- Draper adds 255 acres to the Traverse Range Conservation Easement, preserving open space.
- The land, located in SunCrest, includes new trails and enhances public recreation.
- Officials emphasize collaboration and commitment to preserving open space and natural habitats.
DRAPER — A year after Draper and Lehi preserved 900 acres of open space in Traverse Mountain, Draper is adding another 255 acres to a nearby conservation easement.
The 255 acres owned by Draper was formally placed into Salt Lake County's Traverse Range Conservation Easement during a ceremony Tuesday at the Deer Ridge Trailhead. The land is located in the Deer Ridge area of SunCrest and will include several new trails.
"The conservation easement ensures the land will never be developed. With this addition to the easement, Draper city now has over 5,000 acres of dedicated open space and over 117 miles of trails for the public to enjoy," a city statement said.
In 2012, Draper purchased 2,400 acres of property from Zions Bank for $5.6 million — land that was initially slated for homes. A few years later, Draper sold 110 acres of the property to Highland for $7.3 million, enough money to repay the city bond used to buy the property and create new trails, Mayor Troy Walker said.
Walker was part of the City Council that purchased the property to preserve open space in the city.
"This current council is still as motivated and hooked into the value of this open space as any group ever," Walker said at the ceremony.
Draper's open space runs from Point of the Mountain to Sandy's city borders and is frequently utilized by hikers and mountain bicyclists. The conservation easement guarantees the property "stays how it is" and having so much open space enhances the quality of life, Walker said.
Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson emphasized the importance of collaboration between cities and counties to preserve open space. "We continue to roll out more and more miles of trails, committed day in and day out to the mission of open space preservation," she said.
Wilson praised the "amazing, comprehensive" trail network that has been created in the open space of Draper with such an "exquisite" view of the mountains and valleys.
South side of the mountain
In 2024, Draper collaborated with Lehi to preserve open space on the south side of the mountain as part of the Traverse Mountain Conservation Easement. City officials called the easement a "victory for open space."
Lehi oversees the maintenance of the native biological diversity, including managing invasive weeds, trail restoration, erosion control and habitat restoration, according to the easement agreement. Lehi is still the property owner and bears responsibility for all operational, upkeep and maintenance costs.
Draper will be tasked with enforcing the "conservation values" which the agreement outlined as preservation of natural habitat for plant and wildlife species, protection of scenic views, public recreational experiences and educational values, and safeguarding the property's proximity to other open spaces including Corner Canyon Regional Park, Little Valley, Forest Service Land, the Salt Lake County Flight Park and Flight Park State Recreation Area.
The agreement says the purpose of the easement is for the property to "remain forever open and accessible to the public for recreation and scenic enjoyment, protecting in perpetuity its unique natural, wildlife habitat, open space, educational, public recreational, public access and scenic conservation values" and prevent any activities that would harm the property.
