PARK CITY, Utah — Leaf peeping season is about to peak in much of Utah, and to help beat the crowds and the cars, there’s a new feature debuting this year in Park City to help everyone get up and down the mountains safely and effectively.
“We want to give people the recreation access and the access to come up here as much as they can, but we can only hold so many people at our parking lots,” said Julia Collins, transportation planning manager for Park City.
The city is piloting a new free shuttle that takes residents all the way up to the Bonanza Flat area, which is a popular location for looking at the gorgeous colors of fall.
“Just last Saturday, we had over 870 people using that service. So it's working. People are using it. We're trying to get more of the word out,” said Collins.
Midway resident Colleen Peterson supports the shuttle since too much traffic can cause safety issues.
“It's an amazing idea, because a lot of people will stop and park and get out, and it's not safe because it is very narrow, and some people drive fast and some people drive slow,” Peterson said.
All that fails to mention parking violations can cost up to $200.
Chris Larson loves utilizing the trails around northern Utah, especially during the fall, and says the shuttle makes everything more convenient.
“I love coming up here in the fall when the leaves are peaking. It's just prime mountain bike season right now, taking the bus up is super convenient," he said. "I don't know of any other mountain town that offers a free shuttle service to the top of a mountain pass like this that we can take our bikes on.”
In town from Denver, Larson's friend, Dave Palazzo, shared how Coloradans enjoy their own fall leaves, but there’s something that makes Utah unique.
“We don't get the red that you guys get," said Palazzo. "But, I think for me up here, I mean, the amount of trails as a cyclist and hiker that you can access right from here is pretty special.”
While the city supports all residents taking a trip up to the mountains, they want to provide even more transportation options this year.
“Not that I want to encourage more traffic to come here, but if you want to see a beautiful place, this is the most beautiful place in the world,” shared Peterson.
The Park City purple bus route runs Friday through Sunday every 20 minutes from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Dogs are also allowed on the buses, but they must be leashed and muzzled.
