Discover the community
Overview
Nestled amidst the McDowell Mountains to the Southwest and Northwest, Fountain Hills offers breathtaking views and a unique patio vista, attracting buyers seeking panoramic beauty. This charming town, just east of Scottsdale, boasts the world's fourth tallest fountain at its center with easy access to restaurants, schools, shopping, casinos, golf, and hiking in the McDowell Preserves. Enjoy two annual art fairs and an award-winning performing arts theater. Spanish and Contemporary homes, built from the late 1970s to 2024, range from $500,000 to $5,000,000, reflecting size, location, and amenities.
Community
One of the community's most valuable assets is its natural beauty. Incredible views and natural desert terrain provide for a wide range of outdoor activities including hiking, biking and golf. In fact, Fountain Hills contains some of the more challenging and picturesque golf courses in the State of Arizona.
Fountain Hills was named by Phoenix Magazine as the best place to live in the Valley of the Sun and was cited as "a welcome oasis on the outskirts of a metropolis." The magazine measured the quality of life in twenty-two Valley communities, including the statistical analysis of each community's population, income, home price, crime rate, miles to Sky Harbor Airport, and square feet of retail. The criteria used by the magazine in this ranking are similar to the priorities established in the Town's Strategic Plan. The volunteer spirit and high level of involvement of the citizens and business representatives were highlighted.
The Fountain
The centerpiece of Fountain Hills is our beautiful fountain which is one of the world's tallest man-made fountains. It serves as a focal point for the community and attracts thousands of visitors each year.
The fountain was built in 1970 by Robert McCulloch the year before reconstruction of the London Bridge in Lake Havasu City, another of McCulloch's projects. The fountain sprays water for about ten minutes every hour at the top of the hour. The plume rises from a concrete water lily sculpture in the center of a large man-made lake.
The fountain, driven by three 600 horsepower (450kW) turbine pumps, funnels water at a rate of 7,000 gallons per minute though an 18-inch nozzle. With all three pumps and under ideal conditions, the fountain reaches 560 feet (170m) in height, though in normal operation only two of the pumps are used, with a fountain height of around 300 feet (91m). When built, it was the world's tallest fountain and held that record for over a decade. Today, the famous fountain is the second tallest in the United States, and fourth tallest in the world.
The fountain uses water in Fountain Lake, which is reclaimed water provided by Fountain Hills Sanitary District. The water in the lake is also used to irrigate Fountain Park, and other parks and golf courses in the community.
Education
Fountain Hills Unified School District #98 has three excelling schools: McDowell Mountain Elementary School for Kindergarten through second grade, Fountain Hills Middle School for grades three to eight, and Fountain Hills High School for grades nine to twelve. The District has small class sizes at an average of 18:1, a Vibrant Special Education Program, Fountain Hills Virtual Academy, and a Career and Technical Education Program.
School accolades and achievements include:
- A+ rating from the Arizona Educational Foundation (McDowell Mountain Elementary School and Fountain Hills High School)
- Ranked #32 in Arizona in 2021 by the U.S. News & World Report (Fountain Hills High School)
- Ranked in the top 5% of schools in the US in 2017 by the U.S. News & World Report (Fountain Hills High School)
- 2017 Girls Soccer State Champions
- 2017 Boys Basketball State Champions
- 2017 Beach Volleyball State Champions
- 2017 Girls Track & Field State Champions
- 2017 Volleyball State Champions
- 2018 Beach Volleyball State Champions
- 2019 Beach Volleyball State Runner-Up
Activities/Attractions
Outdoors
Hikers, bikers and wanderers will appreciate Fountain Hills' easy access to the outdoors. Get your daily 10,000 steps at the Adero Canyon Trailhead, where trails offer a bird's-eye view of the town and fountain and connect to adjacent McDowell Sonoran Preserve. Mountain bikers, equestrians and hikers can spread out on looping trails at the 21,000-acre McDowell Mountain Regional Park, a Fountain Hills outdoor attraction that also has campsites.
At Saguaro Lake, take a guided boat cruise on the Desert Belle, while kayaks, paddle boards and inner tubes are the preferred modes of transportation on nearby Salt River. Closer to town, Fountain Hills Desert Botanical Garden is a hidden gem of botanical and geological delights, while the path around the fountain offers a scenic loop for power walkers and joggers.
Golf
With a sun-drenched climate and sweeping views all the way to Four Peaks and the Superstition Mountains, who wouldn't want to take a swing at one of Fountain Hills' fabled public golf courses? Known for its narrow fairways and canyons, Desert Canyon Golf Club is the oldest club in town, while Eagle Mountain is a Scott Miller-designed course with dramatic elevation changes and an award-winning layout. Sunridge Canyon makes the most of its rugged ridges and canyons, thanks to Keith Foster's natural design. As part of the adjacent Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, We-Ko-Pa Golf Club's fairways are lined with saguaros and mesquites, rather than homes and buildings.
Art
Fun in the sun isn’t Fountain Hills' only attribute. Wander around the fountain and through downtown to see an impressive collection of public art—150 pieces—or head to Avenue of the Fountains for the weekly Art on the Avenue, a favorite local event. In spring, and again in fall, make plans to attend the Fountain Festival of Arts and Crafts when 500 artists gather to sell their creations.
Attached to the Fountain Hills Library, the River of Time Museum offers a history of life in the Verde River valley, from ancient peoples to modern times. Need a rest from all that walking around? Fountain Hills Theater produces more than a dozen annual shows, ranging from popular musicals to thought-provoking plays.
In addition, the new International Dark Sky Discovery Center will break ground in 2024.
Discover places
Desert Canyon Golf Club
River of Time Museum
Fountain Hills Artists Gallery
Fountain Hills Botanical Gardens
Fountain Hills Lake Overlook Trail
