Larimer County launches new parking payment option for parks and open spaces

DENVER (KDVR) — Larimer County has launched a new program where visitors can pay for permit parking at parks and open spaces through their phones. This new system, Text2Park, will start out at only select areas before expanding to other areas in the coming year.

So far, visitors can only use the system to pay for parking at select Horsetooth area parking lots. Specifically, it will be lots on the east, north and south sides of Horsetooth Reservoir.

The county said the remoteness of some of the areas poses a challenge for any cell phone-based systems, but it also said it was working to install mobile hotspots to help with this issue.

Larimer County said the goal is to launch the system in another 25 parks and open spaces such as Carter Lake and Horsetooth Mountain Open Space in the next year. Until then, visitors at the other parks will still have to pay for parking through the existing methods, such as the gatehouses or self-serve stations prior to entering the parks.

The daily permits cost $10 per vehicle at all parks and open spaces. There are additional costs for boat trailers at areas that have boat access.

The county said all revenue generated from parking and entrance fees goes back into the park and open spaces operating personnel expenses. This includes paying for things from trash collection and restroom supplies to rangers and maintenance staff at the parks.