WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) and Representative John Curtis (R-UT), who last year worked together to secure nearly a million acres of conservation and recreation designations in southern Utah, introduced new bicameral legislation to enable the construction of high priority sections of the Bonneville Shoreline Trail (BST) to enhance recreation opportunities near Utah’s most urban areas. The Bonneville Shoreline Trail Advancement Act, also supported by Representatives Rob Bishop (R-UT) and Chris Stewart (R-UT), will adjust management boundaries to allow the advancement of the BST while also designating nearby U.S. Forest Service land for permanent protection. The BST is planned to eventually connect the Idaho border to Nephi, Utah—stretching over 280 miles. The legal map for the legislation can be found here.
“The Bonneville Shoreline Trail provides great outdoor recreational opportunities for Utahns, but several wilderness-designated areas along the trail are hampering full use of the trail and prohibiting bicyclists in those areas,” Senator Romney said. “Our solution would adjust the boundaries without increasing wilderness area to ensure that the trail can be completed and fully accessible.”
“This legislation balances creating new recreational opportunities with protecting the environment,” Representative Curtis said. “With a rapidly increasing population, Salt Lake and Utah Counties are in need of more widely accessible opportunities to hike, bike, and get outdoors. This legislation will do this in a responsible manner and help pave the way for all Utahns to enjoy this world-class trail.”
BACKGROUND:
The Bonneville Shoreline Trail is a popular trail in Utah that will ultimately stretch 280 miles. However, small segments of wilderness designations have prohibited biking on parts of the trail, preventing the full vision multi-use trail connecting dozens of Utah’s communities.
The Bonneville Shoreline Trail Advancement Act:
- Releases 326 acres of wilderness, divided over more than 20 small locations, to accommodate the advancement of the Bonneville Shoreline Trail in Salt Lake County and Utah County, two population centers in high demand for additional recreation opportunities.
- Resolves a wilderness boundary issue in Birch Canyon to ensure the trail that runs parallel to the road can be fully utilized as a multiuse trail.
- Designates 326 acres of wilderness to preserve land formerly owned by the Boy Scouts of America in Mill Creek Canyon that fully offsets any wilderness release to accommodate the BST.
Text of the bill is available here.
STATEMENTS OF SUPPORT:
“The Bonneville Shoreline Trail has the potential to be both a beautiful recreational asset for Utah residents and a tool for teaching us about ancient Lake Bonneville and Utah’s fascinating geologic history. I’m very pleased to see the Bonneville Shoreline Trail Advancement Act, which is the next step in the process of developing this beautiful trail.”— Gary Herbert, Governor of Utah
“The International Mountain Bicycling Association is excited to support the Bonneville Shore Trail Advancement Act introduced by Congressman John Curtis (R-UT). The Congressman and his office has been a staunch supporter of outdoor recreation and public lands protection, and this legislation will meet both of those standards while establishing connectivity and promoting healthy, trail-based recreation adjacent to major population centers along the Wasatch Front. We look forward to working with the Congressman and our friends in Utah on this important legislation.”— David Wiens, Executive Director, International Mountain Bicycling Association
“The BSTAA will help facilitate completion of the multiple-use 280-mile Bonneville Shoreline Trail (BST). The proposed boundary adjustments will remove 326.27 acres from Wilderness management across 19 carefully drawn areas, and these adjustments will be offset by the addition of an equal area of new Wilderness protection in Mill Creek Canyon. These adjustments will ensure bicycle access on the BST and allow for work on the trail to proceed using tools impermissible under Wilderness management. In addition to the direct benefits of the trail itself, the BST is a central component for trail planning efforts for jurisdictions across the Wasatch Front.”— Louis Geltman, Policy Director, Outdoor Alliance
“Trails Utah is delighted to join forces with Congressman Curtis, IMBA and local organizations in the effort to secure a shared-use future for Northern Utah’s iconic Bonneville Shoreline Trail. The Bonneville Shoreline Trail Advancement Act can maximize recreational opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts—including mountain bikers—along the populous Wasatch Front. We are enormously grateful to Congressman John Curtis for his support of this bill and look forward to being a part of the effort to build a sustainable and enjoyable Bonneville Shoreline Trail in the years to come.”— Sarah Bennett, Executive Director, Trails Utah
“The Utah High School Cycling League has nearly 2,000 registered student-athletes and coaches living within ten minutes of the trailheads connecting to the Bonneville Shoreline Trail. As a league, our vision is to enable Utah teens to strengthen body, mind and character through the life-long sport of cycling. We have witnessed first-hand how mountain biking has strengthened families and communities. The culture of our league and mountain biking in general is one of inclusivity and respect. We fully endorse the efforts of IMBA and other local associations striving to implement the Bonneville Shoreline Trail Advancement Act.”— Dallen Atack, League Director, Utah High School Cycling League
“The Salt Lake Valley Trail Society enthusiastically supports the Bonneville Shoreline Trail Advancement Act as an opportunity to provide accessible outdoor recreation for a wide variety of trail users. Hikers, cyclists, families, and adaptive athletes will be sure to be recreating in a more sustainable fashion as the sections of the Bonneville Shoreline Trail facilitated by the Act are built out and authorized for local recreation. We hope Utahans join us in supporting this bill and the recreation and community-building opportunities local trails create.”— Kevin Dwyer, Executive Director, Salt Lake Valley Trails Society
“The Bonneville Shoreline Trail Committee was formed thirty years ago to promote development of a 280-mile long shared-use trail along the urban wildland interface of the northern Wasatch Front in Utah. However, there are many obstacles in completing the entire envisioned trail which is still only about halfway complete. The Bonneville Shoreline Trail Advancement Act is important to overcome one of those obstacles by adjusting wilderness boundaries so that mountain bikes can use the entire trail as originally envisioned. The Bonneville Shoreline Trail is enjoyed by thousands of trail users every year and the mountain bike community is a large and important user group.”— John Knoblock, Chairperson, Bonneville Shoreline Trail Committee
“More than 75% of Utah’s population lives along the Wasatch Front. In 2017, Utah’s outdoor recreation economy generated more than $12.3 billion in consumer spending and directly supported more than 100,000 jobs in Utah. The Bonneville Shoreline Trail Advancement Act will help to complete the vision of the Bonneville Shoreline Trail; giving mountain bikers, runners, hikers, equestrians, cross-country skiers — and families — new opportunities to get outside and enjoy the outdoors. We look forward to working with you to advance the legislation through Congress, and working together to achieve the promise of the Bonneville Shoreline Trail.”— Bill Lee, Senior Vice President for Policy, Advocacy, and Government Relations, The Trust for Public Land
“The Bonneville Shoreline trail is the crown jewel of Sandy’s interconnected trail system. This trail once completed will connect hundreds of miles of pristine Utah open space and serve as a tremendous asset to the community. We encourage members of Congress to support Congressman John Curtis’s efforts in regard to the Bonneville Shoreline Trail Advancement Act.”— Kurt Bradburn, Mayor of Sandy
“I fully support this effort to complete this trail as a mixed-use recreational resource in and near our city of Alpine in Utah County. The Bonneville Shoreline Trail is one of the most recognized trails in Northern Utah and we are excited to host a section of this trail in our community. The popularity of activities like hiking, trial running, and mountain biking continue to grow here in Alpine, so I support every effort to provide our citizens with healthy, outdoor lifestyle opportunities.”— Troy Stout, Mayor of the City of Alpine
“The Bonneville Shoreline Trail Advancement Act will foster and create a consistent management approach of the BST across the federal estate (USFS). This will drive more attention to trail building and streamline efforts to fundraise for new development. The expansion of this trail will incentivize more individuals to get out and ride, which will benefit local communities and bike businesses.”— Jessica Klodnicki, Chief Marketing Officer, Skullcandy; Member of Park City Chamber & Visitors Bureau