Starting Monday, the Bonanza Flat trailhead will initiate a new paid parking system, a decision that Park City and conservation leaders say is necessary to manage increasing use, reduce congestion and protect the conservation area.
“This is one of the most popular summer hiking spots in Utah,” said Johnny Wasden, Park City’s parking program manager. “We’ve seen the area get consistently overwhelmed by cars, traffic, and parking demands, and like many of the well-loved places in Utah and elsewhere, we’re seeing greater need to implement management strategies to ensure safety, reasonable access, and enjoyment of these special locations.”
The new system, designed around peak-use pricing, will charge $5 an hour Monday through Friday and $8 an hour on weekends. A local permit will allow Park City residents in the 84060 ZIP Code to park for free.
“By implementing paid parking, we are controlling the demand by discouraging single occupancy vehicles, encouraging parking space turnover, and promoting and providing alternative modes of getting to the destination,” said Wasden. “The parking rates, timing, and kickoff were determined based on years of area usage data, comparative data to our current parking programs in Park City, as well as models built to fund the alternative access options.”
For conservation and community leaders, the decision is part of a broader effort to promote sustainable access and reflect the spirit of the community that fought to protect Bonanza Flat in the first place, said Wendy Fisher, executive director of Utah Open Lands.
“Everybody really had a say in helping determine the legacy and the future of Bonanza flat,” said Fisher.
In 2016, Park City residents overwhelmingly approved a $25 million open space bond, with 79% voting in favor, to help acquire Bonanza Flat and return it to public use.
Utah Open Lands, in partnership with Park City, secured a $38 million purchase option and closed the $13 million fundraising gap in just seven months. The effort drew support from 11 nonprofits, three counties, multiple municipalities, and state agencies.
“It took a village,” said Fisher. “This was a historic campaign in the state of Utah.”
For Fisher, this fundraising effort and the people who gave to the cause still resonate, even nine years later, as she remembered the generosity of a single mother who pledged her family’s yearly entertainment budget to the campaign.
Starting in 2020, accelerated by the pandemic, Utah saw a 300% increase in outdoor recreation, said Fisher.
“We saw a 1,000-fold increase in use on Bonanza. We found that 67% of the folks getting out to hike we’re getting into the outdoors the first time,” said Fisher. “What we’ve seen throughout the state is one of the ways to encourage people to be more mindful in their outdoor pursuits is in part to have paid parking.”
This sustained increase in new people getting outside, particularly in the Bonanza Flat conservation area, requires better education and more mindfulness on the part of trail users.
“Sometimes these things become about how we become better stewards,” said Fisher.
Alternative traffic and parking options include the city’s Transit to Trails program, a free shuttle service running every 20 minutes from Old Town directly to Bonanza Flat, with room for 10-12 passengers and their bikes.
“The transit service will provide free, safe and reliable transportation to the area while reducing vehicle impacts to the narrow, steep roadways as well as reduce wait times sitting in your car or waiting for a parking spot that many drivers experience going to the area during peak times,” said Wasden. “That means you get on the trail faster than ever. Our new motto is “Transit is your trailhead!”