2026 Foothills Maintenance Projects

All designated Foothills Trail System trails receive some sort of maintenance each year. This may include corridor clearing when vegetation or debris impede the trail, hand-tool repair when water erosion or users have damaged the trail, or machine repair on bike-optimized trails that require more frequent maintenance to rebuild or repair berms and other features that require a more sculpted surface for safety and to minimize future erosion. Ecological maintenance also occurs throughout the year in the Foothills including manual removal and herbicide treatment of targeted invasive weeds and restoration planting projects led by our Native Plant Program team.  Other trail rehabilitation projects may are planned as needed.

Foothills Trailhead Infrastructure Improvement

Salt Lake City Public Lands Department has initiated the development of new trailheads and amenities at five existing access locations: Victory Road, Bonneville Blvd (Salt Dome), 18th Ave (Hilltop Road), Popperton Park, and Emigration Trailhead.

The Trailhead Improvement Project is funded separately from the 2020 Foothills Trail System Plan Project and has undergone independent processes. The City has committed $1.3M, which has been matched by a generous grant from the Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation, toward infrastructure improvements at the five trailheads.

Welcome Stations at Minor Trailheads

In 2025, over 30 Foothills Welcome Stations will be installed at minor trailheads throughout the system. Welcome stations include dog waste bag dispensers, waste cans, and check-in signs. These signs encourage users to scan a QR code to “check in” so Foothills teams can track trail usage and popularity. This data will help guide future Foothills projects.

Foothills Signage Improvements

Throughout summer 2024 and 2025, the Foothills team will be replacing wayfinding signs throughout trails in Lower City Creek, East City Creek, Upper Avenues, and Popperton Park. Once complete, 100 additional carsonite signs will be installed in the North Capitol area and along the Bonneville Shoreline Trail. This project will be ongoing until all signs have been updated with fresh materials.

Other Foothills Projects

“Other” Foothills projects include important trail alignment updates, public safety projects, and more.