The World’s 4th-Tallest Fountain Erupts 560 Feet Every Hour in This Arizona Desert Town

Fountain Hills, Arizona

Right where Phoenix’s sprawl meets the Sonoran Desert’s wild edges, Fountain Hills carved out its own niche.

The town’s namesake fountain still draws crowds, but these days it’s the dark sky designation, peaceful vibe, and beautiful trails that keep people coming back.

Here are some of our favorite facts about Fountain Hills, AZ.

This Fountain Is Taller Than a Monument

The fountain in Fountain Hills pumps 7,000 gallons of water each minute through an 18-inch nozzle, reaching up to 560 feet during special events, but usually hitting 330 feet during normal runs. It works for 15 minutes every hour from 9am to 9pm daily.

There are petroglyphs nearby

You’ll find rock art from three different time periods around Fountain Hills: Archaic, Hohokam, and Historical.

These carvings, mostly near Dixie Mine in the northwest part of town, show geometric designs, animals, and symbols hundreds of years old.

One carving reads “H.P. 1925,” likely made by Henry Pemberton who ranched here from 1918 to 1925. You can see these carvings yourself by hiking the 4.3-mile Dixie Mine Trail, which costs just $2 at the trailhead.

You’ll also spot the P-brand symbol used by the Barksdale family who ran the P-Bar Ranch from 1935 through the 1950s in what’s now Fountain Hills.

Disneyland’s Designer Planned This Town

Charles Wood Jr., who designed Disneyland in California, created the plan for Fountain Hills in 1970. He kept the natural desert landscape while adding view corridors, green spaces, and the fountain as the centerpiece.

Wood worked with McCulloch Properties (now MCO Properties) to turn the 12,000-acre ranch into a carefully designed community. Planners first called it “Chapparal City” but later changed the name to Fountain Hills to highlight its famous water feature.

Today, the town still follows Wood’s original vision through special zoning and building rules from the master plan.

Stars Shine Brighter Here Than Most Places

In January 2018, Fountain Hills became the world’s 17th International Dark Sky Community and one of just two near a big city. The town changed its outdoor lighting rules to require covered fixtures and warmer lights instead of bright white LEDs that create a glow in the sky.

You can see more stars here because the McDowell Mountains block light from Phoenix to the west, while the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, and McDowell Mountain Regional Park surround the other sides.

In 2025, the town will open the 23,000-square-foot International Dark Sky Discovery Center with the Valley’s biggest telescope, a planetarium, and hands-on exhibits.

Royal Jewels Come From Just Up the Road

Just 20 miles from Fountain Hills sits the Four Peaks Amethyst Mine, which produces gems so valuable they’ve been used in royal crowns in Britain, Spain, and three other countries.

Spanish settlers found it in the 1700s, and prospector Jim McDaniel rediscovered it around 1900.

It’s the only working amethyst mine in the United States. The mine sits 7,000 feet up between the third and fourth peaks, and needs helicopters to bring in supplies and take out gems because it’s in protected wilderness.

The dark purple Arizona amethyst has unique red flashes from iron in the rocks. You can tour the mine on certain days, with helicopter trips leaving from Fountain Hills on March 15, April 19, and May 17, 2025.

A Lake Was Almost Built Here

Developers first planned to create a huge lake by damming the Verde River near Granite Reef. Robert P. McCulloch wanted to build a community around this lake called “Chapparal City,” but the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation said no, so they dropped the dam idea.

Instead, the fountain became the main feature of the new town. The dam would have flooded parts of reservation land and changed the Verde River, which is culturally important to the Yavapai people.

Though the lake never happened, water remains central to the town’s identity through its fountain, recycled water system, and the nearby Verde River.

The Fountain Recycles Tons of Water Daily

The town’s water system cleans 2.2 million gallons every day through the Fountain Hills Sanitary District’s treatment plant. This cleaned water runs the fountain, which cycles 7,000 gallons per minute and loses about 5,000 gallons daily to evaporation.

The same recycled water keeps all public parks, golf courses, and many common areas green. The fountain has a smart system that changes its height based on wind, with sensors that lower the spray when it’s windy to prevent drift.

The fountain sits in a 28-acre man-made lake holding 29 million gallons of water, built in 1970 as part of the original town plan.

A Drone Watches You While Hiking Here

When you hike the Dixie Mine Trail, you might notice a security drone from the fancy Eagles Nest neighborhood making sure you stay on the path.

The drone follows hikers on parts of the trail that run near private homes in the gated community.

To reach the trail, you’ll walk 0.65 miles through Eagles Nest along a sidewalk marked with feather symbols before getting to the actual trailhead.

Based on trail reviews from 2024, the drone still operates today, with security staff watching the 80-100 daily hikers during busy season.

Security started using drones in 2019 after people wandered onto private property several times.

Ancient Canals Ran Here 800 Years Ago

Long before your town existed, the Hohokam people built an amazing canal system along the Verde River that supported 4,000-10,000 people from about 1100 to 1450 CE.

Archaeologists have found more than 20 miles of prehistoric canals within 10 miles of today’s Fountain Hills.

The Hohokam built their canals with perfect slopes of 1-2 feet per mile, moving water efficiently across the desert. Aerial photos show grid patterns where they grew corn, beans, squash, and cotton.

A Space Center Opens Here This Year

The International Dark Sky Discovery Center, a 23,000-square-foot building under construction in Fountain Hills, will house the biggest research telescope in the Valley, a modern planetarium, and interactive exhibits.

This $28 million project has support from astronaut Mark Kelly, NASA officials, and university presidents.

The center will have four main areas: a Dark Sky Observatory, Hyperspace Planetarium, Inspiration Theater, and a Night Sky Experience Exhibit Hall with an Einstein Exploration Station.

Opening in fall 2025, it will teach visitors about astronomy, physics, and why dark skies matter for health, wildlife, and science.

You Can Borrow Telescopes From the Library

The Fountain Hills Library won a national award for letting people check out telescopes just like books.

This unusual program started when a founding member of the local astronomy club donated three telescopes to the library, which now has over 600 members.

You can borrow 4.5-inch Dobsonian reflector telescopes that come with moon filters, star charts, and beginner guides. Since starting in 2016, people have checked out these telescopes more than 500 times, and there’s now a 2-3 week waiting list.

The library works with the astronomy club to check and align the telescopes monthly, so they work well for everyone who borrows them.

Star Parties Happen Here Every Year

The Fountain Hills Dark Sky Festival has grown from a small local event to a regional celebration that draws thousands of visitors each April.

The 2025 festival will feature NASA astronaut Chris Birch talking about her journey from “From the Desert to the Moon.”

When you attend, you’ll get to stargaze through multiple telescopes, join laser-guided star tours, and learn how light pollution affects wildlife.

The event also showcases night animals from Wild at Heart, Southwest Conservation Center, and Arizona Bat Rescue to show how artificial light affects them.

At the 2025 festival, you’ll find a dozen telescopes for public viewing, space-themed booths, food vendors, and a silent auction with astronomy gear.

Visiting Fountain Hills

Fountain Hills sits 31 miles northeast of Phoenix. The fountain runs hourly 9am-9pm daily, best viewed from Fountain Park. The new Dark Sky Center opens fall 2025. Dixie Mine Trail costs $2 to access.

• See the fountain lit with colorful LEDs during evening shows
• Attend the Dark Sky Festival each April
• Join Four Peaks amethyst mine helicopter tours March-May 2025

More info at www.experiencefountainhills.org