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HERRIMAN — A Salt Lake County trail more than 20 years in the making opened Thursday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony welcoming hikers, trail runners, mountain bikers and equestrians to use reclaimed mining land alongside a clear stream, surrounded by greenery and smells like fresh-cut flowers.
Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation, Rio Tinto Kennecott, and the Bureau of Land Management opened Butterfield Trailhead Regional Park, providing "more than 13 miles of multi-use trail within the Southwest Canyon Trails Network," the Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation website said.
Clayton Walker, Rio Tinto Copper's chief operating officer, said the network is on reclaimed land that was once used for mining.
"Our land and water team had an idea of how to create an environment people can use, because people asked us for years how they could access this part of the canyon," Walker said.
Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation director Martin Jensen told KSL.com that the conversation about turning the mining land into a trailhead spanned more than 20 years.
"It was in October 2019 that we had a meeting with Rio Tinto, the (Bureau of Land Management) and the county and finally said, 'It's time, let's move this forward,'" Jensen said.
The envisioned trail follows a path with what Jensen referred to as a "checkerboard" of different ownership — private and federal land crossing county lines. Getting the right permissions and agreements to use the desired land took about four years, Jensen said.
During the ceremony, speakers emphasized the beauty of the trails far beyond what could be seen from the green oak trees and sunflowers in the event space.
"I had the opportunity to hike Butterfield Trailhead Regional Park several weeks ago. It was exhilarating to connect with the land and take in these breathtaking views," Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson said.
Both Jensen and Clayton emphasized their excitement for such a beautiful outdoor recreational space so close to Salt Lake City. Jensen said the beauty and seclusion of the trail can make trail users forget they are in Salt Lake County.
"To ensure the trails are accessible to all, Wasatch Adaptive Sports tested out the trails twice on adaptive bikes prior to the ribbon-cutting. First responders were also invited to navigate the trails and assess evacuation routes in the event of an emergency," the press release said.
While Thursday's ribbon cutting was a mark of the county's "phase one" plan for the trailhead. Phase two is still in the works: a parking area projected to be finished in the fall and two more miles of trail with an undetermined completion date. There is currently minimal parking space, but the lot being constructed will make room for up to 500 cars, Jensen said.
A press release about the event said the trailhead will "offer 16 miles of multi-use trails for hikers, equestrians, trail runners, and mountain bikers of all abilities."
The park is part of the Southwest Canyon Trails Network, which includes 2,500 acres from Rose, Yellow Fork and Butterfield canyons. A lease agreement between Kennecott Rio Tinto and Salt Lake County provides the 17 acres the new trailhead is on.
For more information and a map of the trails, visit https://slco.org/parks-recreation/parks-trails/all-parks/butterfield-trailhead-park/.
