There are over 350 miles of trails in Wasatch County, including around 70 miles of backcountry trails within the Heber City limits.
But maintaining trails is expensive – each mile costs $1,000 to $5,000 to maintain – and it requires a lot of labor.
Wasatch Trails Foundation Executive Director Mia Yue is asking local governments to help pay for better trail maintenance in the Heber Valley. At the Heber City Council meeting Tuesday, Dec. 3, she said it’ll keep trails safer and more enjoyable for everyone.
In 2024, the Mountain Trails Foundation lent its neighbors a hand with what Yue said was a much-needed trail crew. She said the Park City-based organization wanted to give Wasatch County trails some attention ahead of new connectors linking the two counties’ backcountry networks.
“They saw the backlog of maintenance that we had down here in the Heber Valley,” she said. “They felt it was imperative that they supported us in our efforts to make sure that our trails were safe and accessible to the public.”
But that trail crew wasn’t meant to be a long-term solution. Yue said that’s why she’s looking for support from local governments – it would mean continuity and consistency for Wasatch County’s trail network.
“Whether it comes from a line item in the general budget or from TAP tax funding, we’re looking for sort of a two-year pilot program, where we would receive $65,100 for this upcoming summer of 2025 and then another $65,100 for the following season,” she said. “And this would be our attempt at really ensuring that our community has safe, accessible trails that they can use year-round.”
In addition to the $65,000 from Heber, Yue is asking for around $46,000 from Wasatch County and $20,000 from Midway. The dollar amounts are based on the share of the Trails, Arts and Parks tax that goes to each entity.
Combined, the money would pay for three full-time trail maintenance staffers who would work between April and November.
The foundation also plans to apply for more state money. The backing of local governments would improve the odds of securing matching grants that would help local investments go further.
Some city councilmembers said Tuesday they think it’s a smart plan.
“I think it’s a win-win,” Mike Johnston said. “We can leverage funds, go get more grants, say we’re putting money into this and find other funds.”
The council discussed how the proposal could work with developments that are required to build and maintain trails, like Red Ledges and Jordanelle Ridge. One possible solution would involve the Wasatch Trails Foundation talking about maintenance requirements and establishing a plan with those neighborhoods.
The Heber City Council plans to revisit Yue’s proposal in January before making a decision.
