ABOUT MCDOWELL MOUNTAIN RANCH ARIZONA
Loaded with amenities, McDowell Mountain Ranch is located – where else? – in the stunning foothills of the magnificent McDowell Mountains in Scottsdale, Arizona. Home to 26 distinct neighborhoods comprising approximately 4,000 homes, all of the real estate in this award-winning, 3,200-acre master-planned community exudes a wealth of beauty and serenity thanks to the surrounding mountains and the majestic saguaros and indigenous plants that make the high Sonoran desert such a unique and special place. Known as “The Ranch” by pretty much everyone in these parts, this sensational community has been designed with the active resident in mind and sits adjacent to the McDowell Sonoran Desert Preserve, a 16,000-acre urban preserve, a place considered key to the survival of numerous desert species.
During construction of The Ranch, a sum equaling over $130 million dollars was spent to provide infrastructure and site improvements, including paved and natural hiking and biking trails and a residential cable-TV station that continually broadcasts information about events and club meetings. The McDowell Center was also developed; available for use by all residents, the McDowell Center boasts meeting rooms, two heated swimming pools and spas, volleyball courts, basketball courts, tennis courts, playgrounds and picnic areas. In keeping with its amenity-rich theme, The Ranch maintains an impressive calendar featuring a variety of activities for both children and adults, including excursions, social clubs and sports clubs. In addition, the community’s closeness to the Loop 101 means that a plethora of fine shopping, fabulous restaurants, theaters and other cultural venues are just a proverbial hop, skip and jump on the freeway away.
Nearby, the City of Scottsdale features first-rate facilities including the McDowell Mountain Ranch Aquatic Center, Horizon Park, Scottsdale’s Arabian branch library, WestWorld and the Sanctuary Golf Course. This gorgeous golf course, built on the western slope of the McDowell Mountains, was designed by Randy Heckenkemper as a showcase not just for great golf, but also to highlight the spectacular Sonoran terrain. From the longest tees, the par-71 Sanctuary at WestWorld plays at 6,624 yards, with a slope rating of 135. It’s a fun challenge for golfers of all stripes, with just one par-5 on the front nine and two on the back nine, plus eleven par-4s that range from a sweeping 438 yards to a shorter 319 yards. But don’t let the shorter length fool you; the expert’s advice is to watch for doglegs, rolling fairways and those darned bunkers – hey, it’s always interesting, and the design of the course adds to the scenic wonders all around.
