“Golden Spoke” Bike Ride Celebrates Completion of Jordan River Parkway

By Soren Simonsen, Guest Blogger

DEQ invites guest bloggers to share their thoughts on issues that impact our environment. We appreciate their insights and the opportunity to broaden the conversation with others in the community.

Riders enjoying the Jordan River Parkway

May is Bike Month, and there could not be more reasons to get outside and go for a ride. Everything is turning green. The weather is warm…but not hot. The air is clear.

Another great reason to go for a ride is that there are more options than ever to ride your bike. Did you know that the Wasatch Region of northern Utah now has the longest continuous paved urban trail west of the Mississippi River?

Just before Thanksgiving last year, the very last piece of the Jordan River Parkway Trail was completed. This 45-mile trail now links together neighborhoods, communities and destinations from Utah Lake to the Great Salt Lake. Other connecting trails such as the Legacy Parkway Trail and Rio Grande Rail Trail in Davis and Weber counties to the north, and the Murdock Canal Trail in Utah County to the south, create a continuous pathway from Ogden to Provo.

This is something to celebrate, and the Wasatch Front Regional Council and Jordan River Commission are doing just that on  Saturday, June 2, 2018

Click on photo for larger view.

The public is invited to participate in the Golden Spoke, a 100-mile trail celebration that will begin at Rainbow Gardens at the mouth of Ogden Canyon at the north end, and Bridal Veil Falls in Provo Canyon to the south. Cyclists will leave each of these locations early in the morning, traversing roughly 50 miles in each direction, passing through community events and picking up cyclists along the way.

Just like the meeting of the historic transcontinental railroad in Utah in 1869, riders will arrive at from each direction at about 1:00 p.m. at the Jordan River Bridge just south of North Temple in Salt Lake City for a great big celebration.

The Golden Spoke is a family friendly event. Join the ride at whatever distance you’re comfortable, or just come join the celebration and welcome cyclists across the finish line. There will be food, music, a bike rodeo, and other activities for every age.

Free registration and more information about the Golden Spoke event is available at goldenspokeutah.org.

As someone who has been working at the forefront of trails and bicycle infrastructure for many years, I couldn’t be more excited to share this big news with you. So get out during Bike Month. Get to know your trails. Maybe these will become part your new favorite commute.

See you on the streets and on the trails during Bike Month!

There’s still time to register for the Golden Spoke ride! You can register at Eventbrite for your tickets…and remember, it’s free!  Curious about the route? Check out the Relive Video route map from Ogden to Provo and the Relive Video route map from Provo to Ogden for a birds-eye view of the ride.

I am the Executive Director of the Jordan River Commission. The Commission is an inter-local agency working to implement the vision for the Jordan River Parkway.