We believe!
Before we get further here, we want to make it clear what our passion and vision is for our organization - in other words, not just what we want to accomplish, but what we sincerely BELIEVE WE CAN accomplish in our area.
The Lake Mountain Area as described in our focus area, is geographically special that has a unique and extraordinary opportunity and future if we can truly see it for what it is and work to accomplish it. Here are five things that make us special, and provide the foundation for our vision.
1. We are geographically centered. While some think we are a "ways out here", we are truly an amazing center point for the Utah County and Salt Lake area, being within an hour drive for hundreds of thousands of people. That may seem like a long distance, but think about going the other way...Park City, Heber, Sundance, Payson Canyon, and many other destinations are also within that distance for most of that same geographic area. Even within just 30 minutes of our area, live hundreds of thousands of people - many who don't have established, significant trail systems nearby - that can access our trails quickly and easily.
2. We have a unique environment. While we are close to the Wasatch front, our geography is also quite different - and it greatly affects both the type of soil, the vegetation, and climate we have. It means that our trails dry quicker, stay better maintained over time, and that we have the sage, juniper, and other desert vegetation unique to our area. This provides visitors a cool, new experience, different than other trail systems, and A LOT more trail time without snow or mud, comparatively speaking. In fact, it's kind of an on-going joke in the mountain bike community that Eagle Mountain is always GTG (good to go). This means that during Spring and Fall especially, we have a significantly high volume of visitors to our trails across all user types.
3. We have significant undeveloped land. There is still a lot of undeveloped land in our area. This means we can work with developers and cities to think and plan trails in development plans. It also means that there is opportunity for preserving some lands as well - either through easements or purchases, etc. We haven't put houses to the tops of hills and on top of every terrain that can have trails. This is unique for an area near the Salt Lake and Utah County areas.
4. We have long-term, protected lands. We are in a very unique position here because we have significant public lands within and surrounding our communities. These are generally Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands that are set aside for multi-use purposes such as outdoor recreation and are friendly to organized trails. This is land that will not be developed and released into private hands for development, creating long-term preserved open spaces and opportunities for all our communities. Few communities in the region have anything close to this amount or quality of public lands near them.
5. We have momentum and stakeholders who are catching the vision. Many cities throughout Utah are catching the vision for what trails can mean for their communities. Leaders are seeing the economic and quality of life benefits that trails provide to citizens and the community as a whole. We have seen an increase of focus and collaboration from local organizations and other stakeholders such as government agencies and developers when it comes to trails. In some cases, even some proactive planning. It is exciting to see a more balanced, visionary approach to community and regional planning.
The Lake Mountain Area as described in our focus area, is geographically special that has a unique and extraordinary opportunity and future if we can truly see it for what it is and work to accomplish it. Here are five things that make us special, and provide the foundation for our vision.
1. We are geographically centered. While some think we are a "ways out here", we are truly an amazing center point for the Utah County and Salt Lake area, being within an hour drive for hundreds of thousands of people. That may seem like a long distance, but think about going the other way...Park City, Heber, Sundance, Payson Canyon, and many other destinations are also within that distance for most of that same geographic area. Even within just 30 minutes of our area, live hundreds of thousands of people - many who don't have established, significant trail systems nearby - that can access our trails quickly and easily.
2. We have a unique environment. While we are close to the Wasatch front, our geography is also quite different - and it greatly affects both the type of soil, the vegetation, and climate we have. It means that our trails dry quicker, stay better maintained over time, and that we have the sage, juniper, and other desert vegetation unique to our area. This provides visitors a cool, new experience, different than other trail systems, and A LOT more trail time without snow or mud, comparatively speaking. In fact, it's kind of an on-going joke in the mountain bike community that Eagle Mountain is always GTG (good to go). This means that during Spring and Fall especially, we have a significantly high volume of visitors to our trails across all user types.
3. We have significant undeveloped land. There is still a lot of undeveloped land in our area. This means we can work with developers and cities to think and plan trails in development plans. It also means that there is opportunity for preserving some lands as well - either through easements or purchases, etc. We haven't put houses to the tops of hills and on top of every terrain that can have trails. This is unique for an area near the Salt Lake and Utah County areas.
4. We have long-term, protected lands. We are in a very unique position here because we have significant public lands within and surrounding our communities. These are generally Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands that are set aside for multi-use purposes such as outdoor recreation and are friendly to organized trails. This is land that will not be developed and released into private hands for development, creating long-term preserved open spaces and opportunities for all our communities. Few communities in the region have anything close to this amount or quality of public lands near them.
5. We have momentum and stakeholders who are catching the vision. Many cities throughout Utah are catching the vision for what trails can mean for their communities. Leaders are seeing the economic and quality of life benefits that trails provide to citizens and the community as a whole. We have seen an increase of focus and collaboration from local organizations and other stakeholders such as government agencies and developers when it comes to trails. In some cases, even some proactive planning. It is exciting to see a more balanced, visionary approach to community and regional planning.
So here is our vision...
We believe the Lake Mountain area of Utah can become a regional and even nationally recognized example, destination, and valued location because of its trails and recreational opportunities. We can have world-class trails.
Imagine walking out of any business, any home, and within a short distance be on a trail of some kind. It's a fully connected region that gives community members and visitors access to ways to exercise, access open and wild space, and to have fun together. It's an area where every trail user type can find a great experience.
It's a system that is not only a great benefit to the local living experience, but also an economic boon to the area from visitors who come to enjoy our trails. It raises values of homes, our community's health and wellness
Our trail system should be one of the best in the country. We believe in this. We work for this.
Imagine walking out of any business, any home, and within a short distance be on a trail of some kind. It's a fully connected region that gives community members and visitors access to ways to exercise, access open and wild space, and to have fun together. It's an area where every trail user type can find a great experience.
It's a system that is not only a great benefit to the local living experience, but also an economic boon to the area from visitors who come to enjoy our trails. It raises values of homes, our community's health and wellness
Our trail system should be one of the best in the country. We believe in this. We work for this.