The spokes are turning again on new trail construction in the southwest corner of the Salt Lake Valley.
Hikers and bikers looking for new opportunities to hit the dirt in the mountains above the valley are in luck: Last month, Herriman city officials greenlighted additional dirt trails in the Traverse Mountains south of town.
It’s the third time in recent months that new trails — both dirt and paved — have been announced in the southwest corner of the valley as city and county officials look to relieve crowding on popular paths in the Wasatch Mountains and give residents more options for getting outside.
Brandon Preece, who heads a trails subcommittee for Friends of Herriman, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting arts and recreation in the southwestern suburb, shared his excitement about the four planned dirt tracks at a Herriman City Council meeting.
“I am excited to see primitive trails back on the menu in Herriman City,” Preece told the council. “It’s been a long time and we are excited to support any trail project we have going on in the city, and are willing and able to do fundraising activities to make those things happen. We’re excited to see approvals for as many of these projects as we can so we can continue to move that forward.”
The last time Herriman added to its dirt trail network was in 2020 with two short tracks near Blackridge Reservoir called Buckaroo and Mutton Bustin’.
Last month’s unanimous approval of the new projects also included the addition of two paved paths in the valley. In total, the new routes will add almost six miles of recreational opportunities and cost about $2.1 million in public money.
(Christopher Cherrington | The Salt Lake Tribune) Herriman is getting nearly six miles of new trails and paved paths.
The new dirt projects include a mix of hiking-only and multiuse trails. They’ll mostly be built by volunteers with some fundraising support from nonprofits like Friends of Herriman and Trails Utah.
The longest project on the docket is a two-mile, hikers-only loop above the Blackridge Reservoir. The hike will lead to expansive views of the Salt Lake Valley as walkers climb a ridge below South Mountain.
Another short track called Yeehaw is not part of the newly approved trails package but is set to open at the same trailhead soon.
A route restricted to hikers will be the city’s southernmost trail and will connect the existing Rawhide and Mosey trails. The mile-long route will give walkers a chance to separate from mountain bikers. Just north of there, a half-mile track will be open to all users and create a loop for bikers wanting to test their skills on the downhill-only Mojo trail. Both the hiking-only and multiuse tracks are currently called the Stampede area trails.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) The Blackridge Trail in Herriman on Wednesday, June 5, 2024.
The Bonneville Shoreline Trail also will get a mile-long extension in the Herriman hills. The additional mileage will sit below the existing Mustang Trail and create a more mellow ride through scrub oaks and junipers.
The first of the two paved trails approved by the council will be on the northern end of town, where the existing Midas Creek Trail that runs from 6000 West to 4130 West in Riverton will get a roughly 0.7-mile extension to 6400 West.
At the opposite end of Herriman, the city is set to pave the Juniper Canyon Trail that runs under the Mountain View Corridor and connect it to Sky Ridge Park. That paved path will be a similar length to the Midas Creek Trail extension.
As a part of the suite of trail approvals, the City Council also approved landscaping upgrades along the existing Hidden Oaks area trail on the western outskirts of town.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) A mountain biker rides along the Blackridge Trail in Herriman on Wednesday, June 5, 2024.
The planned projects have been a hit with residents so far.
“All the feedback we received at the open houses was positive,” Anthony Teuscher, the city’s deputy director of parks, reported to the council. “I did not hear of one negative comment towards any of these projects … No concerns.”
The southwest portion of the valley has seen a major investment in trails recently.
The Salt Lake County Council recently allocated $2.7 million to more trail access and amenity improvements in nearby Butterfield Canyon. In Riverton, the Welby Jacobs Canal Trail will get an extension thanks to new Utah Department of Transportation funding.
Most of the Herriman trails are set to be built this summer. The Stampede trails don’t yet have a timeline. City officials also said they hope to expand the dirt trails network further west in the future and connect with paths in the Yellow Fork Canyon.
“It’s exciting,” said Mayor Lorin Palmer. “It’s good to be building again.”
