Cave Creek is a small desert town in the Sonoran Desert north of Scottsdale and Phoenix, known for its Western character and its resistance to the suburban sprawl that has consumed much of the Valley of the Sun around it. The main street has a rough-hewn Old West aesthetic — wooden storefronts, saddleries, taxidermied animals in windows — and a concentration of Western and Mexican restaurants and bars that cater to both locals and day-trippers from the Phoenix metro.
The surrounding desert landscape is the main draw for outdoor visitors. Cave Creek Regional Park to the north and the Tonto National Forest provide hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding through classic Sonoran terrain: saguaro cactus, palo verde, cholla, and rocky hills. The Cave Creek and Spur Cross Ranch conservation areas protect riparian corridors along the seasonal creek that gives the town its name. The combination of cooler desert temperatures (a few degrees lower than Phoenix), decent food, and accessible trails makes Cave Creek a popular escape for Phoenix residents.
The town has a notably independent streak. It voted against incorporation for years and retains an unincorporated character even now — no traffic lights, a ban on chain restaurants, and the general disposition of a place that would rather be left alone. The Tuesday through Sunday farmer's market and the cluster of art galleries along Easy Street give it just enough cultural life to round out the Western kitsch.