Frank Howe, the chairman of the Logan River Task Force, and the Logan City Parks and Recreation Director, Russ Akina, announced a plan to incorporate the Logan River into the Cache Valley Trail System as a ‘blue trail’ on January 7. If adopted, the proposed blue trail could eventually span from just below First Dam — close to the USU water lab — to the Cutler Marsh Marina.
A blue trail, as defined by the non-profit organization American Rivers, is a community-led effort to improve access to and protection of local rivers. Howe said while people already use the river for kayaking and recreation, the designation of a blue trail also sponsors a sense of stewardship for the land.
“There are a lot of places around the West, where cities and counties have really recognized the value of the river system to the community at large. And I would say for, you know, 150 years or so, Logan really hasn't treated the river like an amenity,” Howe said. “But within the last 10 years or so, we've really started to recognize some of the value of the river, both the ecological value of the river, the value of the river for fish and wildlife, but also the value of the river for the people that live here — the social value of the river.”
Sean Lowe is not only one of the owners of Bad Apple Eddy Outfitters — which rents kayaks, canoes and paddleboards in Logan — he also loves rafting and kayaking. Lowe said at the moment, they’re very selective of who they’ll rent equipment to for use on the Logan River which he described as “kind of a mild white-water.”
Lowe said many of the company’s rentals are for more laidback users, generally heading to Bear Lake, Cutler Marsh at Benson Marina, and even the Oneida Narrows section of the Bear River in Idaho.
“I wish it was closer because there's so much fun, and I hope that the Logan river can resemble that river — even just a small scale — for the type of recreation that it provides and the fun," Lowe said.
Ogden City has a designated Kayak Park, but between flooding from 2011 and efforts to recover the body of drowned 4-year-old in 2012, the Weber River project has fallen into disrepair. Lowe — who’s also a paramedic — stresses the importance of wearing a lifejacket to avoid situation like this.
