Ardenwood, Quarry Lakes Introduce New Fees
- East Bay Regional Park District said Ardenwood Historic Farm and Quarry Lakes in Fremont will switch to cashless fee collection on Wednesday, April 29, joining three other parks ahead of summer crowds. - Ardenwood will stop taking cash for admission starting April 29, while Quarry Lakes already lists itself as cashless and accepts credit card and tap-to-pay for its $5 parking fee. - The district has been standardizing fees and expanding cashless payment after a Quarry Lakes pilot in 2025, part of a broader push to cut lines and simplify park entry. (ebparks.org) (localnewsmatters.org)
Ardenwood Historic Farm and Quarry Lakes in Fremont are moving to cashless fee collection starting Wednesday, April 29. (ebparks.org) (sfgate.com) The East Bay Regional Park District said five parks will join the cashless program before higher summer traffic, and Ardenwood’s park page now says, “Starting April 29th, Ardenwood is going Cashless.” (sfgate.com) (ebparks.org) At Quarry Lakes, the park page already says “Quarry Lakes is cashless,” and lists credit card and tap-to-pay at the kiosk. Parking is $5 per vehicle, $5 per trailered vehicle, and $25 for buses. (ebparks.org) Ardenwood is a different kind of fee site: parking remains free, but visitors pay admission. The park charges $4 for adults on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays in historic season, and $6 on Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays; seniors and children pay less. (ebparks.org) The change affects how people pay more than what they pay. Ardenwood’s page still lists the same admission schedule, while Quarry Lakes’ posted parking and swim-beach fees remain in place under the cashless setup. (ebparks.org 1) (ebparks.org 2) The district has been moving in this direction for more than a year. A January report on the 2026 fee update said Quarry Lakes had already tested cashless parking in a pilot that ran through Dec. 31, 2025, alongside Roberts Regional Recreation Area. (localnewsmatters.org) (fremontrealestate.blogspot.com) The same January fee update said East Bay parks were simplifying parking charges across the system and eliminating dog fees to encourage visitation. The district says it serves Alameda and Contra Costa counties across 73 parks and more than 126,000 acres. (localnewsmatters.org) (ebparks.org) For visitors, the practical difference is straightforward: bring a card or phone wallet to Quarry Lakes, and after April 29 do the same at Ardenwood if you are paying admission at the gate. (ebparks.org 1) (ebparks.org 2)
