The Salt Lake City Public Lands Department is moving forward with two major trailhead infrastructure projects designed to improve access to the Foothills Trail System, including developments at Victory Road and Bonneville Boulevard. Both projects aim to enhance connectivity for the Avenues neighborhood, the Utah State Capitol, and downtown Salt Lake City by providing expanded parking and welcome plazas.
Victory Road Trailhead Features
The Victory Road Trailhead, located at 670 Victory Road, serves as a primary entry point for the northern and western Foothills trails. This location provides the lowest elevation at 4,450 feet and represents the westernmost access point to the Foothills Trail System within Salt Lake City. The site is situated between Warm Springs Park and the Utah State Capitol, offering access to Ensign Peak, Meridian Peak, Hell Canyon, and the Bonneville Shoreline Trail.
Currently, the Victory Road site consists of approximately six unmarked parking stalls on a flat dirt lot and a trailhead kiosk. The new infrastructure plan includes paved parking for 10 designated spaces, including one space designated for ADA accessibility. The project also features rope and timber fencing, non-irrigated landscaping, and a welcome plaza equipped with a trailhead information kiosk and a seat wall.
To accommodate maintenance needs, the footprint of the Victory Road infrastructure has been shifted to protect underground pipes and ensure access to critical City water infrastructure located on the Public Utilities parcel. The project will also include a "Be W.I.L.D." welcome station featuring dog waste bags, waste receptacles, and an invasive weed cleaning brush, along with three bike racks. While work commenced on November 2, 2024, the estimated completion date for the site is late spring 2025.
Bonneville Boulevard Development
The Bonneville Boulevard Trailhead is located at the existing salt dome lot above Memory Grove on the east side of Bonneville Boulevard. This location serves as a major access point for the Avenues neighborhood, the Utah State Capitol, and downtown Salt Lake City, connecting users to the Bonneville Shoreline Trail, City Creek Canyon, and the Upper Avenues trails.
The Bonneville Boulevard site currently hosts a large pavilion used by the Streets Division for road salt storage during the winter months. Because of this, the development plan includes seasonal parking variations. From April to October, the lot will offer 50 designated spaces, including three ADA spaces. During the winter months, the back half of the parking lot and the covered pavilion will be gated off for salt operations, reducing year-round parking to 17 spaces, including one ADA space. During wintertime, vehicular parking will be limited to between 4 and 15 spaces.
Infrastructure planned for the Bonneville Boulevard site includes a welcome plaza with a trailhead information kiosk, a seat wall, and a picnic table. The site will also feature a native plant garden, a crushed gravel path with benches along the perimeter, and space for two portable restrooms with privacy screening. Additional amenities include six bike racks designed by the SLC Arts Council, a bike maintenance station, site lighting, and event space under the pavilion for summer use.
The Bonneville Boulevard project also includes a "Be W.I.L.D." care station containing dog waste bags, waste receptacles, and an invasive weed cleaning brush. Similar to the Victory Road project, the Bonneville Boulevard Trailhead has an estimated completion date of spring 2025.
