Access to Bike Path To Saltair (Utah)

[Alex]

I've been told that there's a bike path that starts somewhere east of the Salt Lake City Airport and goes all the way to Saltair. Where is the best place to access the path? I'd have to drive there, so I would need a place to park the car. Also, any idea how long the ride is to Saltair?

Thanks.

Alex

[sbctwin]

It is the frontage road that runs along I-80. There is also a bike path that goes through part of the airport and you can pick it up by the Radisson on South Temple. I don't know the exact street addresses. Unfortunately, part of the frontage road is closed because of construction. I found out this morning that it may not open up again until June or early July...Bummer But, supposedly when it opens again, the area where there was cement will be repaved. I hope that is true. It is really a very nice road, with very little traffic on it.

[Alex]

Thanks, SBCTWIN. Do you mean "closed" as in no way around it and I better find another place to bike tomorrow???

Alex

[yellow]

Alex, very closed. You can ride around it on the freeway (which I've seen people do but would never do myself) or ride through the construction (which I've seen people do but would not do myself; it is dirt--not paved--and loaded with nails and whatnot) or drive to the exit on 80 on the other side of the construction (can't remember the number, it's where the visitor center for used to be...it's well west of the international center) and park there and ride to the marnia for a shorter ride. Or ride somewhere else. I've been opting to ride somewhere else. Wasatch should be nice & quiet tomorrow...that's always a nice ride if you're looking for something a little flatter.

[Alex]

Thanks, Yellow. I ride Wasatch all the time, but I was looking for a ride where my friend could take her new bike out safely. She's going clipless for the first time and just bought her bike last week!

We decided to go out to the South Jordan Parkway. Not too much danger out there if you can't unclip in time.

Alex (wish I bought that Marmot rain jacket I was looking at during the REI sale...)

[yellow]

Alex, I just saw this and your other post...if I'd have seen it yesterday a.m. I would have warned you to bring a few extra tubes. DH used to take a portion of the JRT on his work commute but got tired of changing flats. I think that's the only paved route in the Salt Lake valley where you are almost guaranteed a goathead flat. So sorry you didn't get warned!

I don't think you need liners if you just stay off of the JRT. The only other place I've seen them is on the Mountain View trail out on Antelope Island (dirt). Thank goodness for tubeless mtb tires!

[Alex]

Thanks, Yellow. I'll save my money and skip the tire liners and stay off the JRT! Even with the flats, I think it was a good place for my friend to ride. She's never had a road bike and she's never gone clipless, so she was able to practice shifting and steering and unclipping in a pretty safe place, although she wisely dismounted over some of the bridges and on some street crossings. Personally, I prefer the road to the JRT, but I didn't want her to fall in front of a car or something. All in all, we did 26 very easy miles. It made me feel like LRRH is definitely doable come June, since I hear the course is flat, and I felt like I could have ridden forever yesterday what with my oh so very awesome Shebeest Ultra D shorts! Now, it's just a matter of making sure that I get in enough long rides during the weekends in April and May.

Alex

[RiderDyer]

Hi all--I'm brand new to the site, and just did a general search for "Salt Lake City," and found your posts. I'm a new rider, and I live here in SLC. I'm always looking for a good flat stretch of pavement to train on. Are there any that you can recommend? I love the path to Saltair--I was actually on that yesterday for about 16 miles, (didn't make it all the way there) but I think I'll be able to soon!

[malkin]

The part of the frontage road that was deconstructed last year is fixed now, and you can go past Saltair and get to the Marina. The marina bathrooms are open all year (I think), and the Saltair bathrooms close for winter.

The little Falcon Guide Bicycling Salt Lake City shows that you can ride west on something called the "Airport Bike Path" from 2200 West, pass just south of (or through) the airport continuing west. We have looked for this, and I believe it is a mythological construct, possibly true in the past, but not now.

We drop in to the frontage road from 5600 West, having gotten there from California Street, although last time we were out there a month or so ago, the road was closed, and it was a festival of semi-trucks making dramatic U-turns. We joined them, and beat a hasty retreat back to the east.

[malkin]

Where are my manners?!

Welcome!!!

[Alex]

I'd recommend that you drop in to REI or your LBS and pick up the Falcon Guide. There are some flatter routes mentioned in there. The Bluffdale/Herriman ride is flat. There's also a loop that starts near Gardner Village and takes you south around the prison. The only real hill is by the prison, but you are rewarded with a nice downhill into Bluffdale.

There are some nice flat rides up in Park City for when the air gets too yucky in the valley in the summer.

It's nice to hear of another SLC cyclist on TE!

Alex

[yellow]

The little Falcon Guide Bicycling Salt Lake City shows that you can ride west on something called the "Airport Bike Path" from 2200 West, pass just south of (or through) the airport continuing west. We have looked for this, and I believe it is a mythological construct, possibly true in the past, but not now.

We drop in to the frontage road from 5600 West, having gotten there from California Street, although last time we were out there a month or so ago, the road was closed, and it was a festival of semi-trucks making dramatic U-turns. We joined them, and beat a hasty retreat back to the east.

The bike path does exist. I ride to it from home usually. You access it from North Temple, just west of the NWS office. If I meet others to ride out to the Marnia, they usually park in front of the Airport Hotel. This is just east of gate #1 (there are 5 intimidating but open gates that you have to navigate to get through the airport and to the International Center). I take my newbie MS 150 riders out there pretty regularly.

There is a truck driving school in the International Center, which explains the truck U turn madness. More common during the week, but sometimes they are out there on Saturdays.

[malkin]

Oooh, thanks yellow!

I've looked for that trail a couple times unsuccessfully. Have to give it another go.


The truck mess was on California St, or Indiana, I get those two mixed up. Seemed like a surprise deconstruction.

[malkin]

There's a BBTC or BCC ride out there Friday. We'll give it a shot if it isn't raining, and if we aren't exhausted from the week, and if the pollen has settled down, and...well, you get the idea.

[malkin]

That path is fab!

When we sought it out before, it was from the west, and we were intimidated by the fences, the razor wire, and the big yellow and black NO TRESSPASSING signs! Getting up close it is clear that all that scary stuff is to keep the bad people out, not the cyclists!