Tales from Utah Valley: Fun and safety on the Murdock Canal Trail
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- Cyclists ride on the Murdock Canal Trail on Wednesday, April 6, 2016.
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- Laura Giles
Would you want to walk or cycle along a picturesque trail that winds through beautiful scenes of mountains and wildflowers as well as a variety of trees and greenery? We have that right here in Utah County — the Murdock Canal Trail.
The original Murdock Canal was built in the early 1900s, providing water from the Provo River for irrigation in northern Utah County. About 13 years ago, the Provo River Water Users Association enclosed the canal in a 10.5-foot diameter steel pipe. Then, the trail was constructed above the pipe. Before this happened, there was a dirt trail that meandered through the northern end of the county alongside the water. This dirt trail was already popular with those who love to be outdoors. That popularity hasn’t dwindled since the paving of the current trail.
According to Mountainland Association of Governments (magutah.gov), the trail runs for 17 miles from 800 North in Orem to the Timpanogos Highway in Lehi. It passes through seven Utah County cities: American Fork, Cedar Hills, Highland, Lehi, Lindon, Orem and Pleasant Grove.
The trail is used year-round, but this is the time of year when it can get really busy and sometimes even congested. If you have spent much time on the trail, you have probably seen a few near-accidents or actual accidents as some users — usually going too fast, the wrong direction or just not paying attention — come close to hurting others. I recently witnessed a man riding a bike, seemingly as fast as he could, almost run into a small child walking with her family.
According to magutah.gov, only walking, jogging, equestrian use, cycling and skateboarding are permitted on the trail. But those who use the trail often know that it’s not uncommon to see motorized vehicles on the trail, causing dangerous situations for the other users, including young children. Luckily, local police departments do patrol the trail to try to ensure safety for everyone.
Another danger occurs when cyclists approach street crossings while riding on the trail. Stop signs are there for those who are crossing, but these are often ignored by the cyclists. Anyone who uses the trail or drives nearby has seen near-misses due to this problem. Signs along the trail remind users to stop.
Trail and trailhead rules include no motor vehicles, fire, alcoholic beverages, camping or loud noise. Users should keep to the right, slow down at curves, stay on the trail, keep the trail free of litter and keep dogs on leashes. And, don’t forget, if you can’t pass safely, don’t pass. Happy trails!
