Cave Creek Town Core.
An 1870 settlement
still centered on Cave Creek Road.
The Town Core is the roughly one and a quarter square mile center of the Town of Cave Creek, laid out along East Cave Creek Road and North Cave Creek Road. The Town Council adopted the current Town Core Plan on November 18, 2024, and buildings in the Town Core Commercial zone are capped at 2 stories and 25 feet.
Cave Creek Town Core on the map
Pins mark the published addresses of places named on this page. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
The historic center of the Town of Cave Creek
The Town Core runs along East Cave Creek Road and North Cave Creek Road. The Town describes its edges by road alignments that include LaSalle Road, Skyline Drive, Spur Cross Road, Conestoga Trail and Basin Road. In all it covers about one and a quarter square miles.
The Town Core Plan calls the Core the center of the community's history and the key to its identity. It lists historic buildings, a mix of building styles and materials, native plants and desert views as existing features. Streets in the Core are shared by pedestrians, bicyclists and riders on horseback.
The Core holds a mix of land uses. The Town's land use map shows open space, medium density residential, desert rural, mixed use, commercial and public facility areas. The plan calls for shops and services at street level, with offices or homes on upper floors.
From military road stop to incorporated town
The Town dates Cave Creek's founding to 1870, when the Military Road linked Fort McDowell and Fort Whipple. The Cave Creek Wagon Road connected Phoenix to Cave Creek in 1873. Mining began around Continental Mountain in 1873 and ran to 1910. Cave Creek Station, the first permanent home, was built in 1877, and cattle ranching began in the early 1880s.
The first commercial building opened in 1920. Cave Creek Road was fully paved in 1952, and the Cave Creek Museum opened in 1970. Residents voted to incorporate on July 6, 1986.
The Town Council adopted the current Town Core Plan by Resolution R2024-15 on November 18, 2024. The plan guides future development decisions in the Core.
1870
Cave Creek is founded as the Military Road links Fort McDowell and Fort Whipple.
1986
Residents vote to incorporate the Town of Cave Creek on July 6.
2024
The Town Council adopts the Town Core Plan on November 18.
Town Hall, the museum and desert trails
The Town's public amenities map for the Core marks Town Hall, the museum, the library and Desert Awareness Park. Trails link the Core to county, state and federal land to the north and east.
- Cave Creek Museum.The museum opened in 1970, and its building opened in 1987. The 1946 first church in Cave Creek now stands at the museum. Town timeline
- Desert Awareness Park.At 38100 N Vermeersch Road, with two self-guided trails with signed desert plants, the Desert Heritage Center, a playground, ramadas and barbecue areas. Open daily during daylight hours. Desert Awareness Park
- Town Hall.Town Hall is at 37622 N. Cave Creek Road.
- Cave Creek Tourism Bureau.The Tourism Bureau at 6061 E. Cave Creek Road hands out free trail maps. Town trails page
- Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area.A 2,154-acre Maricopa County conservation area about 5 miles north of Cave Creek, with eight trails for hiking, biking and riding. Spur Cross Ranch
Rules that shape the Core
Commercial land in the Core is largely zoned Town Core Commercial, or TCC. The zone's stated purpose is a pedestrian-oriented specialty retail district. Every TCC development, whatever its size, needs Site Plan approval by the Town Council. Minimum lot area is 6,000 square feet, height tops out at 2 stories and 25 feet, and reflective building materials are prohibited.
Homes are allowed in TCC only as live/work units tied to a commercial use. Residential space must sit above, behind or beside the commercial building, and no residential use is allowed on the first floor facing Cave Creek Road. Properties fronting Cave Creek Road in the Core must meet the Town's streetscape design requirements.
Cave Creek Town Core, answered
Is the Town Core inside the Town of Cave Creek?
Yes. The Town Core is defined in the Town of Cave Creek's own Town Core Plan, adopted by the Town Council on November 18, 2024.
How big is the Town Core?
The Town Core Plan puts the area at about one and a quarter square miles.
What roads does the Town Core follow?
The Core runs along East Cave Creek Road and North Cave Creek Road. Its described edges include LaSalle Road, Skyline Drive, Spur Cross Road, Conestoga Trail and Basin Road.
When was Cave Creek founded and incorporated?
The Town dates its founding to 1870. Residents voted to incorporate on July 6, 1986.
How tall can a building be in the Town Core Commercial zone?
The zoning ordinance caps buildings in the TCC zone at 2 stories and 25 feet.
Can I live in a building in the Town Core Commercial zone?
Only as a live/work unit tied to a commercial use. Residential space must sit above, behind or beside the commercial building, and it cannot be on the first floor facing Cave Creek Road.
Are horses allowed on Town Core streets?
The Town Core Plan describes Core streets as shared with pedestrians, bicyclists and equestrians, and it calls for designated bicycle and horse parking areas in the Core.
How far is Spur Cross Ranch from the Core?
The Town says Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area is about 5 miles north of Cave Creek. It covers 2,154 acres and Maricopa County Parks operates it.
Looking at Cave Creek Town Core?
Which zoning a property carries, its lot size and its build year sit in the Town and county records. Send me the addresses and I will pull them. Text 480-485-4261.
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Sources: Town of Cave Creek, Cave Creek History, Town of Cave Creek, Historical Timeline, Town of Cave Creek, 2024 Town Core Plan, Town of Cave Creek Zoning Ordinance, Chapter 3 Commercial Zones, Town of Cave Creek, Spur Cross Ranch, Town of Cave Creek, Desert Awareness Park, Town of Cave Creek, Trails. All checked 3 November 2026.