When thinking of running in Phoenix, trail systems like Phoenix Mountain Preserve, The Green Belt, and the canals may be first to come to mind, but Fountain Hills is the best place to run in Phoenix in my opinion. I’ve been marathon training here for the last six months (yes, through the heat of summer) and have come to appreciate it compared to other areas in the East Valley. With it’s own lake trail, multiple hiking trails, and quiet streets, there are plenty of opportunities for all runners.
Fountain Hills features elevations from around 1500 ft to 2500 ft. It has Central Arizona weather, which is mild and dry in the winter, hot and dry in the summer, but hot and humid during the Monsoon season which can range from Mid July through September. Situated east of Scottsdale in the foothills of the McDowell Mountain Preserve it can be five degrees cooler than its more densely-developed, lower elevation East Valley counterparts. With lower population density and slower road speed limits (with safety corridors along the main thoroughfares) traffic is much slower and sparse. There are only three streets in and out of Fountain Hills, Shea Boulevard westbound is five miles to Scottsdale, Highway 87 (the Beeline) is twelve miles southwest to Mesa, and north along McDowell Mountain Road is eight miles to the small golf community of Rio Verde.
While McDowell Mountain Road is a very popular long-run or biking choice, I love running in Fountain Hills for the opportunities to put together five to ten miles through the hilly streets lined with gorgeous homes, cutting through the cute town, or along a natural trail while being inspired by the breath-taking views. One of my favorites is the 7-mile loop along Fountain Hills Boulevard running the northern perimeter of downtown to Kingstree Boulevard southward through a gorgeous neighborhood and Desert Canyon Golf Course before looping back to Fountain Hills Boulevard along Saguaro Boulevard to run by Fountain Park and the heart of downtown. Any run can be enhanced a few miles with the El Pueblo Road loop that creates the northeast border of town while providing beautiful views of the Verde Valley and Four Peaks. I’ve consistently been able to create loop routes without figure eights or concentric circles while doing my sub-fifteen-mile runs.
If you’re into trail running there are quite a few options as well. The Lake Overlook trail does as its name implies with plenty of elevation gain and loss along the 1.5 miles of rocky terrain. At the west edge of town is access to the McDowell Mountain Preserve via Adero Canyon Trailhead, and there is access along McDowell Mountain Road at the McDowell Mountain Regional park just four miles from town. There’s also the Fountain Hills Botanical Garden which provides 1 mile of trails through a beautiful wash with difficult terrain. The proximity to these trails means that a road run can easily be enhanced with some trail running, or to get ultra-marathon-distances of trails one needs only access McDowell Mountain Preserve with (at most) a 7-minute drive.
The only downside of Fountain Hills relative to other East Valley running options is the absence of a paved path dedicated to running and biking. Of course, there are downsides compared to other parts of the country, like lack of shade and cloud cover, high temperatures, and generally wide streets, but if you’re looking for a place to live near Phoenix where you can enjoy running, check out Fountain Hills.
Oh! And I recently did my first night run in Fountain Hills and I would not recommend it. With the lack of street lights and abundance of (deadly) wildlife, those with intact life-preservation instincts are limited to running around the town center once the sun sets.