Queen Creek AZ at a Glance

Queen Creek has been recognized for its quality of life in recent years. For instance, it was Dwellics #1 Place to Raise a Family in the West. Ranking Arizona gave it a top ten ranking on its 2022 best cities list.

The town began as a farming community. Traditional crops include citrus, pecans, peaches, and cotton.

When a Phoenix-bound train became available, area residents could flag it down at Rittenhouse Road. That became the unofficial name of the area. Eventually it was changed to the prettier Queen Creek.

The population has grown past 50,000 as of the 2020 US Census. Fortunately the town leaders have been working to ensure that the town has enough space. It currently spans 40 square miles and has another 30 sq mi for its planned communities and other growth.

Queen Creek has seen rapid growth as large planned communities have been built. These include the Pecans, Hastings Farms, Villages at Queen Creek, Pegasus Estates, Ironwood Crossing, and Montelena. Newer ones include Barney Farms and Harvest.

The area has thousands more houses planned. However, the growth ratio is slower than in some places in the Phoenix area.

That’s because the zoning regulation prevents builders from putting 2, 3, or 4 houses per acre. Instead, the limit is 1.6 houses, one of the lowest in the Phoenix metro area.

Things to Do in Queen Creek

From the local parks to farm-to-table experiences, there’s much to do in Queen Creek. The Mansel Carter Oasis Park and Desert Mountain Park offer large areas to explore and enjoy. Known as the Washes, there are major hiking and biking trails that offer extraordinary bird watching, especially during migration.

If you like to keep things local, the Olive Blossom Festival is held at the Olive Mill. This is open year round for olive oil purchases, gourmet food shopping, and fine Italian food. If you are checking their schedule, look for concerts and mill tours.

The Schepf Farm sells peaches and other products. In addition to a bakery and shops, there’s a petting zoo and train for all ages. Seasonal events include an agritainment area with up to 25 rides. Also, there’s a month of Harvest Festival fun with a corn maze and other attractions in October. It’s important to keep up with their schedule to find out what’s in season at their UPick garden and when UPick Peaches are available.

Horseback riding is a favorite activity in Queen Creek. The town has the largest public equestrian center in the country. Known as Horseshoe Park, the 38-acre facility has horse-related shows and events of all kinds. From rodeos and roping to English riding, the schedule stays busy with horses and their rides. Filling in the gaps, there are concerts, auto shows, and other events.

Golfing is another must-do activity in Queen Creek. The Las Colinas Golf Club has 18 holes with a 70.8 USGA rating. The longest tees at this public course measure 6,655 yards. Despite its professional level challenges, it has three sets of tees to accommodate more skill levels.

The Golf Club at Johnson Ranch is known for how different the first 9 holes are from the back 9. It’s like two different courses in one. The Apache Sun Golf Club has a 9-hole public golf course. Its longest tees measure 2620 yards.

Scenic Drives near Queen Creek AZ

When you feel confident in your car, truck or SUV, you’ll want to head out to one of the many destinations in close proximity to Queen Creek. That may be dipping down to Tucson Mountain Park.  You can enjoy beautiful vistas and perhaps catch a picture of the perfect desert sunset.

If you want to experience two climates in one day, you can head up to Mt. Lemmon. The Catalina Highway takes you from the desert into the Santa Catalina Mountains.

Another beautiful drive is the Gila-Pinal Scenic Road. It leads you from the desert through the Pinal and Superstition Mountains.

If you are willing to travel 150 to 170 miles, you can reach the Red Rocks Scenic Highway that leads to Sedona. Or, continue on I-17 up to Flagstaff to find the most temperate weather for your outdoor activities.

You don’t really have to leave Queen Creek to find an area that is beautiful to drive.  There are more than 10,000 acres in the San Tan Mountain Regional Park.