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The numbers of ebikes traveling at high speeds on this trail has increased significantly. There have been fast cyclists on the trails for years but at least they were controlled by human muscle power. You now have an ebike going VERY fast only 2 feet from a pedestrian. One misstep from either and its going to be a very bad accident. I can see no attempt to control the type or speeds of the ebikes.
Stayed at SLC KOA-ride down side street out of RV Park to the Little Cottonwood Park-can catch trail either north or south. We stayed and rode here in Oct of 2024-the south direction was blocked off at the time so we rode north. Cottonwood Park was a big homeless encampment but all that is cleared out now! Riding north is along the river for 5 miles and then it joins the Legacy Parkway Trail - it's just OK - BUT this year the north was blocked off so we were able to go south on the trail from Cottonwood Park. What a great ride. Really right on the water-lots of shade and curving path. Many parks and benches to stop at. Almost no homeless/aimless wanderers. We saw active police/city presence on the trail. There was a field off the trail that had 3 tents on it and a police car sitting there. By the time we returned the City was there with truck&trailer and had removed the encampment. Twice we saw a patrol car actually on the trail inching along checking for homeless. So this ride felt safer than our ride last October. We have never been bothered by the homeless although I know it can happen. We have ridden many trails with this problem (Tucson and CA) particularly. We liked this ride so much stayed an extra day and did it again. We only rode 12 miles down and then back-lots more miles we were not able to do.
36 reviews, and only 1 from a skater. Now there will be 2. We've skated all, and portions, of this trail over the past 20 some years. We've personally participated in numerous community open houses, held by the JRT commission, for its current and future welfare, and continually advocate for trail quality, maintenance, on behalf of skaters and cyclists as trail users. Sadly, the JRT has deteriorated in many areas of its 45 miles that it has become unsafe to skate, which limits skating to very few sections - an occasional decent 5 mile stretch here or there along its entire length. Outside of those meager offerings of a few decent sections of trail, skaters will encounter: huge cracks; worn, rough surfaces, and uneven rooted pavement; tar snakes; dilapidated wood bridges, and more.
In respect to unmaintained trails, and degraded poor surface quality in many areas, most of the Jordan River Trail is essentially unsafe for skating, and is in need of repairs and upgrading. While the JRT could be an amazing trail, its poor trail surface quality and lack of upkeep fall short of deeming it as such. From a walking standpoint sure it's fine. But, from skating standpoint, or as a few cyclists in the comments above put it - they were disappointed, and rightly so.
Adding information and understanding about trail maintenance & upkeep: Shared trail systems need to address safety from all user aspects. Trails are maintained by the municipalities that oversee the respective sections of the JRT running through their city or county. Complaints about trail safety issues, and surface quality conditions should be directed not only to respective overseeing parks & recs, but directly to jurisdictional city or county councils - as these government agencies are the ones charged with public life, safety, & welfare, and they are the ones responsible for determining annual budgets for trail upkeep and maintenance, which often fail to include necessary funds for trail upkeep and maintenance.
Signage along its length is more than adequate. Overall, the JRT is a pretty scenic corridor, as trails go. Occasional benches set directly next to the trail pavement are unsafely positioned, and create hazards and obstacles for users. Some of the newer, larger bridge crossings are sketchy for skaters to cross safely, and require skills to navigate steep downhill grades with either a U-turn or a wall at the bottom. Good luck.
There are other issues of safety that have surfaced. There is currently a section closed as Salt Lake City resolved how to address safety issues along the trail. To further my point: when civic agencies turn their back to the trails they are responsible for, it's not only deteriorated trail quality, but unfortunately safety issues can be the result. As reposted, from SLC City, on April 1 2025: "Closure part of a coordinated effort to improve trail and disrupt illegal activity,
Salt Lake City is temporarily closing a section of the Jordan River Parkway Trail between Cottonwood Park and 700 North as part of a comprehensive initiative to address environmental degradation, infrastructure challenges, and persistent public safety concerns.
This temporary closure, which is expected to last several months, is an effort to reclaim and revitalize public spaces and make them safer from illegal activity. In recent months, this area has seen an increase in environmental harm and criminal behavior, prompting growing concern from community members, neighbors, and trail users."
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To recap, the Jordan River Trail could be an amazing trail, and public resource, but it falls short due to unkept conditions noted above.
Let's talk Trail Quality & Safety: Like all trails we've skated, or cycled, over 3 plus decades, we've found most trails are simply not maintained. Legacy is another of those underfunded trails with deteriorated pavement, tar snakes, pavement gaps, and treacherous wooden bridge crossings with popping planks, in other words unsafe for skating. Legacy trail is in dire need or resurfacing. You're okay peddling a bike, but on skates or even running, it's surface quality is sketchy at best.
If only the municipalities along it's corridor, responsible for it's maintenance and upkeep, would invest the funding necessary to make Legacy a top rate trail. Trail maintenance is funded through municipal budgets, as cities and counties cannot bond public tax dollars for upkeep and maintenance. As result most trails in Utah, like Legacy, fall victim to no funding or priority given by municipalities for their upkeep. Despite decades of advocating request fall upon deaf ears. It's been disappointing to say the least to see such potential for what could be a top notch trail have basic maintenance be ignored.
Utah also needs laws for e-bikes on their trails. A 60# e-bike moving at +30mph poses threat to runners, skaters, walkers, and cyclists.
Every adventure available. Although I just heard some of the downtown paths are being shut down. Lots of homeless, drugs, anything you want. So that adventure will end for a while while the homeless find new places to live along the river. The never ending battle. Salt Lake just doesn’t want to fix any problems that federal funding doesn’t take care of. So they just push the problem around the valley. Interesting but it makes for a great adventure along the river. Great trail. Be sure and check out the Saratoga Hot Springs down by Utah Lake.
I really enjoyed this trail. As a cycling and mom I would visit it again in biking with my kiddos but not for serious workout cycling
I love this trail from Taylorsville to Saratoga springs. The more northern part has some sketchy parts you probably want to peddle fast in. I also wouldn’t take kids on the more northern part of it but from Taylorsville south it is great for kids and families!
Very short trail but a great one if you want to do a trail clean up.
Great for cycling but a part of the trail is closed almost every other week but I enjoy it still . More north has great hills to get a good workout
This is a beautiful ride, but so many gates make it unbearable. Will not do it again.
We started at Ellison Park. Rode thru the park and a short distance on sidewalk and easily hit the trail. Ride about 6-7 miles south. Nice trail with more shade than expected but nowhere to stop at a picnic bench. Trail in between beautiful houses with interesting back yards. Sadly not a trail I would do again because of the zig zag barriers at every street. Had to walk bikes through them. Really not necessary as the streets were not busy ones. The barriers were more of a hazard themselves.
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