PHOENIX — While a Phoenix group is pushing to extend trail hours in Phoenix, the Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department said a request to modify the hours must be submitted to a board for changes to be considered.
“We are literally hike city USA,” said Jes Dobbs, who has lived in Phoenix since 2011. In that time, she’s grown to love hitting the trails any chance she gets.
“We have just amazing urban hiking,” she said.
But recently there’s been a controversy that’s become a focal point of conversation among the hiking community.
“The contract with the maintenance company that did Camelback and Piestewa and a few of the other parks was ended rather abruptly on August 31, leaving the very next day a change in how the access is managed to the parks,” said Dobbs.
Dobbs said even though the sign at Echo Canyon says sunrise to sunset, hikers have been allowed into the parking lot for years well before the sun rises.
After all, the Phoenix area recently experienced 100 consecutive days over 100° and temperatures often stay above 90° during most months of the year.
“We get it done, we get down because we want to be out of here before it gets hot,” Dobbs said.
Since the contract ended with the maintenance company, Dobbs said things changed.
“A lot of the people that come regularly are shafted,” Dobbs said.
The maintenance workers who would open the gates early are no longer around, and she said that responsibility is now falling on the park rangers, causing an issue for people showing up early.
“The trails aren’t actually closed,” Dobbs said. “It’s just the parking that’s closed.”
Dobbs is part of a group called the Camelback Culture Community that created a petition.
"The official petition that we have going states that from 4 a.m. to 8 p.m., not changing throughout the year," Dobbs said.
Dobbs said that will allow safe usage during the cooler hours of the day.
The petition also calls for automated gates to be installed at trailheads that operate based on these fixed hours, to ensure consistent and reliable access for all users.
The petition has already garnered more than 1,700 signatures. Their goal is 2,500.
“Give us official posted hours,” said Dobbs.
The Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department’s public information officer released a statement to 12News saying the department “is aware of Camelback Culture’s petition and understands the community’s concerns regarding trail hours and access.”
It went on to say, “The Parks and Recreation Board holds the authority to modify and establish new hours,” and that “a request to modify trail hours can be submitted to the Parks and Recreation Board for consideration.”
Hikers like Dobbs are hoping this is the beginning of change.
“Really this is a hiking city,” said Dobbs. “We need to be clear with people what that entails.”
According to the city of Phoenix website, there are currently more than 41,000 acres of Phoenix desert and mountain parks and preserves, with 40 trailheads providing access to more than 200 miles of trails.
Click here for more information on Phoenix desert mountain parks and preserves.
Find more information on the Camelback Culture Community’s petition here.
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