Last fall, there was talk of implementing an online reservation system to access Fossil Creek, which is located about 100 miles north of Phoenix. Coconino and Tonto National Forests have green lighted the idea and it’ll go into effect Tuesday.
With its blue-green water, swimming holes and waterfalls, it easy to understand why Fossil Creek is such a popular destination…so much so that people would come in the middle of the night to snag a parking spot.
That’s about to change.
Starting Tuesday, the public will have to make an online reservation and purchase a permit. There are 148 designated parking spots within the permit area. That equates to about 740 visitors per day.
The permits will only be required from May 1 through October 1 this year.
Last summer, Fossil Creek reached full capacity by 7 a.m. on most weekends and hundreds of people were turned away each day.
