Drivers heading up Guardsman Pass Road will find new "No Parking Zone" signs lining the route to Bonanza Flat, backed by fines of up to $300.

The city began installing the signs in late August to curb roadside parking near the 1,534-acre conservation area, Clayton Scrivner, Park City communications director, told TownLift. The city's recently adopted fee schedule sets the $300 penalty for the most serious violations. Vehicles parked on the roadway, shoulder or outside designated spaces may be ticketed or towed.

Roadside parking restrictions are not entirely new.

Park City has previously barred parking along the road near Bonanza Flat's trailheads. The new signage formalizes enforcement and puts a dollar figure on violations as fall foliage draws peak crowds to the pass. Guardsman Pass Road was paved in 2014, and visitation has climbed steadily since.

Three designated lots serve the area: Empire Pass, Bonanza Flat and Bloods Lake trailheads. Paid parking runs $5 per hour on weekdays and $8 per hour on weekends, enforced from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Residents in the 84060 zip code can apply for a free Bonanza Flat Locals Parking Permit, which covers parking at all three designated lots. The permit program exists because 84060 taxpayers fund the bond that preserved Bonanza Flat. Each household may hold up to two permits, valid through Dec. 31. Vehicles with outstanding parking citations are not eligible.

For those who want to skip the parking question altogether, Park City Transit's free Purple Route serves the Bonanza Flat and Bloods Lake trailheads every 20 minutes on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 31. Buses depart from the Old Town Transit Center, pass the Montage Deer Valley and accommodate bikes and leashed, muzzled dogs.

Parking revenue from the summer 2025 season generated nearly $319,000, with about $91,000 left after operating costs, KPCW reported in July. About $64,000 of that surplus funded a winter shuttle pilot to the same trailheads.

The city recommends checking parking conditions before heading up the pass on busy fall weekends and having a backup plan if lots are full.