Bicycle Ride along Jordan River Parkway
showing the northern parts of the trail
May 2009 - 42 photos
showing the northern parts of the trail
May 2009 - 42 photos
(Last update February 2012)
My first ride along the Jordan River Parkway was in May of 2009. My neighbor Roy and I took our bikes down on the back of my 4Runner to 10th North in Salt Lake City, starting out south from the Riverside Library at 10th North and 1575 West. We rode 23 miles before we turned back in Sandy at about 86th South.
There used to be many areas that didn't connect, but now only a couple along the northern part. The first we found was at North Temple. To continue on we had to detour along the city streets to get back on the riverside pathway. The trail doesn't go through where the east west railroad tracks run, about 7 of them as I remember. The best way around this is to go 2 blocks east to 10th West, 3 blocks south to the east west I-80, but turn west on the north side for 2 blocks back to the river and ride under the freeway through the new underpass. The detour is about 7 city blocks. They haven't started the section where the tracks are, and I haven't found any timeline for that. At this time there is construction along North Temple, where they are putting TRAX Rail out to the Airport.
At about 22nd South the city was building a new bridge for TRAX Rail across the river, over into West Valley, and there was a detour around that temporally. Now there is a tunnel going under which is finished and open.
Over in the Midvale/Sandy area we came out on 700 West at about 8500 South. This is the end of the northern part of the Jordan River Trail. We did ride 700 West over to 90th South and went west a couple of blocks back to the river. We found a short trail running south along the river through River Oaks golf course, but it ends about 94th South in Sandy. (It actually ends inside the golf course). The trail does continue on, just a short distance on the other side of a diversion dam located there, but no way to get to it. You can get back on the trail at 100th South, though the trail does run back north to about 95th South. On that first ride we didn't know how to get there, so we turned back. (Have now found the trail south of there and the story is found in the 'South Jordan' ride). You can ride through on the streets but have to go about 4 blocks either to the east or west at 90th South and back to the river at 100 South to get through. You will have to ride some hills for this.
There used to be many areas that didn't connect, but now only a couple along the northern part. The first we found was at North Temple. To continue on we had to detour along the city streets to get back on the riverside pathway. The trail doesn't go through where the east west railroad tracks run, about 7 of them as I remember. The best way around this is to go 2 blocks east to 10th West, 3 blocks south to the east west I-80, but turn west on the north side for 2 blocks back to the river and ride under the freeway through the new underpass. The detour is about 7 city blocks. They haven't started the section where the tracks are, and I haven't found any timeline for that. At this time there is construction along North Temple, where they are putting TRAX Rail out to the Airport.
At about 22nd South the city was building a new bridge for TRAX Rail across the river, over into West Valley, and there was a detour around that temporally. Now there is a tunnel going under which is finished and open.
Over in the Midvale/Sandy area we came out on 700 West at about 8500 South. This is the end of the northern part of the Jordan River Trail. We did ride 700 West over to 90th South and went west a couple of blocks back to the river. We found a short trail running south along the river through River Oaks golf course, but it ends about 94th South in Sandy. (It actually ends inside the golf course). The trail does continue on, just a short distance on the other side of a diversion dam located there, but no way to get to it. You can get back on the trail at 100th South, though the trail does run back north to about 95th South. On that first ride we didn't know how to get there, so we turned back. (Have now found the trail south of there and the story is found in the 'South Jordan' ride). You can ride through on the streets but have to go about 4 blocks either to the east or west at 90th South and back to the river at 100 South to get through. You will have to ride some hills for this.
There are many parks and a few golf courses along the Jordan Pathway. At 10th South there is the Jordan Park with a section dedicated to International Peace Gardens. That was quite interesting. It was set up to have gardens dedicated to different countries.
We stopped at 7800 South to have lunch at Archibald's, in Gardner Village. We now make that a regular place to stop. Sometimes we park at Gardner Village and ride north first then back. Our reason being that in the summer the winds blow from the south in the morning and then out of the north in the afternoon. Riding is easier with the wind at your back. It took us 6 hours to do the 23 miles south, with lots of photo stops, but only 3 hours riding back north. 46 miles was a long tiring ride, but we both thought it was well worth it.
Since then I have been down many times, sometimes riding for 50 miles and once 72 miles. I did that long run by starting at Farmington and riding the Legacy Pathway first. There was a two mile section of trail between Legacy and the Jordan trail that was not paved, now the north half of it is paved and named the Chevron Mile. The dirt section is not a bad ride, running along the east side of the Jordan River. Part of it drops down into a lower area that is often muddy, but you can get around it by taking the dirt road that runs around the pond on the east side.
New information - The connection between Legacy Parkway and Jordan River Parkway is all paved now. In November of 2011 the last mile was paved, but a boardwalk was in progress to cross some wetlands. In February of 2012 the boardwalk was finished and open.
We stopped at 7800 South to have lunch at Archibald's, in Gardner Village. We now make that a regular place to stop. Sometimes we park at Gardner Village and ride north first then back. Our reason being that in the summer the winds blow from the south in the morning and then out of the north in the afternoon. Riding is easier with the wind at your back. It took us 6 hours to do the 23 miles south, with lots of photo stops, but only 3 hours riding back north. 46 miles was a long tiring ride, but we both thought it was well worth it.
Since then I have been down many times, sometimes riding for 50 miles and once 72 miles. I did that long run by starting at Farmington and riding the Legacy Pathway first. There was a two mile section of trail between Legacy and the Jordan trail that was not paved, now the north half of it is paved and named the Chevron Mile. The dirt section is not a bad ride, running along the east side of the Jordan River. Part of it drops down into a lower area that is often muddy, but you can get around it by taking the dirt road that runs around the pond on the east side.
New information - The connection between Legacy Parkway and Jordan River Parkway is all paved now. In November of 2011 the last mile was paved, but a boardwalk was in progress to cross some wetlands. In February of 2012 the boardwalk was finished and open.
- 42 photos -
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I used a Canon Powershot SD700 IS Digital Elph, 6 megapixel, with 4x optical and 4x digital zoom. These photos are set to lower resolution and compressed 10:1 for faster loading. You are welcome to look at or download any of the photos. If you use them on any other webpage, please give credit and refer back to me.