Pikes Peak Trailhead Parking (Barr Trail)

[kman]

FYI, the "new" method:
http://gazette.com/manitou-springs-anno ... 1#cxrecs_s

[Jim Davies]

Summary: parking in Barr Trail lot now requires an advance online reservation ($20/day + $2.40 fee).
Free parking is available at the lot east of Memorial Park (1.3 mile walk to the trailhead). Other options don't work for full-day or overnight hikes.

[Marmot96]

What a ridiculous price. Will the shuttle drive people to the trailhead for an early start (doing the peak in one day)? I love this peak and have done it many times, but there is no way I would pay $20 to park.

Edit: I guess there is free parking a mile away. I guess we can add some more mileage to the longest 14er

[Buckie06]

the shuttle is great but I wish they allowed dogs.

[ylingli]

Here is some additional information from Nate (one of the Barr Camp caretakers):

Here is the most recent update for the Barr Trail parking lot (at least as much as the caretakers up here know): Parking at the trailhead is by reservation only at parkbarrtrail.com. There are some problems with the system as it now is (i.e. 10 spots set aside for Barr Trail users for a full day, the same price as a 4 hour time slot, the inability to book several days in a row with ease, etc.). Though the fact that it is by reservation only is set in stone, with the hurried implementation there are likely going to be a lot of changes down the road. As of right now, with the additional administration fee of $2.40 it is actually $22.40 to reserve a spot. Since the rate increase to $20 we have been authorized to offer refund vouchers for $15 per day paid. We have not been told whether the refund will now be $17.40 or not. The refund voucher allows for immediate refund if brought into the parking office in person (with credit card and receipt), but takes as many as six weeks or more if mailed in. There have been discussions about allowing Barr Camp to refund directly, but only in Manitou Money (who's ever heard of that?). We strongly encourage the use of the free town shuttle (which runs every 20 minutes from 6am departing from Memorial Park, to 6pm). Sorry we don't have more information or details, the reservation system is being implemented quite hastily without much time for input.

[Marmot96]

We strongly encourage the use of the free town shuttle (which runs every 20 minutes from 6am departing from Memorial Park, to 6pm). Sorry we don't have more information or details, the reservation system is being implemented quite hastily without much time for input.

I like the idea of a shuttle, but I don't think I've ever started hiking Pikes as late as 6am!! Too bad its not earlier.

[jimwei]

We strongly encourage the use of the free town shuttle (which runs every 20 minutes from 6am departing from Memorial Park, to 6pm). Sorry we don't have more information or details, the reservation system is being implemented quite hastily without much time for input.

I like the idea of a shuttle, but I don't think I've ever started hiking Pikes as late as 6am!! Too bad its not earlier.

The free parking at Memorial Park is a measly 20 minutes hiking to the trailhead. I never understood why people complained about this. Best thing about parking at Memorial Park, is on the way back I can buy frozen custard on the main strip.

[Marmot96]

We strongly encourage the use of the free town shuttle (which runs every 20 minutes from 6am departing from Memorial Park, to 6pm). Sorry we don't have more information or details, the reservation system is being implemented quite hastily without much time for input.

I like the idea of a shuttle, but I don't think I've ever started hiking Pikes as late as 6am!! Too bad its not earlier.

The free parking at Memorial Park is a measly 20 minutes hiking to the trailhead. I never understood why people complained about this. Best thing about parking at Memorial Park, is on the way back I can buy frozen custard on the main strip.

I was happy when I could get to the trail head at 3:30am, pay $5 and start my hike. Its not like an extra mile each way is the end of the world, but it is a bit of a hassle, right?

[justiner]

It's a little unprecedented, as this is either an expensive or awkward solution for access to the National Forest. The road is a public right of way, yes? The complaint mentioned in the article is that people are using the road and people who live on the road don't like that. These attractions (TH, Cog railway, Incline) have been there for quite a while now, so it shouldn't be surprising that people are... attracted to them. They're just more popular, now. I don't know what the local politics are, but I know what this sounds like.

Manitou Money? So can you exchange that back. I mean, you must be able to, right? (but only at the Chamber of Commerce) If not, that would be just another way they're trying to make you pay more for visiting. It's like a mail in rebate - people would get the money, and just not bother to do anything with it.

Such a strange place.

And then they get you for donuts at the top.

[uwe]

Pikes Peak Via the Crags TH takes care of all these issues.

[pmeadco]

...this is either an expensive or awkward solution for access to the National Forest.

People accessing the national forest are a tiny fraction of the crowd driving up and down Ruxton every day. Most people are Incline users (admittedly, part of the national forest, but still different from people hiking up Barr). Until the Incline was legally open there wasn't that much traffic. Then the Incline became a thing, and OMG the traffic up there is unbelievable these days. The neighborhood is fed-up with their quiet little corner of heaven turning into a bumper-to-bumper car show every weekend. As citizens do when they feel they are being trampled, they appealed to the city. It is well accepted that the easiest way to change behavior is to put a price on that behavior, so here we are with astronomical parking fees and fines. I suppose that's what some people call progress. What it has done to me is make me avoid the area, which is precisely what they are hoping for.

[justiner]

Except when it's closed, like it was for a good portion of this year.

Or you want to do Barr Camp

Or you don't want to hike along a highway

Or you just want to do the incline

It's very surprising (if you step back) that such a large mountain only has two hiking routes to the top; that further trail building to increase access has been blocked, and that a road, a railway, a gift shop, and a parking lot are given precedence over access.

I get it, Pikes is a industrialized mountain, used for local propaganda of tourists dollars. It's like the Niagara Falls of National Monuments. I hope other mountains in CO don't fall victim to this in the future.