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| Hiking | 7.57 Miles |
1,540 AEG |
| | Hiking | 7.57 Miles | 3 Hrs 17 Mns | | 2.86 mph |
| 1,540 ft AEG | 38 Mns Break | | | |
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| no partners | | I saw a post on Instagram about a loop hike from Sunrise TH using Andrews-Kinsey and the Ftn Hills Preserve trails --- so I studied the FH maps and found a route that I thought would be all legal and all on sanctioned trails.
But . . . it was not. So don't copy my GPS route. But if you want to do this route you better get out and do it fast before construction starts on the private land at the edge of Ftn Hills Preserve. That construction will partially ruin the view from Sunrise trail looking down into Adero Canyon. And the new neighborhood will definitely change the view from Andrews-Kinsey trail looking into the canyon - - so get out and enjoy before it's ruined.
Parked at Sunrise TH 145thStreet and went up to Andrews-Kinsey (did not go to Sunrise Peak). Took AK to the end of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve portion - - then continued into the Fountain Hills McDowell Mountain Preserve portion until I came upon a FHMMP sign for Adero Canyon overlook. There's a nice shaded bench and I stopped for lunch. Then took Western Loop trail south to Promenade trail which leads to the well-marked end of FHMMP and start of private land. On the Ftn Hills maps I could not see this distinction in my planning and I saw a big star for "Future Trailhead" and a black-dash trail named "Old Jeep Trail".
This future trailhead will not happen - - and the Old Jeep Trail on their maps is all do-not-trespass private land that is marked for construction already. Lots of survey markers around and tags for trees and cactus to preserve. I continued on Old Jeep Trail until it hit the neighborhood -- and then saw clear signs that said any biking or walking past that point would incur a $250 fine. I proceeded at my own risk and thought I would be following a yellow line trail (turned out that the yellow line was a border between Fountain Hills city limits and Scottsdale) - - so I stuck to sidewalks instead and made it back to my car uneventfully.
Next time I'll do this as a 2-car shuttle with one car at Golden Eagle TH and one at Sunrise TH. All the map reading and reviewing made me appreciate even more the full protection of the MSP and such a contrast to the FHMMP. "A tale of two Preserves". Stark contrast between the tiny FHMMP with basically no access unless you live in those gated neighborhoods or you hike through MMRP trails from Golden Eagle to get to them. And the MSP which has huge parking areas and lots of access points and truly belongs to the tax-paying citizens of Scottsdale that voted twice to protect the land via self-tax.
Unfortunately the Ftn Hills construction that will take place adjacent to their tiny Preserve will impact views and sounds from Sunrise trail soon. |
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Route Editor
Route Scout
