Desert Mountain Club

The Desert Mountain Club received Gold Standard Site designation in November 2023, making it the first private community to receive the designation.

Sitting as high as 4,500 feet in the picturesque Sonoran Desert of Scottsdale, Ariz., more than 5,000 people call Desert Mountain home.  Outdoor enthusiasts share a 3 million-acre back yard with the Tonto National Forest, which is adjacent to a private 25-mile hiking trail system. Home styles range from elegant lock-and-leave golf casitas to masterful mountain estates.  

“The trails at Desert Mountain Club are a place of magic and beauty, and the Leave No Trace education program is especially significant for a Club and community of our size,” said Jake Metz, Outdoor Adventure Manager at Desert Mountain. “We welcome families and guests from around the world to experience outdoor recreation at our Club. Achieving the Gold Standard Site designation affirms all the hard work our teams, trail founders and trail builders have done to preserve the experience of hiking on pristine trails at Desert Mountain Club.”