Fun on Utah Valley’s trails should include responsible use, caretaker says | News, Sports, Jobs

This undated photo shows a portion of the Valley Vista Trails in the foothills of Pleasant Grove.

This undated photo shows a portion of the Valley Vista Trails in the foothills of Pleasant Grove.

Courtesy Jason Cowley

This undated photo shows a portion of the Valley Vista Trails in the foothills of Pleasant Grove.

It’s that time of year when people are getting outdoors to recreate and the trail systems in Utah County see a boom in foot traffic. But with use of the trails comes a need to show responsibility. That’s one message those who help with the upkeep of Valley Vista Trails are trying to get out to the public.

The Valley Vista Trail System is located in the foothills of Mount Mahogany on the east side of Pleasant Grove and comprises approximately 12.3 miles of trail. It is a multi-use trail system used for non-motorized recreation, including mountain biking, hiking, trail running, walking and horseback riding.

Valley Vista Trails are not the only recreational trails in Utah Valley. There are many others, including Big Spring Hollow at the South Fork of Provo Canyon, Dry Canyon in Orem, Grove Creek Trail in Pleasant Grove and Lambert Park in Alpine. Using the trails correctly will help ensure that they can continue to be in use.

Former Pleasant Grove resident Jason Cowley, who helped with the planning and still helps with the upkeep of Valley Vista Trails, said three big issues are causing damage to the trails. “The first is when people use them while they are muddy. Even when the gates are closed, we have people who will avoid the gates or illegally cross them to use the trails when they are wet,” he said. “The problem with this is that the trails have been constructed to allow water to sheet across them. This makes them more sustainable and keeps a more natural flow for water runoff. However, when people use the trails when they are muddy, they leave ruts or dents in the mud. When the mud dries, the clay soil bakes in those ruts and holes to a solid state that then changes the water flow across the trails, creating big erosion issues.”

Cowley said the second issue is that there has been an increase in access by motorized users. “Motorized use is completely prohibited in the foothills by all land managers and agencies,” he said. “This is due to many factors including water resource protection, environmental protection and support of the trail design.”

Courtesy Jason Cowley

This undated photo shows a portion of the Valley Vista Trails in the foothills of Pleasant Grove.

In fact, recent damage was done by motorcyclists who went around gates and ignored the signage. “Again, these trails have been built to be sustainable, environmentally friendly and low maintenance for non-motorized use. They are not built to sustain the impact of motorcycles and ATVs, and the individuals who are currently breaking the park rules are causing a lot of damage,” Cowley said.

Lastly, trail users occasionally do not stay on the approved trails and cut across open land or deliberately build new, unapproved connectors. “This obviously is damaging to the environment and the park. When someone tracks across open land, they leave a trail that subsequent users may see and think is part of the trail,” Cowley said. “It does not take many people to follow these unauthorized paths before they begin to look like the approved trails. This confuses users, destroys vegetation and can impact water drainage and sustainability.”

“The most important thing that everyone can do to keep the trails in good shape is to just obey the rules,” Cowley added. “Additionally, we hold a few volunteer days throughout the year to take care of the maintenance. If people would like to come help on those days, we would love the support. Typically, our next big volunteer day is on National Trails Day, which is the first Saturday in June.”

More volunteer opportunities and information about Utah County’s trails can be found on the Utah Valley Trails Alliance Facebook page, at traillink.com, the Valley Vista Trails Facebook page and at utahcounty.gov.

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