Trailheads

This project expands previous primitive trailhead sites at Fraesfield and Granite Mountain Trailheads. The facilities provide trail access to the McDowell Sonoran Preserve in Scottsdale, AZ. The new facilities include shade structures, interpretive learning and orientation signage, restrooms, additional paved parking, and equestrian parking with ample staging areas. Entry monuments and automated gates were added to control access to the protected preserve lands. These two trailheads have become favorite hubs for out-of-doors enthusiasts.

The development of two unique, picturesque, and disturbed trailhead sites would provide a one-of-a-kind design opportunity to restore the natural habitat while expanding and facilitating access into the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. Through an integrated design process, the team was able to work with the natural processes of the land as an understanding of the natural environment guided the design of sustainable amenities that provide refuge, shade, and shelter.