The Town of Vail Just Banned Parking at a Popular Trailhead to Fight Overtourism
The Town of Vail has closed the Booth Lake Trailhead parking lot in East Vail, effective May 31st, with the ban set to run through fall. The closure seeks to reduce crowding on the popular Booth Lake Trail, forcing residents and visitors to reconsider their hiking plans.
Additionally parking is prohibited in the surrounding neighborhood, at Booth Creek Park, and at the Vail Mountain School lot, which the school closed in coordination with the town. Violators will be towed.
Rather than simply cutting off access, Vail has paired the restriction with alternatives. The town’s free bus system runs an East Vail route from the Vail Transportation Center directly to the trailhead. The current spring schedule offers service at 6am and 7am, then every 30 minutes until 6pm, followed by hourly runs. A summer schedule launching June 8th extends that service from 6am all the way to 2am Full schedules are at vail.gov/bus.
Bike racks and a Shift Bike e-bike share station are also available at the trailhead for those arriving on two wheels.
Drop-off and pick-up by private vehicle is still allowed, and restrooms are on site. Dog owners should note that only service animals ride town buses, so the town recommends arranging a drop-off or choosing a different trail altogether.
Backpackers needing overnight parking can use the Vail Village, Lionshead, or Red Sandstone garages. Details at vail.gov/parking.
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