The Sedona Police Department ticketed fewer cars at trailhead parking lots in 2021 than they did in 2020.
The department wrote 699 fewer tickets in this past year than the previous year. In 2020, three trails were monitored and ticketed. But in 2021, the department’s locations included more trailheads.
“In 2021 we started tracking eight trailheads and the count is down to 1,222,” said Heidi Videto, SPD support services technician.
The department has been addressing trailhead parking since the beginning of 2021.
On just the second day of the year, Jan. 2, SPD handed out 15 ticket citations at Back O’ Beyond and another 22 on Soldier Pass, Sugarloaf, Airport and Huckabee combined.
The COVID-19 pandemic brought many tourists to Sedona via car, according to SPD and Sedona Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau. With the increased road traffic in the area, the trailheads saw much more traffic as well. But with monitoring five more trailheads, the department can only attribute the fewer number of tickets to success with their new signage, as well as staffing within the department.
“I do not know of a specific reason but we did display ‘no parking’ signs and barriers were put in high volume areas to avoid congestion,” said Sgt. Michael Dominguez, SPD spokesman. “Staffing availability depends on the number of citations issued or not issued.”
It was after the increased trailhead traffic in 2020 that the department decided to start tackling the issue even more. With the help of Sedona Public Works Department, the city installed and relocated boulders, adjusted signs to be more visible, placed additional “no parking” signs and variable message electronic signs to inform visitors the parking is full, and added traffic barricades.
In 2020, Mescal/Dry Creek and Back O’ Beyond were the only trailheads monitored by SPD. The department extended their patrol to other trailheads after increased complaints by neighbors.
Historically, Sedona’s trailhead parking lots have always held a small amount of cars in comparison to the demand. Parking areas like the Sugarloaf trailhead can only hold 14 cars. Drivers at trailhead lots such as this, have parked all along the nearby streets, have not obeyed their parking times, or have not paid to park at the lots.
Red Rock Passes are $5 a day and available at Sedona Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center in Uptown, trailheads, the Ranger Stations and many hotel and businesses around Sedona as well as online.
Last year’s Jan. 8 Sedona Red Rock News article on the increased trailhead parking patrol by Sedona police can be found online at redrocknews.com.
