SLC.gov

June 5, 2026

Salt Lake City’s Department of Public Lands will begin closing sections of Donner Trail Park (2903 Kennedy Dr.) on Monday, June 8, to start construction on a series of improvements designed to serve neighborhood needs and enhance the park experience. The park will fully reopen this fall.  

Planned upgrades include new playgrounds, a Memorial Tree Grove, water-wise plantings, a new pathway, and a public art installation.

The 14-acre park, named after the historic Donner-Reed Party that passed through Emigration Canyon on their way to California, will retain its existing character while receiving enhancements based on community input.  

The final design was shaped by two rounds of public engagement, including surveys and in-person events. Residents expressed a desire for improved maintenance of landscaping, additional tree canopy, more picnic areas, and shade near playgrounds.  

The proposed design maintains the park’s current uses while enhancing amenities to better reflect how the community uses the space. Both existing playgrounds will be replaced with modern, engaging equipment designed to serve a wider range of ages and abilities. A new Memorial Tree Grove will provide a space for the community to honor loved ones. To support both new and existing trees, the park’s irrigation system will be upgraded to improve efficiency and long-term sustainability.  

The project will also feature “Journey Lines,” a site-specific art installation by artist Adam Kuby. The installation will incorporate sculpted berms and stone elements that reflect the journeys of those who have come to Salt Lake City. Designed to integrate with the surrounding landscape, the artwork will create pathways and spaces that evoke movement through canyons and mountain corridors. Over time, the relationship between the artwork and the landscape will evolve as trees mature and natural elements shift.  

The project is funded by $750,000 from the Parks, Trails, and Open Space General Obligation Bond. The Memorial Tree Grove is supported with an additional $434,000 from the City’s Capital Improvement Program.  

While the park is under construction, visitors are encouraged to visit nearby parks such as Rotary Glen (2859 Emigration Canyon Rd.), Sunnyside (1735 Sunnyside Ave.), Davis (916 S. 2000 East), and Laird Park (1185 S. 1800 East).