Jordan River and Legacy Parkway Trails

[RockMonkey]

What is the winter maintenance like on the Jordan River Parkway and Legacy Parkway trails? Has anyone been on either one in the last few days? I'm wondering if they plow them. Are they mostly snow/ice free right now?

 

[TRNDRVR]

I drove up and down the Legacy Parkway just the other day and noticed that the paths were not cleared of any snow. It looked as if no one had even been on it. Today it may be different.

 

[mbryson]

I drove home that way and meant to check. It was fairly foggy at the time so I didn't get a clear look at all. Sorry.

 

[bobmed]

The Salt Lake City section probably won't have winter maint.
At a city council meeting last month they were wondering how they could cut out clearing city sidewalks and paths and still give tickets to people for not clearing the sidewalks in front of their homes.
They have only plowed the street in front of my house twice all winter.
They like to wait until it melts off by itself.

 

[RockMonkey]

Thanks for the responses. The snow last night was supposed to be heavier North of Salt Lake, so I figured Legacy would be pretty well covered. We only got maybe an inch here so I though Jordan River might be clear. Yeah...

The South Jordan section is covered in hard packed snow and ice. The Murray section is clear for the most part. Only small sections of snow/ice. It's 50/50ish North of 33rd South.

So for future reference, it looks like Murray puts some effort into keeping it snow free, but other cities don't do as much.

 

[DAA]

I walk on a 2 mile section of the northern half of the Legacy parkway trail (Birhnam trail head) about four times a week. Never any maintenance at all. Nice and icy and snow covered. I like it that way though.

- DAA

 

[RockMonkey]

I walk on a 2 mile section of the northern half of the Legacy parkway trail (Birhnam trail head) about four times a week. Never any maintenance at all. Nice and icy and snow covered. I like it that way though.

- DAA

Good to know. I'll stay away from it until we've had several nice, warm, snow-free days. Once the snow gets packed down by foot traffic it can really take a while to melt.

I can understand walking on it, but running on the uneven packed snow really takes effort and adds risk of injury. I ran 14 miles on Saturday, and the 5ish that were on packed snow really sucked.

 

[RockMonkey]

If anyone drives Legacy in the next couple days I'd really like to know the current condition of the Legacy Parkway Trail. I've got a 16 mile run planned for Saturday and I'd really like to go somewhere new.

 

[DAA]

I walked my usual section last night. SLICK! The blacktop does show through in spots, but last night at least, those were the slickest spots - I had to avoid them just walking. Some of the snow covered parts have had just enough traffic to make them slick in spots too.

Starting from **Glover lane and going north though, the trail has not had much traffic at all and there is still quite a bit of snow on it. Made for harder walking, but at least it wasn't slippery.

The dirt road alongside that section that provides access to Farmington Bay might be a better alternative. I walk that pretty often too. The big middle portion where traffic has compacted all the snow is pretty slick right now, but the edges where there is still a bit of snow provide decent traction.

**Edit - I said Glover lane above, but that's incorrect. I don't even know the name of the street I'm talking about, but it's about a mile north of Parrish lane and provides access to the dirt road mentioned.

- DAA

 

[DOSS]

I like to hike up Middle and Settlement canyon in Tooele in the winter and boot chains make the slick spots easily manageable, when they would be impassable due to the grade and slickness otherwise

 

[Corban_White]

I don't know if this helps or not but where the JR parkway crosses redwood at about 2000 north the trail on the west side of the road is all covered with snow and the trail on the east side looks to have been cleared. I can only see about 30 yds down the trail when I drive by though so IDK how far it has been cleared.

 

[RockMonkey]

I walked my usual section last night. SLICK! The blacktop does show through in spots, but last night at least, those were the slickest spots - I had to avoid them just walking. Some of the snow covered parts have had just enough traffic to make them slick in spots too.

Starting from **Glover lane and going north though, the trail has not had much traffic at all and there is still quite a bit of snow on it. Made for harder walking, but at least it wasn't slippery.

The dirt road alongside that section that provides access to Farmington Bay might be a better alternative. I walk that pretty often too. The big middle portion where traffic has compacted all the snow is pretty slick right now, but the edges where there is still a bit of snow provide decent traction.

**Edit - I said Glover lane above, but that's incorrect. I don't even know the name of the street I'm talking about, but it's about a mile north of Parrish lane and provides access to the dirt road mentioned.

- DAA

Thanks for the update! I'll stay away for now. It sounds like it hasn't melted off as well as Jordan River has.

I like to hike up Middle and Settlement canyon in Tooele in the winter and boot chains make the slick spots easily manageable, when they would be impassable due to the grade and slickness otherwise

I have access to a pair of YakTrax. Very similar but lighter. More rubber, less steel. They definitely make the snow and ice less dangerous, but I wouldn't want to do a long run in them. To much extra weight, and they feel weird on my feet. Running shoes are so much softer than hiking boots that you can really feel the bands under your feet. Some runners will take an old pair of running shoes and screw short sheetmetal screws right into the bottoms. You don't feel them as much, and they really help with traction.

I don't know if this helps or not but where the JR parkway crosses redwood at about 2000 north the trail on the west side of the road is all covered with snow and the trail on the east side looks to have been cleared. I can only see about 30 yds down the trail when I drive by though so IDK how far it has been cleared.

Very good to know! I walked a little bit of Jordan River yesterday. From 78th south to Murray still has packed snow and ice, but there are clear patches on the sides for most of the way. Through Murray it's clear and dry. It's very good to know that it's still snowy further North. Thanks!

I'll probably end up running from 78th South up to 33rd South and back on Jordan River, since that still seems like the best bet for avoiding the ice. Warm couple days coming up too, so hopefully it will melt off some more.

 

[DOSS]

I have access to a pair of YakTrax. Very similar but lighter. More rubber, less steel. They definitely make the snow and ice less dangerous, but I wouldn't want to do a long run in them. To much extra weight, and they feel weird on my feet. Running shoes are so much softer than hiking boots that you can really feel the bands under your feet. Some runners will take an old pair of running shoes and screw short sheetmetal screws right into the bottoms. You don't feel them as much, and they really help with traction.

Ya.. running with them would suck, I have some Yaktrax too and like them, I was just in salt lake and the difference in the smog from Tooele to Salt Lake is dramatic enough that there is no way in hell I would want to go run in it..

 

[RockMonkey]

Ya.. running with them would suck, I have some Yaktrax too and like them, I was just in salt lake and the difference in the smog from Tooele to Salt Lake is dramatic enough that there is no way in hell I would want to go run in it..

Yeah, it's nasty. The weather man says it should be clearing out over the next few days. I hope so.