Salt Lake City

Public Lands Department

publiclands@slcgov.com

Salt Lake City Foothills Projects

Curious about the Foothills’ project process? Click here to learn more.

Rocky Mountain Power Wildfire Mitigation

Phase 3 of the RMP Wildfire Mitigation Project is currently underway. Construction access will occur from Kay Rees Park, 18th Avenue Trailhead, Terrace Hills West and East, and from Chandler Drive. Significant trail closures will occur and will be communicated via signage, this website, and social media.

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.

Rotary Glen Nature Trail Improvements

Located above the off-leash dog park and below Donner Trail Park the trails in the woodland hillsides of Rotary Glen Dog Park will receive regrading and repair, starting at the end of August 2024.

Due to the prevalence of dogs running up the hills, the south side hillside of has seen damage to the ecological understory, erosion, and trail degradation. In mid-August 2024 fencing will be added to the perimeter of the grassy area separating the off-leash area from the on-leash woodland area. Additionally, native plants will be added to to the woodland area to support erosion control and restore the ecological health of the area.

Foothills Signage Improvements

Throughout summer 2024 the Foothills team will replace over 100 carsonite wayfinding signs throughout trails in Lower City Creek, East City Creek, Upper Avenues, and Popperton. Once complete, 100 additional carsonites 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.

Additionally, over 30 Foothills Welcome Station signs will be installed at trailheads. These signs encourage users to scan a QR code that allows them to “check in” so Foothills teams can track trail usage and popularity. This data will help guide future Foothills projects.

Bonneville Shoreline Trail (BST) Maintenance

The initial 13 miles of Bonneville Shoreline Trail was built to connect existing utility roads and social trails with newly constructed trail segments to create one contiguous, non-motorized, trail for hikers and bikers, accommodating two-way traffic across the Salt Lake City Foothills. After years of use and minimal maintenance, SLC Public Lands plans to update the trail to meet its intended goals using best practices for modern trail restoration design.

Other Foothills Projects

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