Exploring Paradise Valley: A Guide to Its Surprisingly Different Neighborhoods 

Paradise Valley: Cherokee Elementary Corridor & Camelback Country Club Estates  

The Camelback Country Estates neighborhoods sit in the northeast quadrant of Paradise Valley, within the coveted Cherokee Elementary School corridor. Bordered by Scottsdale Road, and just 15 minutes to Sky Harbor International Airport, this pocket of PV blends convenience with community charm.

Paradise Valley may only span 16 square miles, but its neighborhoods each carry a distinct character. The CCE-Cherokee Corridor stands out for its family-friendly vibe—defined by top-rated schools, sidewalks, private tennis courts, expansive play yards, welcoming front porches, and nearby golf courses. It’s often considered the most active and vibrant portion of Paradise Valley's approximate 6,000 households, where lifestyle and community come together.

Love an Active Lifestyle? Whether running, cycling, or walking, this Paradise Valley corridor offers rare access to miles of training routes near Mummy Mountain—no need to cross major arterial streets. From long, uninterrupted bike rides to challenging inclines worthy of a Tour de France workout, it’s the perfect setting to stay in peak form. Your hike or stroll is literally out your front steps. Unlike other parts of PV, you will find sidewalks, smiles and crosswalks, as well as clever pathways cutting across the golf courses, designed to encourage a sense of neighborly community.

Perfectly positioned between Kierland Commons and the Scottsdale Quarter to the north and Old Town Scottsdale and Scottsdale Fashion Square Mall to the south, this location places you in the very heart of it all—unlimited dining, shopping, entertainment, golf, sporting venues, and effortless access to the 101 Freeway. Directly across from the Shops at Gainey Ranch.

You will find this area anchored by some of the nation's top public schools. Residents enjoy the cool mornings and dusk year round, yes, even in the summer months when our lack of humidity really shines! Because of the minimum one-acre lot ordinances that date back to the Paradise Valley Township’s incorporation in the early 1960s, you will find large grassy yards, tennis courts, shady sidewalks and a front porch community feel. The mountain views and gorgeous desert sunsets of Camelback Mountain, the Phoenix Mountain Preserves and the McDowell Sonoran Preserves are attractive to walkers, runners and cyclists. And because the Cherokee corridor lies in the foothills of Mummy Mountain, the streets provide even the most athletic of its residents a great workout. Outdoor enthusiasts enjoy the variations in incline for walking, jogging and bicycling. Wide lot set-backs, filled with indigenous flowering desert vegetation provide golf course and mountain views. Dark sky ordinances at dusk allow for dramatic sunset walks. Yet due to the flat lots, the area boasts tennis and pickleball courts, golf courses and sidewalks connecting the community.

Walk or ride your bike or golf cart to Paradise Valley Country Club, the Camelback Inn or the Camelback Country Club, which features 36 championship holes. For cyclists and runners  there are plenty of inclines to choose from. This residential oasis is most appealing due to its proximity to the city centers of Scottsdale, Phoenix and Tempe, and everything you need is within a few minute drive:  Bordered by Scottsdale Road, Gainey Ranch and McCormick Ranch to the East, and Phoenix to the west.

Groceries: Fry's, Safeway, Trader Joes, Sprouts, and a Whole Foods Super Center are just minutes away. Salons:  Hair, nails, massage, wax and med-spas. Restaurants: Coffee, Pubs, Wine Bars, Sushi, Italian, Indian, Gelato, Poke, Chinese, Korean, Hash Kitchen and other breakfast specialties, and dozens more. Fitness: Gainey Village Fitness with spa and lap pool, PV Country Club, Camelback Country Club, Mountainside Fitness featuring Red Light Therapy, Orange Theory, Yoga, Pilates and the new LifeTime top tier racquet club opening in April 2026. Shopping: Women's boutiques, Men's Specialty, furniture, jewelry and more. Resorts: Gainey Hyatt with a very popular golf membership option tennis and pickleball. Golf: McCormick Ranch, Gainey Hyatt, Orangetree, Scottsdale Country Club, Camelback Country Club, Paradise Valley Country Club, Mountain Shadows and more.

FEATURED LISTINGS HERE:

9236 N. 52nd Place, Paradise Valley (Link)

4901 E. Berneil, Paradise Valley (Link)

PARADISE VALLEY ARIZONA

Paradise Valley (PV) Arizona is a small residential community at the base of Camelback Mountain, Mummy Mountain and the Phoenix Mountain Preserve, surrounded by Phoenix to the west and Scottsdale McDowell and Superstition Mountains to the east. PV contains approximately 6,000 households on minimum one acre lots, with no commercial developments (with the exception of a handful of Arizona's best resorts grandfathered into the Township in the 1960s).  

  Why Are All the Millionaires Moving to this Small Arizona Town?"  Click for reprint of Wall Street Journal February 2022. 

Recognized for its celebrity sightings, luxury estates and gated compounds, Paradise Valley is a small residential community of around 6,000 households, providing city services, and a Police Department with one of the highest police-to-resident ratios in the nation. Many of the neighborhoods here are not governed by HOA, yet pride of ownership is apparent:  PV is in the top 10% of wealthiest and safest places in the state and nation, where estates can exceed $30 Million. There are no Property Taxes in the PV Township, thanks to some of the most exclusive resorts in Arizona.

Location, Location, Location. Paradise Valley is located at the base of Camelback and Mummy Mountains, some of the Valley's most recognizable landmarks. On the west side of Tatum, the Valley is set into the Phoenix Mountain Preserve, offering over 200 miles of trails and great city views of the Phoenix and Scottsdale skylines! Bordered to the East by Scottsdale Road, The Camelback Country Estates quadrant of PV is a short hike to some of the best and ever-changing restaurants, shopping and entertainment in the U.S.

A few miles north, the Paradise Valley Mall (located in Phoenix, not PV) is undergoing significant rennovation including excellent restaurants, Costco and Whole Foods and a new Signature LifeTime Fitness & Racquet Club facilitity. 

A few miles south from here takes you to Tempe/ASU, Old Town Scottsdale, Kierland Commons and the Scottsdale Quarter, the 101, Casinos and multiple spring training facilities. (More on Paradise Valley Township) (More on Scottsdale) (Home Search)

AIRPORT

15 minutes to downtown Phoenix and Sky Harbor Airport. Flying private? 15 minutes the other direction to Scottsdale Airport. It's also 15 minutes to the Hwy 101 Loop at Shea, which wraps around the Valley with little congestion. 15 minutes west to the 51 to downtown or the Biltmore.

RESTAURANTS, SHOPS, SALONS:

Bordered by Scottsdale Road, the CCE neighborhoods are walking distance to coffee, shops, restuarants at Gainey, Located half way between Old Town Scottsdale and Kierland/Scottsdale Quarter. 15 minutes takes you to either Old Town Scottsdale to the south, or Kierland/Scottsdale Corridor to the north. 

SCHOOLS:

Scottsdale’s renown  3-C Schools are located here. How many elementary schools can boast of a local police presence? Welcome to Cherokee Elementary, where the PV Police Department maintains a substation. Historically enjoying some of the longest wait lists in the state, the campus was completely redesigned and rebuilt ready for the post-Covid enrollment. Nearby Chaparral High has a national award winning athletic program attracting students from out of state as well as overseas. Two additional popular private schools are also nearby: Phoenix Country Day and Scottsdale Christian.  Also nearby is Jones-Gordon School, specialty private school for students with dyslexia.

Due to it's popularity, Enrollment at Cherokee for the current school year is typically limited to households within the boundaries. Note: the Paradise Valley Unified School District 69 is not in the Town of Paradise Valley. Paradise Valley Township is in the Scottsdale Unified School District. 

CAMELBACK COUNTRY CLUB

The Camelback Inn Golf Club features 36 championship holes. Two scenic courses, Ambiente and Padre, boast native grasses, lakes, lofty trees and mountain views. The terrain, with its elevation changes, bunkers and water holes, challenges golfers of all skill levels.  The Ambiente Course was re-designed in 2017 by notable golf architect Jason Straka on behalf of Hurdzan Fry Environmental Golf Design. This 7,225-yard, par 72 course challenges players with eye-catching elevation changes and rolling fairways of significant drops. The landscape is made up of mountain vistas, native trees and wildflowers. Mindful of its surroundings, this Arizona course was specifically created to be eco-friendly and sustainable.

PARADISE VALLEY COUNTRY CLUB

The Paradise Valley Country Club is world renown, and the wait list which typically exceeds ten years, demonstrates its popularity. The 18 hole course runs along Tatum to the west and Lincoln to the south. Here it is not uncommon to find yourself dining next to Sandra Day O'Connor, the Govenor or a visiting celebrity. There are a few remaining 1950s era homes on the course ready for a new owner, call 608-980-0737 if you have an interest in a fabulous fairway lot! There is currently a 15 year wait list on Membership in this club.

Choosing the Right Paradise Valley Neighborhood? Here’s Why You Need a Local Expert

Although there are a few gated communities within the area, most of PV Township is ungated, and many have abandoned homeowner's associations or have none at all.

Some streets remain on septic and private water, and others are tied into city sewer systems. Many non-HOA areas are in the process of re-establishment. Hillside regulations are different from non-hillside homes (I have been a member of the Hillside Committee over my 40 years of being a homeowner here). It is advisable to work with a real estate professional familiar with Paradise Valley to avoid unpleasant surprises.

How are Prices Holding?

The luxury home market here remains strong. Here is the most recent Luxury Home Marketing Institute's report, including the local report on Paradise Valley, Scottsdale and Phoenix December 2025.

Paradise Valley, Arizona, is a premier destination for the world’s ultra-wealthy. In 2025, the town earned a place among the 50 wealthiest areas in the United States, according to GoBankingRates. Ranking No. 5 among the nation’s most affluent suburbs, Paradise Valley stood out for its high median household income, soaring home values, and strong economic indicators. Meanwhile, neighboring Scottsdale has been named the second fastest-growing wealth hub globally in New World Wealth’s 2025 rankings — a sign of the region’s sustained prosperity. Much of that growing affluence is now finding a home in Paradise Valley.

I became a homeowner in Paradise Valley in 1985 and choose the Camelback Country Club / Cherokee Elementary Corridor as my neighborhood after living in various parts of the Valley. I am always happy to share what makes this neighborhood great. Questions, contact me at 602-980-0737 or [email protected]