Prehistoric Lake Bonneville trail progresses in Utah
Aug 25, 2019, 11:46 AM
Hiker on mountain trail, Close-up. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
OGDEN, Utah (AP) — A mixed-use recreation trail in Utah has been developing across the state with new projects through two northern counties, officials said.
The concept behind the 280-mile (451-kilometer) trail along the shoreline of prehistoric Lake Bonneville was born in 1990, the Standard-Examiner reported Monday.
With help from multiple counties and the U.S. Forest Service, about 100 miles (161 kilometers) have been completed so far, and are being used by walkers, runners, hikers, bicyclists and equestrians, officials said.
“It’s definitely a nice amenity close to the growing population that allows people to reset from their business day and enjoy being outside,” said Mark Benigni, executive director of Weber Pathways.
In Weber County, about 24 of 27 miles (39 of 43 kilometers) of trail were completed, with the most success in percentage completion, Benigni said.
In Davis County, an environmental study is underway to begin developing 39 more miles (63 kilometers) of trail, officials said.
The state Legislature devoted $150,000 to an environmental study in 2016 of the additional trail sections from South Weber to Bountiful in Davis County, the newspaper reported.
The Davis project says 21 miles (34 kilometers) of the finished Bonneville trail will be on federal land, and nearly half of the project will require new construction where no trail existed before, federal department officials said.
Construction could begin before the end of 2019 and last until 2023.
Lake Bonneville covered most of present-day Utah and extended into parts of present-day Idaho and Nevada.
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Information from: Standard-Examiner, http://www.standard.net
