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Salt Lake City Natural Areas: Growing into Something Great  The Division of Trails and Natural Lands is on a mission to restore native plants across our city’s public lands. Their goal is to create thriving landscapes with biodiversity that will benefit humans and wildlife. Through ongoing research and hands-on restoration work, the team has an […]

Rotary Play Park Closing for Makeover  Liberty Park’s Rotary Play Park will be closing on September 2, 2025, for a makeover after two decades of use.   History:  This all-ages and all-abilities play park was created to honor the 2002 Winter Paralympic Games hosted in Utah. The play park has been a staple in the Salt […]

Staying Safe in Rattlesnake Country Warm weather draws humans out of their homes and onto trails and natural lands. Rattlesnakes are no different. Keep yourself, your pets, and wildlife safe by learning how to share trails with rattlesnakes. Snakes: Natural Pest Controllers that Never Take a Vacation You don’t have to pick up the phone […]

12 New Pickleball Courts Have Officially Opened at Glendale Park- is Your Head in the Game? Why pickleball? Community demand In 2022, the Department of Public Lands released a community-informed Vision Plan for Glendale Park – a redevelopment of the former Raging Waters/Seven Peaks waterpark site – informed by extensive community input. A subsequent round […]

Sections of the Jordan River Trail are Reopen – Just in Time for Summer Fun! On July 11, 2025, Salt Lake City officials reopened a portion of the Jordan River Trail that had been closed  to the public since April to address safety and environmental concerns. This section, located between Cottonwood Park and 700 North, is now ready […]

Salt Lake City officials will reopen a section of the Jordan River Parkway Trail to the public on Friday, July 11. This stretch of trail has been closed between Cottonwood Park and 700 North since April while city teams and the Salt Lake City Police Department addressed environmental degradation and public safety concerns. Salt Lake […]

Fireworks and Fire Danger Many of the summer’s biggest and brightest celebrations will happen over the 4th of July weekend. Unfortunately, summer holidays—when Salt Lake City residents are most eager to set off fireworks—are also at the peak of dry conditions. “We are very dry right now—we had hotter temperatures much earlier in the year […]

Salt Lake City Creates Improved Access to the Foothills As a way to increase access to the Foothills Natural Area, Salt Lake City Department of Public Lands opened the first of four new trailheads at Bonneville Boulevard, 675 N. Bonneville Blvd on Tuesday. The new trailheads offer welcoming spaces that create an improved and user-friendly experience […]

Observing Memorial Day in the Salt Lake City Cemetery Salt Lake City Cemetery is full of history, as the largest municipally owned cemetery in the nation. Over the past 169 years, Salt Lakers have laid their loved ones to rest in this peaceful garden that has come to hold so many treasured memories. Memorial Day […]

Foothills Ecology: Rehabilitation After Disturbance The Rocky Mountain Power (RMP) Wildfire Mitigation Project brought safer power poles to the Foothills, helping protect Salt Lake City and its Foothills from the threat of wildfire. These upgrades also brought heavy construction equipment to the Foothills, leaving a number of heavily disturbed areas. Fortunately, the RMP Wildfire Mitigation […]

Spring wildflowers are filling the Foothills! learn more about what's blooming now.

July 10, 2025 Update: The Jordan River Parkway Trail is now open. Read more about what was accomplished during the closure. A section of the Jordan River Trail Parkway between Cottonwood Park and 700 North is temporarily closed for environmental and safety improvements. This temporary closure is part of a larger effort to revitalize this […]

Bigroot Prickly Pear cacti used to be widespread in our valley. Can we help them make a comeback?

Monarch populations have been in decline in recent decades due to development, climate change, and other factors. Currently, monarch butterflies are under federal protection and may be added to the threatened species list by the end of 2025.

Are “Social Trails” a Problem? Social trails, also known as user-created trails, are found throughout the Foothills. Many of these unofficial trails were formed before active management of the Foothills. Hikers, dogs, and bikers have created routes that shortcut managed trails, follow ridgelines, or lead to viewpoints. So what’s wrong with that? Should You Use […]

Who lives in the Foothills? Fresh snow creates great opportunities to see animal tracks in the snow! Fresh, thin snow is ideal for tracking. If the snow is too dry, it can be blown away, and deeper snow can obscure animal prints. Below are real-life images of common animal tracks we can find right here […]

2024 was an incredible year for our Volunteer Team! We had the opportunity to work with dedicated individuals and amazing groups to benefit public spaces on the Jordan River Trail, up in the Foothills, and at City parks. Foothills Stewardship Series Foothills trails are always in need of maintenance and care! That’s why our Trails […]

ANTHRACNOSE UPDATE:Consistent Water & Raking Loose Debris for Healthier Sycamore and London Plane Trees This article discusses the latest insights from Salt Lake City’s Urban Forestry team regarding the ongoing anthracnose outbreak affecting London Plane and Sycamore trees. With proper care, your London Plane and Sycamore trees will be happier and healthier. Throughout the summer, […]

Liberty Park in the Past, and its Future Since its designation as a park 142 years ago, Salt Lake City’s Liberty Park has always been one of Utah’s largest and most visited urban parks. While the Park has evolved gradually, its purpose and integrity have remained. Liberty Park was established during the Victorian Era as […]

Have you seen wildlife when recreating the Foothills? Learn more about how to safely navigate a wildlife encounter.