We are back at McDowell Mountain where I had my bike fall last year around this same time. I guess I was riding too aggressively and went over the bumps and sailed over the handle bars into the cactus and landed (actually skidded) onto my shoulder and ribs. No broken bones but lots of scratches and bruises. This year my plan was to be a bit more careful and not be such a dare devil when racing along the great bike trails here. I succeeded. We went on several hikes and did some biking and no injuries. YAY! But, boy, are the trails sure are fun here!
Campground: McDowell Mountain Regional Park – E.I. Rowland Campground
Location: Fountain Hills, Arizona
Site: 51 (back-in)
Cost: $30
Services: W/E (50AMP)
Comments: A great campground with fantastic views all around. We especially enjoyed this site, 51, due to the site privacy and the sweeping 360 degree views.
Our site did not disappoint and we had nightly sunsets that were gorgeous! Every night was a different look and a different color.
As usual, the hiking and biking was lots of fun. We hiked many trails and did quite a few bike rides. Along the way we saw a few birds and a dead snake along with the usual scenery of cacti galore and Four Peaks around every corner!
Fountain Hills is the closest city with amenities for shopping, restaurants, and the library along with the fountain and lots of public art.
And, we can’t forget Halloween. Need I say more!!
We enjoy your website so much and have visited many areas after reading your blog. Thank you so much for all the wonderful information you provide!
The last two years we have stayed at White Tank Regional Park. It is amazing. However, next March we plan to try a new route including Organ Pipe, Kartchner Caverns, Catalina Mountain and ending with McDowell Mountain. We have heard many good things about McDowell Mountain but can’t imagine it can be better than White Tank – just thought it would be nice to see the other side of the Phoenix valley. What are your thoughts about how the two parks compare?
Thank you!
Hi Jeanette,
Thank you so much for your kind words. Your trip plans sound great. We have been to all those places and enjoy them all. You have asked a tough question. We really enjoy both White Tank and McDowell Mountain. The views are a bit different. I think McDowell feels a bit more spacious and you have more of a 360 degree view of the mountains. Plus, we like the campground at McDowell much better. McDowell is right next to the town of Fountain Hills which is a cute area with shops, restaurants, and a nice park/walking path around the lake with the fountain in it. It is the closest to the McDowell campground therefore it is where you might be doing your grocery shopping. McDowell also has lots of trails for hiking and biking. We really, really enjoy McDowell for the biking but prefer White Tank for the hiking. It is all a personal preference. It is still a toss up and you can’t go wrong with either one of them but it sounds like for you guys it is a chance to see another part of town and see another campground. Go for it!