Overlooking downtown Cave Creek is a magnificent example of a Sonoran desert bajada.  Bedecked by hundreds of cacti and other desert plants, this hill stands as a landmark symbolizing Carolyn Bartol's love for the Sonoran desert. 

Purchased by the Desert Foothills Land Trust with the help of a gift from Carolyn Bartol in 1997, the preserve features an interpretive nature trail and the Goldwater Memorial Garden, where visitors can appreciate a panoramic view of the area. The trail is open to the public every day.

Residents and visitors can make a contribution to the care of this preserve by participating in the Desert Foothills Land Trust's Adopt a Saguaro Program. Call the Land Trust office for details.

DFLT is presently in conversations with the town of Cave Creek to join together to purchase 2 additional acres adjoining this preserve bring the total number of acres to over 6.

Saguaro Hill Expansion & Enhancement Campaign

Several months ago the Town of Cave Creek and the Desert Foothills Land Trust (DFLT) agreed to jointly purchase approximately two acres adjoining DFLT's Caroline Bartol Preserve on Saguaro Hill. The preserve, which will encompass over six acres, is adjacent to the Desert Foothills Library on School House Road. Saguaro Hill is an important local landmark densely dotted with saguaros, and is a lasting symbol of our community's efforts to preserve Sonoran Desert habitat in a natural state.

Presently, access to the preserve is through the lower parking lot of the library. As part of the expansion of the library building and parking lot, we have reached an agreement with the library to have an entrance to the preserve near the east end of the expanded library building from the upper parking lot. This entrance will feature the Richard E. Rudolph Desert Botanical Garden - a portal to educational displays and expanded and improved trails. The old road to the top of Saguaro Hill will be re-vegetated with native plants and serve as a xeric landscape demonstration garden using principles from the Fragile Desert booklet produced by our Desert Awareness Committee.

The library's new community room and patio will be located adjacent to the new Rudolph Desert garden and will afford library patrons a breathtaking view. Since we anticipate increased visitation at the preserve, and parking is at a premium, we are also partnering with the library to fund the cost of additional parking spaces.

The cost of the additional land is $350,000, to be shared equally by the DFLT and the Town of Cave Creek. The anticipated costs to the DFLT for this entire project are provided on the following page.
 

Before approaching the community at large, we are inviting a select number of community-minded members like you to consider supporting this project with a donation of $25,000 or larger. Former Board member Carol Rudolph has taken the lead in our fundraising effort by contributing property in honor of her husband Richard Rudolph and we have 100% participation at various levels from the DFLT Board of Directors.

The purchase of this land and the creation of Saguaro Hill as a "Crown Jewel" of community engagement is so very important! Your generosity will allow us to enhance this very visible piece of our beautiful Sonoran Desert and thereby help with our mission of leaving a legacy of natural lands for current and future residents to enjoy.

The attached pledge card provides an opportunity for contributions at all levels. Donations, at any level, are gratefully accepted and will be used specifically for this project.

Won't you please consider helping us with this pre-campaign solicitation in order for us to go to the public with a majority of the project funded?