Provo River Parkway

Provo River Parkway
By twirlymaker in February, 2011
Trail Closed at I-15 July 2010 to summer 2012
From http://www.provo.org/displayarticle57.html
The existing Provo River Parkway Trail has potential safety hazards including narrow passing areas and bridge crossings with short height clearance at I-15. When reopened, enhancements to the trail under I-15 will include a 10-foot-wide, newly-paved trail, an eight-foot height clearance on bridge crossings and lighted undercrossing to improve safety and visibility.
During the two-year closure, trail users from the east will detour at Independence Drive to 820 North. On the west side, users will detour at Lakeshore Drive or Geneva Road to cross under the freeway via 820 North. For updates: I-15 CORE website, udot.utah.gov/i15core. Noel Keller 1 Feb 11
Provo River Parkway - An endorsement with a Caveat
By Marge Rudman in July, 2009
We recently rode the beautiful Provo River Parkway. It is a beautiful ride along the river, sometimes through town and even passing a lovely waterfall. However, there is a safety issue involved which detracts from the pleasure of ridding the trail. The passage ways in the city routing the riders underneath streets, and railroads are not conducive to safe riding. Most problematic are the narrow chutes under the streets. They are NOT wide enough for cyclists to pass each other. The ramps leading into them are short and fairly steep. The approach sometimes involves a blind 90 degree turn into (or out of) the chute! On our ride, a little girl came barreling towards me in this narrow passage way. An accident was avoided only because I yelled at her several times to STOP. It's surprising to have such an unsatisfactory feature on an otherwise beautiful facility. Happily, by mile 5.5, there are no more of them. The concern is this: No matter how careful one is as a rider, a careless person coming the other way can spell real trouble.

Also, there is one problem with missing signage. At mile 5.5, the parkway seems to continue under the street. However, it stops shortly thereafter. Fortunately for us, there was a local couple nearby who could direct us to take the street to University Blvd., follow that street for several blocks, and then pick up the trail again. This at least is an easy problem to correct. SIGNAGE is very much needed at that point on the trail for the sake of the out-of-towners.

I hope there is a way to pass these comments on. I didn't find one at the web page. This is meant only to be advisory as to potential hazards as we all need to be aware of the need and to make a suggestion which I hope will be take re: signage for the visitors from out of town.

That said, the Provo River Parkway is a very lovely ride, satisfying in many ways and I look forward to revisiting it whenever we pass through Provo.
"Beautiful,but mislabled"
By David Boyd in February, 2007
"As a long time resident and heavy user of this trail/s, I feel the need to correct some errors in this listing. 1st, you have the location listed as Provo to Provo Canyon, which is an entirely different trail (21 miles long) that is all paved from the east shore of Utah Lake at the Utah Lake State Park marina thru Provo City then north along the east side of the city to the mouth of Provo Canyon, then east up the canyon past Bridal Veil Falls to the point 2/3rds up the canyon where it stops where the Heber Creeper Railroad ends coming down the canyon. Utah County calls this trail and their section of the trail from the north end of Utah Lake at the starting point of the Jordan River (going north to the Great Salt Lake)the Provo/Jordan River Parkway Trail System. At the Utah County/Salt Lake County line the trail is then designated just the Jordan River Parkway Trail. There is 8 miles paved to this county line and an additional 3 miles paved as it enters the south end of SL County for a total of 11 miles on that segment, plus the additional mileages you have listed with new sections being finished all the time. The trails have wonderful views of the Wasatch Mountains to the east."
correction to earlier review
By David Boyd in February, 2007
The correct length for the Provo River section of the trail is 13 miles one-way(Provo to Provo Canyon)
Beautiful trail
By Robert Collins in February, 2002
"This is a beautiful trail with adequate length for all of the exercise one could want. The cool canyon breeze keeps you cool even in the summer and the mountain peeks, landscape and beauty is exquisite -- particularly in the fall."