Trails Utah is partnering with National Ability Center, Wasatch Adaptive Sports, and Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest Service in Millcreek Canyon on a new long-term project to modify older trails to allow off-road hand-cycles (OHRCs – adaptive bikes) to enjoy them without insurmountable obstacles. We plan to make modifications such as removing large rocks, adjusting camber, trimming shrubs, and widening turns. The community of adaptive athletes in this area continues to grow, and they are seeking out more challenging opportunities to get out on trails.

Adaptive mountain bike technology is making huge strides, allowing more people with spinal cord and other injuries to get out on trails, something they may not have imagined possible even just 5-10 years ago. It is Trails Utah’s hope to continue this trend by adapting trails to handle the increasing physical and technical capabilities of modern-day adaptive athletes.

We have a wonderful partnership with the US Forest Service in Millcreek Canyon, so that is where we are starting this ongoing effort to expand trail access and create a more diverse and inclusive user base. The trails we’ll be starting with are the Dog Lake Trail, from Big Water Trail to Dog Lake, and the section of Great Western Trail from Big Water Trail to the Park City overlook.

Planning and fundraising will be taking place in 2022 and we aim to start work with US Forest Service and Utah Conservation Corps in mid-2023.