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| - Ok, so to be fair this is a beautiful hike and challenging, but not out of this world hardcore, so let's get that out of the way. If I were rating the hike only I would give it a 5.
My issue with this park is there is NO PARKING!! And worst of all if you park at the Navajo parking lot there is a long stretch on the side of the road that lacks NO PARKING signs. So me and 20 other hikers got parking tickets on February 13th 2016, compliments of Park Ranger Olson, who is very nice and just doing his job, told me at my parking ticket hearing this is a BIG MONEY GENERATOR for the city of Phoenix. Sadly the money doesn't even go to the park itself for more parking or restoration It goes into the deep black hole of the City of Phoenix . So, yesterday I went to the Phoenix municipal court to fight the ticket and my argument was that there is lack of parking signs on that stretch of Piestewa Peak Pkwy so a patron could mistakenly think it was ok to park on the side of the road, I was told that there is a sign at the front of the park stating "no parking unless in designated parking areas." Since there was no sign where I parked I figured it was safe to park there. The judge told me it wasn't realistic for the city of Phoenix to put no parking signs in that stretch of the parkway where I parked which leads me to believe the city LOOOOOOVES this money that is guaranteed to come in. I drove from Gilbert and ya know what?? I think I'll stay in the underpopulated Superstition and San Tan mountains. There's plenty of parking, sure there's a $7 fee to get in but at least I know I won't get slapped with a $87 ticket ($107 if its past 30 days)
This was my second attempt to go hiking there, my first was in January of 2016 and that time there was no parking either. I actually turned around and went to another place in the city of Phoenix to hike that day. Huge disappointment. HUGE HUGE HUGE!!!!!!!!!
Don't go, Park Ranger Olson will get his wish.
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