Phoenix Relocation Guide

H O U S I N G & N E I G H B O R H O O D S

became incorporated in 1986. Only 32 miles from downtown Phoenix, residents of Cave Creek enjoy their community that has an old timey, small town feeling. Carefree was founded in the 1950s, and was one of the earliest planned communities in Arizona. Known for its famous giant sundial (the largest in the Western Hemisphere), as well as its unique rock topography, Carefree lives up to its name with its very laid-back atmosphere. With Cave Creek’s elevation being the lowest at about 2,130 feet, and carefree topping out at 2,830 feet, the two communities share temperatures of about five to six degrees cooler than Phoenix. Low humidity and cooler temperatures lure outdoor enthusiasts to such activities as hiking bicycling, horse- back riding, golfing and jeep touring. The serene, saguaro-studded landscape, deco- rated with natural outcroppings of massive sand-colored boulders and teeming with jack- rabbits and other desert dwellers are a huge attraction for new residents. Golf courses here and in the surrounding foothills are woven into the landscape, making them some of the most scenic in the state. Other nearby recreational outlets include Tonto National Forest, which borders the towns on the north side, and the Verde River, a favorite of river runners. Both towns offer unique shopping and dining opportunities, as well as accom- modations that range from beautiful resorts to quaint bed & breakfast inns. Fountain Hills Town of Fountain Hills: 480-816-5100 www.fh.az.gov Fountain Hills Chamber of Commerce 480-837-1654 fountainhillschamber.com

Photo courtesy of Fountain Hills

pocket parks provide additional recreational opportunities.

overwhelming amount of hikers, bikers and horseback riders that trek through it. In many ways South Mountain Village is a young, developing area containing established neigh- borhoods, and from the ridgeline of South Mountain to farm fields and urban neighbor- hoods, the village offers many different living environments.

Desert Vista at Sonoran Foothills is a quiet enclave rising with the foothills adjacent to the proposed northern mountain preserve, and presents a rare opportunity to live in harmony with the desert. This beautiful new desert community offers panoramic views of the nearby mountains and natural wash corri- dors. The proposed mountain preserve will be connected to Sonoran Foothills via a system of trails that knit together the many community amenities and provide the ideal way to enjoy the desert experience unique to Arizona. SOUTH MOUNTAIN VILLAGE South Mountain Village represents one of the “urban villages” designated by the Phoenix Planning Commission, a citizen-based plan- ning committee. The goal of each village in the city of Phoenix is to offer a unique choice of lifestyle in which residents may live, work and enjoy leisure activities within close proximity. South Mountain Village extends from the Rio Salado to the South Mountain Park Preserve, the largest municipal park in the country. Although considered a barrier to southward development, the massive, 16,500-acre South Mountain Park, once viewed as a boon by the developers who have created new commu- nities that border its edges, will be getting a $23 million makeover to make room for the

NORTHEAST VALLEY

Carefree, Cave Creek Town of Carefree: 480-488-3686 www.carefree.org

Town of Cave Creek 480-488-6613 www.cavecreek.org

Carefree and Cave Creek are neighboring communities that share the same piece of the beautiful Sonoran Desert overlooking the Valley of the Sun, but have distinctly different personalities.

Cave Creek was settled in the 1870s as a mining and ranching community, and finally

Tucked into the McDowell Mountains at an elevation several hundred feet above

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