Scottsdale

Schools

Much of Scottsdale is served by the Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD), which covers 112 square miles and includes 15 elementary schools, three K-8 schools, six middle schools, and five comprehensive high schools, including Arcadia, Chaparral, Coronado, Desert Mountain, and Saguaro High Schools. SUSD's boundaries extend beyond the city itself to include most of the town of Paradise Valley and sections of Phoenix and Tempe. The northern portion of Scottsdale is served instead by the Cave Creek Unified School District, which also covers Cave Creek and Carefree and operates Cactus Shadows High School. Parts of Scottsdale near Fountain Hills fall within the Fountain Hills Unified School District. District boundary maps for SUSD's elementary, middle, and high schools can be found through SUSD's enrollment pages.

Getting around

Loop 101 (Pima Freeway) is a major north-south route through Scottsdale connecting to other parts of the Phoenix metropolitan area, and Loop 202 also provides access to the city. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is roughly 9 to 20 miles from Scottsdale depending on the specific area, with drive times generally ranging from about 15 minutes to 40 minutes. Valley Metro light rail does not extend into Scottsdale, so public transit connections to the airport involve bus transfers taking longer than driving. Scottsdale also has its own general aviation facility, Scottsdale Airport, located in north Scottsdale near Loop 101 and Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard.

Things to do

The McDowell Sonoran Preserve, described as the largest contiguous urban park in the United States at over 35,000 acres, offers desert hiking trails and is reachable within about 20 minutes of central Scottsdale. Old Town Scottsdale is built on the city's original townsite and includes historic structures such as Cavalliere's Blacksmith Shop and the former Post Office Building, now housing Porter's Western Store. Taliesin West, Frank Lloyd Wright's architectural school, is located within the city and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2019, as is the Cosanti Foundation, an architectural and crafts complex by Paolo Soleri. Nearby McDowell Mountain Regional Park offers additional outdoor recreation, including 92 reservable campsites.

• Scottsdale was incorporated as a town in 1951 and became a city in 1961. Scottsdale
• The city had a population of 241,361 at the 2020 census. Scottsdale, Arizona
• Scottsdale covers a total area of about 184.4 square miles. Scottsdale, Arizona
• Scottsdale Unified School District was founded in 1896 by Mayor Winfield Scott. Scottsdale Unified School District
• SUSD operates 28 physical campuses serving nearly 20,000 students. Our District - Scottsdale Unified School District 48
• The McDowell Sonoran Preserve spans more than 35,000 acres. Escape Scottsdale's Crowds At Contiguous America's Largest Urban Preserve With Immaculate Desert Hiking Trails - Islands