About Us

Mission & Vision

The Trails & Open Space Department manages and maintains Park City’s public trails and passive open spaces for the benefit of residents and visitors, consistent with City Council direction.

The department's mission is to oversee and preserve Park City's public trails and serene open spaces for the well-being and enjoyment of both residents and visitors. With unwavering commitment, the team diligently manages and maintains these natural resources under the guidance provided by the City Council. By fostering a harmonious connection between people and nature, the Trails & Open Space Department strives to enhance the quality of life within our community while promoting sustainable recreation and environmental stewardship.

Review Park City's Trails Master Plan.

Trails & Open Space Team

The Trails & Open Space team is dedicated to the department mission of managing and maintaining Park City's vast inventory of public trails. The team works diligently to provide the community with a world class trail product that Park City can be proud of.

You may find a Park City Trail Ranger out hiking or biking while taking inventory of maintenance items or educating the public, or you may see them installing trail infrastructure and operating heavy machinery. They might be in Round Valley one day, and Bonanza Flat the next. If you see them out there, say hi and ask about our current projects!

What We Do

Overview

Park City consists of nearly 12,794 acres, 10,000 of which are preserved as open space by acquisition or public planning. Open space preserves our natural resources, protects scenic viewsheds, and often provides a variety of recreational opportunities, such as those offered by trails. The Trails and Open Space Team is responsible for acquisition, planning, and management of open space and recreational trails. The Team also supports a variety of noxious weed abatement and wildfire mitigation on roughly 5,960 acres owned by PCMC.

Park City's Trails & Open Space team manages Park City's vast inventory of trails, paved pathways, and open space in coordination with local and partner agencies. This effort is no small task, and involves many aspects, including:

• Trail maintenance
• New trail planning and development
• Creating and implementing trail infrastructure, ranging from benches and dog bag stations to pathway stripes and wayfinding maps
• Noxious weed removal
• Wildfire mitigation and defensible space work
• Enforcing trail and conservation easement regulations
• Coordinating trail events
• Offering interpretive, sustainable trail use information to the public

Annually, the Team’s workplan includes:

• Compliance with conservation easements - 24 easements
• Managing summer trails - 172 miles
• Managing winter trails - 70 kilometers
• Managing agricultural leases - 5 leases
• Monitoring trailheads/kiosks - 19 structures
• Managing the golf course winter nordic concession
• Supporting trails and open space events - 12 events
• Management and maintenance of vault toilets- 6 toilets

The Team’s success relies heavily on our partnerships with local and regional stakeholders and private property owners, including:

• Mountain Trails Foundation (MTF)- Lora Smith, Executive Director
• Summit Land Conservancy (SLC)- Cheryl Fox, Executive Director
• Utah Open Lands (UOL)- Wendy Fisher, Executive Director
• Private property owners and businesses (White Pine Touring, Deer Valley, Park City Mountain, etc.)
• Snyderville Basin Special Recreation District (SBSRD)- Dane Jones, Executive Director
• Summit County, Utah – Jess Kirby