Travel on Durable
Surfaces

That use leaves a mark when someone cuts a corner, walks around mud, or treats one shortcut as harmless.

Traveling on durable surfaces protects the park. In Ute Valley, that means staying on designated trails.

Durable Surfaces

Durable surfaces can handle repeated use without tearing up.

In Ute Valley Park, durable surfaces include:

• Established trails
• Rock, gravel, and sand
• Snow and ice

The trail itself matters most. Park staff place and maintain trails so you can enjoy the park without spreading damage across the landscape.

Why It Matters

When people leave the trail, the damage often starts small. A few footprints create a faint path. More people follow it, and the shortcut turns into bare soil.

Bare soil erodes faster, especially on slopes. Weeds and invasive plants also move in faster.

You may miss the plants along the trail edge, but they hold soil in place and provide cover and food for wildlife.

Staying on the trail keeps the impact concentrated where the park can handle it best.

It also helps prevent trail braiding, where one trail splits into several parallel tracks. Crews have a harder time repairing that damage than visitors have avoiding it.

Travel Well in Ute Valley Park

Stay on the trail

Park rules do not allow off-trail travel in Ute Valley Park. Stay on designated trails with official signs or clear, maintained paths.

Do not cut switchbacks or take shortcuts. You might save a few seconds, but you leave damage behind.

If you lose the trail, stop and look for the nearest official route instead of continuing across open ground.

Choose the right trail

Hikers, mountain bikers, and equestrians all use Ute Valley Park trails.

Pick a route that fits your activity and ability. Follow posted signs, yield when needed, and expect to share the trail.

Using the right trail helps prevent conflict and keeps heavy use from spilling into sensitive areas.

Walk through mud and snow

Mud tempts people off the trail, and those detours widen the path. Walk through the middle, even if your shoes get dirty.

The same goes for snow and puddles. Going around them damages plants and widens the trail edge.

If the trail has deep mud, choose another route or come back when conditions improve.

Camp elsewhere

Park rules do not allow camping in Ute Valley Park.

Camping can create fire risk, litter, wildlife conflicts, and lasting damage in places park staff did not build for overnight use.

If you want to camp, use a legal campsite outside the park.

Protect the Park for Everyone

You can protect the park with a few plain choices: stay on the trail, respect closures and signs, and let muddy shoes be part of the day.

Ute Valley Park gets a lot of love. Staying on the trail keeps that love from turning into damage.