Park Entry Fees Changing

East Bay Regional Park District switched Ardenwood Historic Farm in Fremont to cashless fee collection on Wednesday, April 29, joining a broader rollout at five parks. (ebparks.org) The new system accepts major credit cards and tap-to-pay methods for on-site fees, including parking where charged. The district said the change took effect just before the summer visitor season. (ebparks.org) (localnewsmatters.org) Ardenwood is one of five parks added in this round, alongside Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area, Don Castro Regional Recreation Area, Diablo Foothills Regional Park and Temescal Regional Recreation Area. (ebparks.org) Park officials said a 30-day grace period will follow the April 29 launch so visitors can adjust before enforcement hardens. User fees help cover operating costs tied to public access and maintenance. (ebparks.org) (localnewsmatters.org) For Fremont visitors, the bigger shift is at Ardenwood, not Quarry Lakes. East Bay Parks said Quarry Lakes had already gone cashless in recent years, along with Roberts Regional Recreation Area and Crown Memorial State Beach. (ebparks.org) (contracosta.news) Quarry Lakes remains a fee park with parking collected on weekends and major holidays from April through October at the Redwood Gate entrance, according to park information cited by AllTrails. (alltrails.com) The district has not announced a new fee schedule in the April 27 notice. The change it described is the payment method at the gate: no cash, cards and tap only. (ebparks.org) Visitors heading to Ardenwood this spring now need the same thing Quarry Lakes users already do: a phone wallet or bank card ready at entry. (ebparks.org)