My mother and I decided to visit this park while on vacation in the Phoenix area. The park costs $6 for entrance if you do not have a yearly park pass, which I deem relatively cheap for a park. Although I cannot speak for the picnic areas, the trails were amazing and the ladies in the gift shop were absolutely adorable. I personally loved the desert mountain feel, vs what you'd expect from a typical mountain hike. I plan to visit this park again for hiking in the spring.