Come get your ‘Licks’: New extreme mountain biking trail opens in Herriman
May 27, 2020 12:15PM ● By Justin Adams
A sign warns hikers not to head up the Hardlick trail. (Photo courtesy of Jo Darton.)
By Justin Adams | [email protected]
A brand-new mountain biking trail opened in Herriman last month, one that offers a challenge like no other in the area.
The Hardlick trail is located in the Herriman Hills area and is designated as a mountain biking-only trail.
“Hardlick is a technical black-rated downhill flow trail,” said Jo Darton, the chair of the Herriman Trails Committee who spearheaded the effort to get the trail built. “It has some chunky features: steep technical rock features with some optional jumps and gaps. There are some drop lines and some double black diamond rock rollers.”
If that’s all gibberish to you, just know that it’s an advanced trail for experienced riders only. A stray hiker going up the trail would get “plowed down,” said Darton.
The trail has been years in the making and has involved the efforts of many people, starting with Darton.
Two years ago, she brought some hardcore mountain bikers up to the area to see if they thought it had potential. She expected them to say the terrain was too steep and too intense. Instead, they loved it.
“They were like kids on Christmas morning,” Darton said. “After I saw how enthusiastic they are, that gave me the motivation to keep going on.”
After receiving a green light of support from Herriman Parks and Rec Director Wendy Thomas, Darton began working on acquiring the needed money for the project.
She worked with the organization Trails Utah to write an application for funds from Salt Lake County, an application that was eventually successful, rewarding the city with $30,000 to put toward the project.
After going through the regular planning commission process of submitting plans and holding neighborhood meetings, construction began in the fall of 2019 and finished up this spring.
The trail was constructed by a company called Apex Trails, which previously built Eric’s Trail and the Sidewinder Trail, also in the Herriman Hills area.
There were plans for Apex to build another less intense mountain biking trail this spring, using the second installment of the county’s grant. Unfortunately, that fund was pulled by the county to be used for coronavirus relief funds. Still wanting to complete the second trail, the Herriman Trails Committee is hoping to raise funds from the community.
“We’re asking locals and anyone who uses our trails regularly to give maybe the price of a meal to the trail cause,” said Darton. All money donated will be generously matched by the Spencer and Amanda Millerberg Trust, a South Jordan family whose son is on the Bingham High Mountain Biking team. Those interested in contributing to the fundraiser can find more information on the Herriman Trails Committee Facebook group.
The need for more trails in the area is highlighted by the current situation with the coronavirus, said Darton, noting that Draper reported a 400% increase in trail usage during the pandemic.
“Getting outside is so important, and people are realizing that,” Darton said. “Bike sales are up. Trail usage is up. We need more trails to accommodate all the new users.”
