail in the Preserve devoted to cultural resources. The trail contains over 20 explanatory sign panels that present an overview of ranching in the McDowell’s and tells the story of the Brown's Ranch and family.

A lone mountain biker rides on a trail at the Brown's Ranch Trailhead, Scottsdale McDowell Sonoran Preserve.

Those planning on visiting the new trail after the ceremony, should come prepared for the three-mile round-trip hike to the historic Brown’s Ranch. As an alternative, the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy is hosting guided hikes of the new trail at various times Saturday, October 19.

The guided hike will explore this special place, full of memories of a different way of life, and hear the stories of the people who lived here. The hike is about 3.5 miles round trip on a comfortable trail with moderate elevations over about 3.5 hours.

In other news, Scottsdale Parks & Recreation has earned reaccreditation. Employees accepted the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) reaccreditation award last week at the National Recreation and Park Association Conference. CAPRA accreditation is the only national recognition of its kind for park and recreation agencies, with less than 2% of departments nationwide achieving this status.

The department has maintained CAPRA accreditation since October 1994—making it the longest-accredited agency in Arizona and one of the top five longest-accredited in the United States.