Larimer County Department of Natural Resources (LCDNR) will pilot a new way for visitors to pay for daily permit parking at parks and open spaces with the convenience of their phones.
The phone-based “Text2Park” payment system launched at select Horsetooth area parking lots on Oct. 26 to expand to other LCDNR public properties throughout the coming year.
Visitors to Horsetooth’s Satanka Bay, Skyline, Sunrise, and Rotary parking lots can now scan a QR code posted on the lot to pay for day-use parking using their phones.
The Text2Park system will not replace self-serve payment machines that accept debit and credit cards. Instead, they will offer one more convenient payment option for those who prefer to pay through phone.
While parking lots on the east, north, and south sides of the Horsetooth Reservoir area will serve as the first pilot sites, the county aims to launch the Text2Park system in another 25 parks and open spaces, such as Carter Lake and Horsetooth Mountain Open Space, throughout the coming year.
The remote location of county parks and open spaces typically makes adopting cellular-based payment systems challenging. Still, the county is working around this by installing mobile hot spots to assist with connections.
Once Text2Park systems are installed, visitors will still be able to choose from several payment methods, including the self-serve pay stations in each lot or by purchasing permits at gatehouses or visitor centers. They can also display an annual permit, which can be purchased at visitor centers or ordered online through this link: https://www.larimer.gov/naturalresources/parks/permits
Currently, parking permits are required at Carter Lake, Flatiron, Pinewood and Horsetooth reservoirs, Blue Sky Trailhead, Horsetooth Mountain Open Space (including Soderberg Trailhead), Ramsay-Shockey Open Space, Hermit Park Open Space, and Devil’s Backbone Open Space.
Citations will continue to be issued for all vehicles that do not have a permit purchased through the Text2Park system or a visible permit or dashboard receipt displayed in their lower inside passenger dash window.
Revenue generated from parking and entrance fees goes directly back into Larimer County parks and open spaces to cover operating expenses (trash collection, restroom supplies, picnic tables, etc.) and personnel expenses (rangers and maintenance staff out on the parks and open spaces).