We are happy to announce significant updates and enhancements to the Utah Trails dataset. For one, the dataset was renamed to Utah Trails and Pathways. The new name more accurately reflects the use and purpose of this data.

You will also notice a new-and-improved data model. At a high-level, you will see the addition of domains on many fields, the cleanup of field values, the reworking and/or deletion of a few outdated fields, and the addition of a County field (allowing users to query the data by county). Please see this spreadsheet for complete details on this change.

The transportation use case was the driver behind some of the changes and updates to this layer.

In addition to recreational uses, trails and pathways cross into the transportation world. Active Transportation, as it is formally known, includes walking, bicycling, wheelchair propelling, or any other form of physical activity that is used as a mode of transportation. Paved pathways are vital pieces of our transportation system. They are, however, unique and different from roadways. They are often called “shared use paths” and serve as both recreational facilities and transportation network facilities for pedestrians, cyclists, and other active transportation users. Thus, they fit more closely with trails, which is why paved pathways remain in a combined layer with trails.