Project Overview

DESCRIPTION / GOALS / ALIGNMENT

This project will construct a 1.9-mile paved shared-use trail running from US-40 to 500 North (SR-121) in Vernal, Utah. The route follows portions of the Steinaker Service Canal corridor and 500 North, creating a vital active transportation connection that improves access to several key destinations—including Central Cove Early Education Center, Uintah High School, Terra Academy, Uintah Basin Technical College, the USU Uintah Basin Campus, the Golden Age Senior Center, and multiple local churches. The trail is designed to serve residents of all ages and abilities.

Built to enhance community connectivity, increase safe trail access, and support long-term public health and mobility goals, this project transforms an underutilized canal corridor into a scenic, functional pathway for walking, biking, and other non-motorized uses. As the first trail of its kind in this part of Vernal, it serves as a key link in the Vernal and Uintah County Trails Master Plan, helping prioritize future trail extensions to the north and supporting a more connected regional trail system.

The Steinaker Service Canal Trail is being developed by the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) in partnership with Vernal City, Uintah County, and other local stakeholders. The project reflects goals outlined in regional planning efforts and is supported by the Utah Trail Network (UTN), a statewide initiative to expand and improve trail systems across Utah.