A lot of hikers like to hit the trails early before the sun rises at Camelback Mountain and Piestewa Peak to beat the heat. But on Sunday, ABC15 saw at least 10 cars pull up to Echo Canyon trail at around 4 a.m. and those drivers were met with a closed gate.
The sign at Echo Canyon says “sunrise to sunset”, but some hikers say it’s been an unwritten rule over the past decade that they are allowed into the parking lot well before the sun rises. They say it’s safer to access the trails before the sun is up and the temperatures rise.
A city of Phoenix spokesperson says Sunday was the day their contract ended with the maintenance company that maintains those parks. Hiking advocates say those maintenance workers are the ones who would open the gates early for them.
The city says a new maintenance contract is expected to begin in the fall, and that park rangers will be responsible for opening and closing the gate in the meantime.
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