The City of Prescott has increased daily parking fees from $3 to $5 at the popular recreational sites where it charges them: Watson, Willow and Goldwater lakes and the Constellation and Peavine trailheads.
Wednesdays are still “free days” for parking. Kristy Diaz-Trahan, Prescott Recreation Services Director, said the City sells approximately 131,500 daily passes per year and projects the increase will raise another $263,000 annually, to be used for ongoing trail maintenance and related improvements to the parks system.
The fee increase was initially approved by the City Council with the rest of the 2025-26 budget in June 2025. The council then removed references to specific dollar amounts in the city code to allow the new fee to be enforced, which took effect Feb. 26. Multiday parking fees are unchanged at $20 for a 10-visit pass, $60 for a 40-visit pass and $100 for an annual pass.
The council also codified the prohibition on swimming in any City-owned lakes, canals or similar bodies of water and clarified its definition of camping, which is allowed only in designated camping sites or with a city permit. For more information, see www.prescott-az.gov.
