Access to the Foothills Near Parley’s Canyon
The recent closure of access to the foothills from the southern end of Scenic Drive near Parley’s Canyon has raised questions from visiting trail users. We understand how important access to our foothills is and want to provide some background on the situation.
The residential parcels adjacent to the cul-de-sac at the end of Scenic Drive (see map) are privately owned. While trail users have informally traversed through these properties for many years, the landowners have never prohibited trail use but have not granted permanent public access or dedicated the property as a public trail. The user-created trails on this privately owned land have formed over time and are not managed or authorized by the Salt Lake City Department of Public Lands.
When this residential development was approved in 2006, two formal trail access points with recreational easements were included: one at the top of Benchmark Drive and one at the end of Cannon Point Drive. The development agreement also included a recreational easement allowing pedestrians and bikers to travel along Cannon Point Drive. The City requested an easement from Scenic Drive, but it was not included in the agreement.
As the residential parcel owners at the end of Scenic Drive begin construction on new homes, they will continue to close access through their private property. Because this is private land, the City cannot require the property owner to keep it open during construction.
Looking ahead, the City is advancing the Foothills Zone Development Process, which will help identify and preserve long-term public access routes, improve trail connections, and protect the foothills for future generations.
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