For those of us here at Desert Mountain Club, many of those outdoor adventure opportunities are right outside your front door. With more than 8,300 acres, life on the Mountain has always been special. While there are traditional sports like golf on seven spectacular, challenging golf courses, and your choice of racquet sports or swimming activities, they are rivaled by great outdoor experiences just up the road. Very few clubs in the world offer more than 25 miles of private trails and 205+ miles of hiking routes, tempting you with awe-inspiring views of local landmarks, native flora, and wildlife. Hikers and trail bikers share these award-winning pathways, all searching for the same journey – enjoyment of the great outdoors.
The 3,000 acres of private wilderness that borders the Tonto National Forest, with a peak trail point of nearly 4,900 feet, offers a high-desert experience that leaves Desert Mountain Members wondering if heaven is just beyond the next mountain ridge. The views of the Valley as well as miles of untouched desert are the well-deserved reward for those who venture beyond where the blacktop ends. With 36 possible hiking routes, there’s something new to see at all turns. Let your spirit of outdoor adventure take you to places you haven’t been before at Desert Mountain, and start your life-changing journey at the trailheads just beyond The Ranch.
Along the way, you could meet a wide variety of desert wildlife. The usual suspects you may know like rattlesnakes and coyotes are prominent (be mindful of where you step), but you may also encounter white-tailed deer munching on native shrubs. A wide variety of birds you may see soaring overhead, too, like hawks flying high above, cactus wrens making its home in our signature saguaro cactus, or even a great horned owl on a nighttime stroll.
Despite being just a short drive from any home in the Desert Mountain community, the feeling of being remote and away from the hustle of daily life is what makes this place special. In January 2023, The Ranch and Trails at Desert Mountain was honored with the “Quiet Conservation Area” award through the efforts of the late Craig Mitchell and is dedicated to his memory. This recognition acknowledged our community wilderness preserve for its quiet, solitude, and for its benefit to the wildlife by helping them find mates, find food, and avoid predators. This award is the first of its kind recognizing vast tracts within a master-planned community, and is one of just 31 global locations in total to be assessed and meet the criteria for this distinction.
If you’re up for an outdoor adventure this Earth Day – or just any day – be prepared and don’t forget to pack the essentials. Once you make it to the top, take a look around, marvel at the beautiful sunrises and sunsets, listen to the roaring silence of peace and quiet…and remember how wonderful it is to call Desert Mountain home.
