Frequently Asked Questions
Who created the Desert Foothills Scenic Drive?
The drive was originally created by the residents of Cave Creek, Arizona in 1963. The residents of Cave Creek feared that neon-lit motels and gas station would sprout at random in the open desert alongside Cave Creek and Scottsdale Roads, the two paved roads into town. At that time a vast expanse of open desert, that fell under the jurisdiction of Maricopa County, separated the people of Cave Creek from Phoenix and Scottsdale. No setbacks or building restrictions were in place. They sought to create something of value and "draw a line in the sand" by placing the plant identification signs along each road. Their strategy worked.
Who owns the land along the drive?
Most of the land is privately held by many different people. Some parcels are state trust lands. For more than three decades the plant identification signs along the rout have existed due to the good will of property owners.
Who is responsible for maintaining the drive's plant identification signs?
Since most of signs are on private property they do not fall under the jurisdiction of any government body. For many years the signs were maintained by the Cave Creek Improvement Association with the assistance of various government leaders. Today, the signs along Scottsdale Road are maintained by Friends of the Scenic Drive.
Who makes the plant identification signs?
Friends of the Scenic Drive volunteers including: Dick McIntyre, John Ryon, Roy Slaunwhite, Howard Myers, Horst Berkner and Anne DiChiara. When the drive was originally built in 1963, a group of men from Cave Creek and Carefree built the signs. There was a period of time when Maricopa County helped make the signs.
Is the Cave Creek Road section of the drive going to be restored?
We hope so. We need people, probably residents of Phoenix, who live near that part of the drive to take responsibility for it. The Cave Creek Road section now falls under the jurisdiction of Phoenix which means volunteers would have to work closely with Phoenix officials on issues related to improvement, zoning, and development just as we have been working with the City of Scottsdale.
Was the drive created by planting trees, cacti and other plants?
No. Existing desert plants are selected and identified. Some of the plants that were included in the original drive are still very much alive and part of the drive. In 1963, a botanist who lived in Cave Creek, selected the plants to be included. The Desert Botanical Garden has helped Friends of the Scenic Drive with plant selection and identification.
Will Scottsdale Road be widened to six lanes?
We hope not. We'd like to see the drive restricted to its current width. Scottsdale Road was recently widened to four lanes and there are no plans for widening it to six lanes any time soon. However; if Arizona and the Valley of the Sun continue to increase in population and an alternative solution is not found, additional widening may be required to handle the projected traffic.
When Maricopa County established setbacks along Scottsdale and Cave Creek Roads in the 60's no one imagined that a roadway six lanes wide might be required in the future. To provide for the future it is essential that when land is developed now a large buffer be set aside to preserve the desert character along the Desert Foothills Scenic Drive.
End FAQ