Park City combats traffic problems at popular trailheads with free shuttles

PARK CITY, Utah – Stuart and Bianca McArthur were lucky when they were able to snag a parking spot at the Bloods Lake Trailhead on Sunday morning.

“If you Google ‘best hiking trails in Park City,’ this one is number one,” Stuart said. “We saw it was completely full. It was around 11 a.m., or maybe 10 a.m. We drove up here and waited for about three or four minutes, and then someone came off the trail, got in their car, and we were able to kind of secure a spot.”

To help solve this problem, Park City offers free shuttles to three different trailheads in the Bonanza Flat Conservation Area on Saturdays and Sundays as part of the city’s Transit to Trails program.

“Bonanza Flat is a beautiful place and over the years we have seen more and more visitors from the Wasatch area, Park City and from around the world,” said Billy Kurek, Park City’s trails and open space coordinator. “We see vehicles waiting in line, sometimes for hours, to get a parking spot and use the trail system.”

The service doesn’t end with the end of summer; the shuttles continue to run throughout the fall, with Friday service added starting in September.

“Transit to Trails is a really powerful land stewardship tool for us that allows us to reduce single-occupancy vehicle trips while providing a really high-quality experience for visitors,” Kurek said.

The city cannot simply create more parking spaces, he said.

“We are in a conservation area, so we have a conservation easement that dictates how we manage this land and how we protect it,” Kurek said.

Shuttle reservations are on a first come, first served basis and can be made online. Here. Bicycles and dogs can also come along.