Phoenix Delays Parking Fees For Valley Parks and Hiking Spots

So hiking partner and I couldn’t help but notice that it’s December and we have yet to see the promised parking meters (that we blogged about in August) at our favorite parks, which were supposed to be installed in November.

Turns out discussions surrounding the proposal called, “Friend of the Mountains/Daily Preserve Parking Program” (barf) are scheduled to take place in March 2011. That means plans have changed — there won’t be any meters this year and we won’t have to worry about coughing up cash to get into the parks until sometime after March 2011.

Read on about the future of parking fees after the jump.

Back in August, Phoenix Parks and Recreation had a tentative schedule to install the parking meters in November 2010.

The reason for the change? The Phoenix City Council decided that city proposals for user fees will be considered only once per year … in March.

Plans still remain to install meters at the following park areas: North Mountain Park, Phoenix Mountains Park and Recreation Area (which includes the Piestewa Peak Summit Trail), the Dreamy Draw Recreation Area, the Echo Canyon area of Camelback Mountain, and the Pima Canyon area of South Mountain Park/Preserve.

If passed, daily park passes would cost $2. Six-month and annual passes would also be available for $50 and $75, respectively.

Click here for more information about the proposal.

Click here for more information about the city’s new strategy for proposal fees.

Check out our other recent hiking news/reviews:
South Mountain: Javelina, Ridgeline and Beverly Loop
Nature Trail
Phoenix Summit Challenge
Dreamy Draw Trails
North Mountain Summit Trail
Parking Fees to be Enforced at Local Trails
Mojave Trail
Shaw Butte
Lookout Mountain
Quartz Ridge
Kiwanis Trail
Picacho Peak