Welcome to Trail Talk, Trails Utah's new newsletter for all those interested in information and updates on trail projects we're involved in and relevant trail news from our partners.
Trails Utah is a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to trails advocacy, planning, funding, sustainable design and construction in needed areas throughout Utah. Well-designed and constructed trails, and the open spaces they connect us to, are important for promoting our overall well-being and creating a sense of community, as well as protecting our natural resources.
We hope you find Trail Talk educational and even entertaining!
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Trail Updates
What's new with our trails, and with Trails Utah?
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BST Connector: Grandeur Peak Trailhead to Pipeline Trail
In 2022, Trails Utah will be bringing a long-standing community wishlist item to the forefront - an established, sustainable and multi-use trail connecting the Grandeur Trailhead to the end of the Pipeline Trail in Millcreek Canyon - approximately 2.2 miles of new trail! We are awaiting the final go-ahead from City of Millcreek, Salt Lake County and Forest Service. We have completed the design phase, and reviewing bids for the construction. We expect to get started in mid-summer 2022. Keep an eye on our social media pages for updates!
Pine Valley Trails - Phase I
This extensive new trail system on the southern end of Pine Valley Mountains is a partnership between Trails Utah, the Trails Alliance of Southern Utah, and Pine Valley Ranger District. Phase I will focus on the first 16 miles of trail, which will be located between 5000-5800ft of elevation. Design work was done by Trails Utah board member and Trails Alliance of Southern Utah President, Kevin Christopherson. NEPA studies have been conducted at the EA level and all approvals for construction have been made. Phase I construction is planned to start this spring / summer. Find out more.
Herriman Hills Trail System
In 2020 / 21, Trails Utah, Herriman City and Herriman Hills Trails Alliance completed several trails in the Herriman Hills, including the Hardlick Downhill Trail, the Rawhide Trail and the Stamped Trail, consisting of approximately 3.5 total trail miles. In 2022 we are planning to expand upon this system and build two new trail sections, including a new 1-mile section of the Bonneville Shoreline Trail and a new 1-mile hiking-only loop. Find out more.
Trail Accessibility
Trails Utah is partnering with Wasatch Adaptive Sports, National Ability Center, and several adaptive athletes on an ongoing project that will modify existing trails to make them accessible for hand-cyclists and adaptive runners. As a team, we have established a priority 2022 wish list of trails that need these modifications and are currently seeking financial support to carry them out. We are truly excited about this collaboration and look forward to making our trails available to a wider segment of the community on an ongoing basis. New trail-building methods often make trails wide enough for hand-cycles; however, the vast majority of trails in the Wasatch were built in the past and did not use these new methods. These are the trails we are focused on.
Foothills Trail System
Completion of this project has been delayed until 2023. Salt Lake City is in the process of hiring a consultant to conduct a more thorough inventory of existing trails and identify what new trails are needed.
And we would love to hear what trails YOU would like to see in Utah. Send your feedback to info@trailsutah.org.
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Trails Utah
Advocacy Efforts
Trails Utah advocacy efforts in February centered around two bills introduced at this year’s Utah legislative session. These days the subject of trails and trail access increasingly arouses deep passions among Utahns. These bills reflect this trend. While trails provide many of us with a means of managing our physical, and emotional well-being, and are recognized as a major economic driver in our state, some are threatened by new trail development and a new mix of trail users. Our state is growing by leaps and bounds and many who are relocating here are coming for the access to trails and open spaces and the active lifestyle they provide. We encourage all to share Utah’s treasured landscapes and mutually respect everyone's trail experience. Trails Utah is committed to this effort.
House Bill 227 (HB 227)
This bill is called “Recreational Trails” and is sponsored by Jennifer Dailey-Provost, a democratic legislator in Salt Lake City. She was persuaded by members of Save Our Foothills, a group of residents working to halt needed trail system expansion and improvements in the Salt Lake City foothills. This bill included a complaint procedure allowing anyone to make a complaint about a trail project, hence halting the project and sending it into a lengthy review process often involing the court system. This clause in the bill is very much intended to thwart trail projects that are typically already subjected to years of review and environmental study before work can begin. Trails Utah came out strongly in opposition to this bill and energized the trail community around the state to share their concerns. Rep. Dailey-Provost heard those concerns and will not be moving the bill forward.
Senate Bill 66 (SB 0066)
This is a dense and complicated bill relating to E-bike use in the state. While the bill is well-intentioned, aiming to help protect trail access for trail users who have a physical limitation and/or mobility issue, not enough work was done to get input from the adaptive sports community. Adaptive athletes have worked long and hard to forge relationships with land managers, manufacturers, and law makers to get their needs met. They must have a significant role in legislation like this. Also, the bill attempts to simplify how and where E-bikes access trails. This is an enormous and pressing issue for land managers around the state. Again, they must have input on any legislation that attempts to define what kind of E-bikes can be on trails and where they can be on trails. Trails Utah opposes this bill.
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Other Trail News
News from our trail partners
Want updates on Round Valley Trail conditions in Park City?
The Round Valley trail system is an amazing resource for XC skiing, skate skiing, snow shoeing, fat-biking and more. Check out Mountain Trails Foundation's Facebook page to get the latest trail condition reports!
Resource for Mountain Bike Trails Around Utah
Check out a great list of MTB trails in Utah, including some of our own!
Family 'devastated' after Jack's Mountain memorial in Salt Lake City disappears
Hikers are wondering what happened to a decades-old mailbox monument on top of the well-trafficked Jack's Mountain in Salt Lake City. No one wants to find out more than the family of the little boy to whom the monument pays tribute. People who visit Jack's Mountain know it's a grueling and intense hike, gaining more than 1,300 feet in elevation in less than two miles. The journey yields breathtaking views of the Salt Lake Valley, but the reward isn't just what you can see looking out from the top; it's about what hikers find nestled in the rocks that make the trip worth it for many. Read the full article.
How Fatbike Trails are Built
Ever wonder how fat bike trails get built? Find out in this fun video from Wasatch Trails Foundation.
Trail Efforts by Utah Back Country Horsemen
Trails Utah has a focus on non-motorized trails and part of that includes horseback riders. We want to acknowledge this community, not only as a contingent of our trail user base, but also a community that gives back to our trail systems. The San Rafael Back Country Horsemen (SRBCH), a chapter of Back Country Horsemen of Utah, not only helps to create community and promote equestrianism, but also helps educate the public on responsible practices on our public lands. Their latest project involved restoring and improving the Swinging Bridge Equestrian Campground and Trail Head facilities. Learn more about SRBCH.
R.I.P. - Geoffrey Ward Freethey (Nov. 22, 1945 - Feb. 13, 2022)
Geoffrey Ward Freethey was a friend, mentor, builder, designer, scientist, outdoor enthusiast and quiet leader with a “less talk, more action” spirit. He was an avid hiker and mountain biker, worked as a hydrologist for US Geologic Survey in Salt Lake City, and retired to Moab. In 2008, he and his wife joined “Trail Mix,” later the Grand County Non-Motorized Trails Committee, and helped conceive, scout, and build 150 miles of single-track trails, working with friends at the Bureau of Land Management for approval. And Geoff designed the “You Are Here” map signs that you see on many trails, often installing them himself. He will be missed. Read more about Geoff here.
Threats to Trails
There is a perception that trails just exist. If we do not help our decision makers, investors, and citizens understand that trails are critical infrastructure requiring consistent, ongoing funding and maintenance, they will simply disappear or degrade over time. We must make it apparent that trails improve the quality of life for all Americans. Read more from American Trails.
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HELP US BRING YOUR TRAIL DREAMS TO LIFE!
We can't make trails happen without funding - your financial support is crucial to the work we do year-round to plan for, fund and build trails. The trails we build offer all of us better access to recreation, healthy living and opportunities to get into the outdoors!
Become a Corporate Sponsor
If you are a business-owner, consider making a contribution that will support all the trails that make our communities great places to live, work and play.
Make a Donation
We welcome donations at any level. Your dollars will be consolidated and put to work to bring your trail dreams to life.
To make it even easier, just scan our QR code and pay via Venmo!
Thank you!
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Seeking Feedback
Please take our Trails Utah Community Survey!
We are interested in finding out more about our trail users so that we can better serve you better into the future!
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THANK YOU!
Sarah Shebek, Lily Milner and Rob Tennant for their support of our organization as volunteers. We are extremely grateful for their time and energy!
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