Tonto Verde

Tonto Verde is a gated 55+ golf community set on 695 acres in the high Sonoran Desert of Rio Verde, Arizona, just northeast of Scottsdale. Development began in 1992 with the first golf course opening in 1996, and the community continues to see new construction today alongside its established neighborhoods of custom and semi-custom homes. Tonto Verde is one of three communities — along with Rio Verde Country Club and Trilogy at Verde River — collectively known as 'The Verdes.' The community comprises 717 total residences: 517 custom-built single-family homes and 200 attached townhomes. Single-family homes range from roughly 2,000 to 4,000 square feet with two to four bedrooms, while townhomes range from about 1,400 to 2,400 square feet with two to three bedrooms. Blue Sky, a small enclave of 30 newer homes built by Taylor Morrison between 2019 and 2020, introduced a lower-maintenance option within the community, and some new construction is still ongoing. Home prices span a wide range — from the low $400,000s for smaller attached residences up to $2 million-plus for large custom homes on expansive lots with golf-course or mountain views. Golf is the heart of Tonto Verde. The community is home to 36 holes of championship golf — the Peaks and Ranch courses — designed by Gary Panks and David Graham, winding through the foothills with dramatic mountain backdrops. Residents also enjoy one of Arizona's only 18-hole natural grass putting courses. Golf membership is optional and separate from HOA dues; the HOA includes a social membership equivalent to the country club with limited fee-based golf. Adjacent Rio Verde Country Club offers an additional 36 holes of Tom Lehman-designed golf for variety. The 26,000-square-foot clubhouse, recently renovated and overlooking two lakes, serves as the social center. It houses a state-of-the-art fitness center with cardio, strength and flexibility equipment, exercise classes and personal trainers, plus the Mesquite Grill for casual dining, a grand ballroom, library, card and game rooms, and hobby/art studios. Outdoor amenities include a heated saltwater pool and spa open year-round, pickleball courts, tennis courts, a bocce ball court, shuffleboard, a dog park, and scenic walking and biking trails that wind past community lakes and ponds. A community outdoor amphitheater hosts seasonal events. Social life is rich and resident-driven, with more than a dozen clubs and interest groups covering art, bridge, bunco, poker, knitting, book club, community chorus, cooking classes, body sculpting, Arizona Cardinals football gatherings, concerts, cookouts and more. The Enrichment Committee organizes guided hikes, lectures from Arizona historians, and educational programs throughout the year. Group outings to theater, concerts, museums and sporting events in Scottsdale and Phoenix are a regular part of the calendar. The setting is what sets Tonto Verde apart: nestled between the 20,000-acre McDowell Mountain Regional Park and the 2.9-million-acre Tonto National Forest, it offers a rural, star-filled-sky feel with clean air and open desert — yet North Scottsdale is only about 15 miles away. Fountain Hills, eight miles south, provides everyday shopping, groceries, dining and medical services. The community has its own private water/sewer utility, post office, general store, fire station with on-site EMS, and a nondenominational community church.