Some cyclists, hikers, skateboarders and families are discovering one of the Valley's secrets twice a month.
'Silent Sunday' is hosted by the Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department at
South Mountain and
North Mountain parks, one Sunday each month.
The day-long events give bicyclists, tots in strollers, in-line skaters and wheelchair users a chance to call the parks' roadways their own.
On this Sunday at South Mountain Park, the roadways past the Central Avenue gate were reserved for non-motorized use from 5 a.m. until 11 p.m.
Traffic was restricted to parking lots outside the park, making the main roads safe for families to enjoy the park in a different way.
South Mountain Park was busy as families gathered in the lower parking lot, offloading bikes from their cars, vans and trucks.
We caught up with Vanessa, Isabel and mom Laura Saldana strolling down the main road at South Mountain Park.
They had planned on having a picnic and were surprised to see the park closed to vehicles.
Laura said they decided, "We have tennis shoes on...let's start walking."
They walked to one of the park's ramadas to enjoy their picnic.
Star Gonzales and Reyna and Steve Carr used the open road to hike up the mountain, preparing for next weekend's
21st Annual Climb to Conquer Cancer. Skateboards found use in the park too. Dan Herrera and 11-year-old Gabe Herrera are avid skateboarders and decided to try out the Rio Vista area they'd heard about.
Dan said they were just going to take it easy this first time out. In fact, someone in the parking lot gave them gloves, just in case either ended up in a slide.
South Mountain Park, located on Central Avenue, south of Baseline Road, holds Silent Sundays on every 3rd Sunday of the month through the rest of the year.
North Mountain Park, at 7th Street and Peoria Avenue, holds Silent Sunday on the 2nd Sunday of every month, except April.
The city event was started to promote awareness of alternative modes of transportation and recreation, according to a Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department news release.
It also gives the preserves a day of rest from motor vehicle traffic.
Staff expanded the program this year to North Mountain Park because of the overwhelming popularity at South Mountain.
The number of visitors may grow even higher in March as wildflowers come into bloom.
