A couple of years ago I found out the Salt Lake area had completed the connection of several trails (6) making it possible to run from one end of the valley to the other protected away from cars. I attempted this in March 2023, but the cold start (18º F) and other factors contributed to me stopping at mile 82. I was slower on this attempt, but it was also unseasonably warm. I ran this solo, but had support for hydration and moral support.
I started in Vivian park with perfect conditions. After the initial downhill out of Provo Canyon (Miles 0 - 6), the Murdock Canal Trail is about 20ish miles of mostly flat trail with some curves thrown in.The first 25 miles went as expected and there are lots of water locations and bathrooms. The section wasn't as busy as I'd thought it would be.
At Thanksgiving Point I had my first support stop and then started on the Jordan River Parkway (Miles 25-64). It was very warm for October. The first section of trail doesn't have as many water stops as the Murdock Canal section, but is hillier and more curvy/scenic. You feel separated from the nearby cities and there was lots of solitude on this early section. The next 39 miles was a winding trail, which closely follows the Jordan River and has multiple water/bathroom stops. There were a couple of unexpected detours where the City had closed sections of trail for safety or maintenance. The largest detour was around the Utah State Fairpark. Overall I was able to travel along the trail as directed by city/county rules and keep within the course route. The detour(s) added about 1-2 miles to the overall length. I had three support stops along this section.
The Jordan River Parkway trail met up with the Legacy Parkway trail (Miles 64-72) and the Denver & Rio Grande Trail (Miles 72 - 96). These 2 sections were very difficult in that there were few easily accessible water sources. My support team was critical for during this part or if going self-supported you'd want to stash supplies. The unseasonably warm temperatures made the biting flies from the Great Salt Lake a big nuisance for several miles along the Legacy Parkway. From the DRG to Ogden Parkway and finish was quiet and smooth. The route is not well marked in some areas with multiple trail junction, so either running those sections or having a GPS/map is helpful. Overall went well and glad to have been able to do this.