The Centerville Trails Committee recently met with the city council to present a draft of the city’s first Trails Master Plan. Developed over the past year, this long-range “dream” plan aims to add approximately 20 miles of multi-use foothill trails supporting hiking, biking and equestrian use. The project intends to transform unofficial, user-made tracks along the Centerville hillside into a formally recognized regional trail system.
However, expanding the trail system requires overcoming a major regulatory hurdle. Representatives from the U.S. Forest Service, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and Davis County have made it clear that federal approval for any trail expansions onto forest lands depends entirely on having adequate trailhead infrastructure in place, specifically paved parking and permanent restrooms, trails committee members said.
To clear this hurdle, the committee has identified the county-owned Deuel Creek trailhead as the city’s top immediate priority. While Deuel Creek is already the city’s most heavily trafficked trail and a popular staging area for outdoor enthusiasts, it currently lacks formal grading, pavement and waste management. The proposed $322,000 transformation would add clearing, grading, asphalt pavement, curb and gutter infrastructure, lighting and a two-stall concrete pit vault restroom facility. Once completed, the lot could accommodate 40 to 60 standard vehicles, with layout options expanding up to 90 spots to comfortably fit larger trucks, horse trailers, and utility terrain vehicles…