February 2022
Decker Lake is a gorgeous 1.3 mile loop hike. It can be enjoyed by dogs. The rim of the lake can be hiked in either a clockwise or a counterclockwise direction. This is a great place to enjoy the sunset over the oquirrh mountains and take in the alpenglow on the wasatch mountains. The reflection on the water makes this a beautiful and scenic destination.
I had some time to kill on a Thursday night so I decided to do a couple of laps on the trail around the lake. I started my hike on the north end of the lake. Walking clockwise, I noticed a fair amount of garbage on the shore, including a mattress that someone had dumped in the lake.
As I rounded the southwest side of the lake near the jail I observed about six shopping carts in the lake and one stroller.
Near the west side of the lake one is rewarded with the roar of traffic on interstate 2-15. There is no sound barrier or trees to buffer the space between the trail and the freeway.
As I rounded the lake a second time, I noted much plastic and garbage lining the shore of the lake. It’s unfortunate that this trail has been littered. I notice the Petzl Technical Institute nearby which is sponsored by an outdoor gear company. Perhaps this company would want to sponsor a clean-up of this trail. But it makes me wonder how long it would take when the trail is cleaned up before it would return to its current state.
As I walk around the lake I imagine a system of private partner sponsorships where companies could adopt sections of trail to maintain and remove garbage. This is also needed on the Jordan River Parkway. Maybe if we kept our trails clean, people would hesitate before littering. In its current state, it’s easy for people to trash what could be a gorgeous trail. What’s one more can or bottle?
Western Compass 