Volunteers raking at North Fork (click to enlarge)

Eden Valley Trails Keeps Building — and Keeps the Old Trails Alive
By Alan Wheelwright - 12 July 2026

It's been a busy stretch since we last checked in. When I wrote the previous article, we were just getting started on the Long Cut Trail at Snowbasin. I'm happy to report that loop is now complete — a roughly two-mile directional singletrack off Canyon Rim Trail that gives riders a fun new way to explore that part of the mountain.

From there, we turned our attention to a couple of connector projects also at Snowbasin. Maple Bar Trail links Maples Parking to Old Snowbasin Road and Canyon Rim Trail. Cache Trail connects into the broader trail network to support high school racing — helping NICA competitors navigate the course more safely and efficiently. Both trails are multi-use, open to hikers and mountain bikers alike, which fits the spirit of what we try to build at EVT: trails that work for the whole community.

Now we've shifted focus to North Fork Park, where we're spending the rest of the summer building a brand new directional mountain bike trail starting from the Mules Ear lot. It's a significant project — the kind that takes real time to do right — and we're excited about what it's going to add to the North Fork experience. More details on that as it comes together.

Here's something I want to highlight: even when we're deep in a big construction project, we don't stop maintaining the trails you already love. The crew has been out trimming and caring for trails like Spork, Long Loop, Cinch and Mules Ear, and that work matters more than most people realize.

Without constant upkeep, trails don't just get overgrown — they slowly become dangerous, and eventually they disappear. When I started trimming at North Fork almost twelve years ago, Bicentennial Trail had gotten so neglected from lack of trimming that it was nearly impossible to find, let alone ride or hike. That trail came back because people put in the time. The same is true for every trail out there. The fun stuff — the new builds, the ribbon cuttings — gets the attention, but it's the quiet maintenance work that keeps a trail system alive year after year.

So if you've been out at North Fork Park recently and it felt like someone had been taking care of it, that's because they have. Come say thanks to the crew if you see them out there.

Trail work isn't free — donations fund the crew, the equipment, and the maintenance that keeps these trails alive. You can give at edenvalleytrails.com or Venmo @Edenvt, and every bit helps. If you want to learn more about what we're up to, the website is also the best place to find project updates and ways to get involved. Thanks for being part of what makes this valley such a great place to get outside.