Planning on hiking Bonanza Flat trails? Be ready to pay an hourly parking fee

SALT LAKE CITY — Park City Municipal implemented hourly parking fees at Bonanza Flat trailheads at the beginning of June, with hopes of easing congestion and improving safety at the top of Guardsman Pass. 

The area includes popular routes, such as those to Bloods Lake and Jupiter Peak. Since June 2, kiosks sitting at the trailheads have been accepting payment—$5 an hour on weekdays and $8 an hour on weekends. Visitors can also pay on their phone. 

“This is definitely one of the most popular summer hiking spots in Utah. Since it’s so close to Utah’s largest city, we’ve seen the area get really consistently overwhelmed by cars, traffic and parking demands,” said Johnny Wasden, the parking program manager for Park City Municipal.

The new parking fees are part of the city’s strategy to keep the Bonanza Flat area enjoyable and safe. The road through the area is very narrow, and the terrain on both sides is steep. 

“I was up here one time, sitting in the (parking) queue, and I watched a car kind of whip around the line of cars, and it actually forced a motorcyclist off the edge of this very steep grade,” Wasden said. 

Park City hopes the new fees will control parking demand in the area. They were designed to discourage single-occupancy vehicles, encourage people to vacate parking spaces faster, and promote the adoption of public transportation. 

Parking fees to fund Bonanza Flat bus line

The city is using the parking fees to fund a new bus line, referred to as the “purple line.” Set to launch later this summer, Wasden said it’s meant to provide efficient transportation to Bonanza Flat trailheads. 

“It’s pretty well connected,” Wasden said. “You can (board) as far out as Richardson Flat, which is just off Highway 40, or all the way into Old Town at the Transit Center.” 

People will be able to take their dogs and bikes on the shuttle. In addition to providing a more sustainable and safe mode of transportation to and from the trailheads, the bus will also serve as a method of ensuring those who can’t afford the hourly fee aren’t priced out of hiking in the area. 

Although the fees are still new, Wasden said the city has already seen improvement in area congestion. 

“Obviously, we’ll see as it gets busier since we’ve only had three solid weeks of good data. But (so far) it feels less tight, even on a Saturday afternoon.”

Currently, the city has not provided an official launch of the Purple Transit Route. On its website, Park City wrote that it will be open by the middle of summer. 

Park City locals get free parking permits

Park City residents are eligible for a locals permit, which allows them to park at the trailheads for free. 

“The whole idea of the locals permit was born out of the concept that residents living within the 84060 (zip) code are actively paying into the $25 million bond, which secured and preserves this area for everyone to enjoy,” Wasden said. 

To get the permit, applicants must provide proof of residence and a copy of their vehicle’s registration.

However, the city still encourages locals to ride the shuttle instead of parking at the trailheads. 

As time goes on, Wasden said the city will be monitoring the new program’s efficacy. They may make adjustments. 

“We certainly don’t want to be discouraging people from enjoying these open spaces, but I think that it was just getting really out of hand and dangerous,” Wasden said.