Zion Cycles Crew Attends the Utah Trails Forum in Cedar City
The second annual Utah Trail Forum was held in Cedar City, Utah June 16th and 17th. The forum's mission and vision are the following:
VISION | Inspire and facilitate quality trails, community connections, and lifelong adventure.
MISSION | The Utah Trails Forum advances trail access, quality, and stewardship through collaboration, education and technical support.
Zion Cycles is continuously looking to grow as a community member and learn about ways bikes, trails, and partnerships can make our local community a better place.
At the forum, there were multiple workshops to choose from. Anything from Trail Design and Trail Maintenance to GIS (Geographical Information Systems) training or How to start a non-profit organization.
The team with the (newly formed) Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation did an amazing job of providing meals (breakfast, lunch, and even a complimentary dinner!!!), organizing networking opportunities, and bringing in prominent movers and shakers in the trails industry. A few highlights were; reps from IMBA, a team from ACE, and the Co-Founder of Trails Utah.
Each of the Zion Cycles participants chose a workshop to attend and two (2) information sessions. Here are some of the things we learned:
Trail Design is more than finding a patch of earth that is big enough to have a path. It is about creating an experience with nature, about working WITH the earth - its contours and materials (rocks and trees) to create a space that immerses you into the environment as well as the activity you are participating in.
There are a variety of techniques that can be used on a trail that a user (rider or hiker) might not realize that can make the difference between the trail needing work every year or not for 5 years.
There are a variety of free (and of course paid) resources for mapping and tracking trails, land areas, and data collection.
Accessibility of trails is not about making “adaptive trails” or labeling trails as “accessible” or not, it is about designing trails with ALL users in mind so that no matter WHO is riding the trail (a 2-wheel eMountain Bike, 3-wheel adaptive MTB or a trail runner).
Utah has come into a lot of funding opportunities for outdoor recreation offerings but much of the challenges groups are facing are recruitment and maintenance of what we already currently have and use.
We are still processing all that we have learned from this forum but one thing is certain, we are very grateful that Utah, as a state recognizes the value of outdoor recreation, trails, and the communities that are developing them.
Learn more about the 2nd Annual Utah Trails Forum HERE and make sure to sign up with the Office of Outdoor Recreation to be notified of all other events the state puts on.