Stay On Trail – But WHICH Trail is the Real Trail?
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 Social Trails?
When recreating in the Foothills, you are likely to come across a user-created trail that offers a faster way to return to the trailhead, cross a ridgeline, or simply sparks your curiosity. Think twice before leaving a managed, well-marked trail and following an unmarked social trail. Here’s why.
The Bad and the Ugly
User-created trails not only degrade the look of the landscape, they lead to erosion, contribute to the spread of invasive weeds, and are often unsafe.
- Water and wind erosion: Soil in the Foothills is mostly rocky, shallow, sandy, and nutrient-poor. This makes our trails susceptible to water and wind erosion. Properly built trails naturally drain water off the trail surface, which sustains the life of the trail AND prevents soil erosion around the trail.
- Safe terrain: Unplanned trails are not patrolled, maintained, or monitored and can cause people to get lost easily. Well-planned trails lead users away from unsafe areas with loose, slippery slopes or crumbling trail surfaces.
- Guaranteed wayfinding: Social trails are generally not signed. Managed trails in the Foothills are marked with trail signs that include emergency locator numbers. In case of an accident, emergency personnel can use these numbers to access the incident quickly. Additionally, trail signs have wayfinding information like junctions, distances, and directional arrows, which help users safely navigate the trail system.
- Wildlife: Social trails can disrupt wildlife paths, and some social trails get started as wildlife paths. When wildlife sense or are interrupted by humans and dogs along their paths, they will stop visiting that area, which disrupts their migratory and food patterns.
- Invasive weeds: When social trails lead through grasses and meadows, invasive weed seeds can cling to visitors’ clothing, shoes, and paws. These seeds are then transferred to other areas along the trails, spreading invasive weeds, which quickly steal resources from native plant life.
Shouldn’t all Social Trails be Closed?
Not necessarily!
There is no easy answer to this question. Foothills trail managers carefully consider many factors when deciding to close and restore a social trail. In some cases, a social trail will be left open or rerouted, then made official and incorporated into the trail system. After all, social trails are created by the desires of their users.
Informal trails with poor designs that are obviously eroding, trails that present obvious safety hazards (like user-built bike jumps), and trails that threaten sensitive habitats or resources should generally be closed and rehabilitated.
How do I play it safe regarding social trails?
Remember, user-created trails are usually found in ridgelines (especially in our Foothills), in drainages, or cutting across the landscape rather than following contours. They may shortcut a switchback or lead up a gully.
- If you find yourself on a trail and aren’t sure if it is a real trail or a social trail, consult a trails app on your phone or ask a passerby. If neither of those is an option, play it safe and stick to the trail that looks more well-used and is slightly wider.
- Note: Trails apps can include both planned and unplanned trails so are not always reliable.
- Take a look at trail maps before heading out. The more familiar you are with official trails, the more easy it will be to avoid using unofficial trails. Check our Find a Trail page for recommended routes and trail conditions.
- Keep your dogs on-leash. Dogs like shortcuts, too, and often create shortcuts at switchbacks and through meadows. Keeping your dogs on-leash helps cut down on social trails, prevents the spread of invasive weeds, and protects area wildlife.
To report confusing or unsafe social trail in the Foothills please email PublicLands@slc.gov.
To learn about upcoming opportunities to care for Foothills trails as a volunteer sign up for our Foothills Newsletter.
We can all be good stewards of our public spaces! For more tips on how to Be W.I.L.D. – Welcoming, Inclusive, Limit Your Impact, and Do What You Can – visit slcbewild.com.