by Kristy Diaz-Trahan, Recreation Services Director, City of Prescott
At Prescott Recreation Services, we often say parks and recreation connect people to people, people to nature and people to community. Few groups embody that mission more fully than the Over the Hill Gang.
In Prescott, trails are more than lines on a map. They are early morning walks with a friend, a challenging ride through the pines, a quiet moment among the boulders of the Granite Dells, and a reminder of why so many people choose to call this place home. They connect neighborhoods to open space, residents to recreation and visitors to the beauty and character of Prescott.
Much of that experience has been shaped by the Over the Hill Gang, a dedicated volunteer trail crew that has become an essential part of Prescott’s outdoor story. The group was the brainchild of City of Prescott Trails and Natural Parklands Manager Chris Hosking roughly 19 years ago, when Prescott’s trail system was still relatively modest at 24 miles.
Today, thanks to vision, partnerships and countless volunteer hours, Prescott currently has 152 miles of trails within the city system — with the Over the Hill Gang helping build and care for most of them, ¼ mile at a time!
Their impact extends far beyond trail work. They connect people to people through shared purpose, friendship and volunteerism. They connect people to nature by creating access to some of Prescott’s most treasured landscapes. And they connect people to community by strengthening one of the amenities residents value most.
That commitment recently earned statewide recognition when the Over the Hill Gang was selected as the Arizona Parks and Recreation Association’s Volunteer Program of the Year. It is a well-deserved honor and a reflection of the tremendous role volunteers play in supporting the City’s Recreation Services Department and the quality of life enjoyed throughout Prescott.
Our Parks and Recreation Master Plan affirmed what many of us already knew: trail access and participation are among the highest priorities for our community. The Over the Hill Gang is a powerful example of why.
Their work reminds us the best parks and recreation systems are not built by amenities alone, but by people who care enough to invest in the places — and one another — that make a community thrive.
