Fountain Hills is north of Mesa off U.S. Hwy 87. It is bordered by Scottsdale to the west, the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community to the south, Fort McDowell on the east and the McDowell Mountain Regional park on the north. It is a small community with a big claim to fame. In the center of it all is the world famous Fountain Hills fountain. When it was built in the 1970’s it was the tallest fountain in the world, employing 3 pumps to shoot a column of water up to 560 feet. Today it is only the 4th largest fountain, but it is no less impressive. Even on days when only 2 of the pumps are running and it gets to a mere 300 feet high, this column of water can be seen from U.S. Hwy 87 and McDowell Regional park as well as most areas of the town.

Of course a fountain of this stature needs plenty of room and the town has built a wonderful park surrounding the lake that the fountain sits in. This is where the Lake Overlook Trail (sometimes referred to as the Fountain Park Trail) begins and ends. To find the start of the trail, head to the very northern tip of the park at the southeast corner of Saguaro Blvd and Palisades Blvd/ Panorama Dr. The trail begins on the north side of Panorama Dr and winds its way through desert to La Montana Dr. At La Montana Dr. keep heading east until you see the trail pick up on the other side of the street. It is a well-marked, well-maintained and much used trail, so there is no problem finding it.

While the trail is an urban one that winds through the desert areas of high-end neighborhoods, there are still plenty of views. At the highest point, there are several benches that allow you to sit and admire not only the fountain, but the surrounding mountains and desert. From that vantage point you can see Red Mountain (sacred to the local tribes), Four Peaks, the Mazatzal Mountains, the McDowell Mountains and the Verde River.

If by chance your little ones still have energy after the hike, then head to the other side of the lake. There you will find a wonderful playground as well as the Rotary Community Musical Park.

  • Distance: 1.5 miles one-way
  • Elevation gain: 150 feet
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Additional Information: Open sunrise to sunset and free for everyone. At times you will be walking along backyards, so please be respectful
  • Link to Lake Overlook Trail for more information.
  • To see a video of our hike click here.