Neighborhood implements $10 fee for Austin nature trail

Starting March 2, hikers from outside the River Place Limited District will each have to pay a $10 fee to enter the River Place Nature Trail in Northwest Austin.

The fee also applies to each pet that enters the trail with a hiker. Residents will be admitted for free with a membership ID, an announcement on the River Place Limited District’s website says.

A popular Austin nature trail is about to start charging visitors to hike. Would you pay $10 to use the River Place Trail? The fee applies to pets too.pic.twitter.com/SxZd5ykkxU

— Raven Ambers (@ravenambers)February 12, 2019

The River Place Limited District is able to implement the fee because it owns the private trail, CBS Austin reports.

The District told CBS Austin that the fee is meant to reduce trail overcrowding, help fund the maintenance of the trail due to increased non-resident use, and to reduce the burden on residents who currently pay to maintain the district’s parks and trails.

The trail will only accept credit card payments once the fee is implemented.