The Value of TFNU Membership
Chances are, that if you are reading this, then trails are a part of your life in one way or another.
Some of us live in the mountains on trails. Others enjoy them on occasion throughout the year. Many of us love biking on the trails, some trail running or hiking, and some, wander and see where the trail takes them.
Trails are magical. Even though the destination may be the same - each time you take off on your favorite trail, something different will stand out to you. It may be the color of the nature around you. It may be the texture of the trail after a storm. It may just be that you notice something that you’ve never noticed before. Magical.
Trails are one the most unique features of a community. While they are free and open to the public, they aren’t free and they most often, don’t belong to any one entity, such as a city or county. In Weber County alone, a majority of our trails have shared ownerships between the county, cities, the power company, the US Forest Service, Private Land Owners, Business owners, etc.
As of July 2022, the average cost for one foot of new trail build was between $5 -$10 p/f. ($26,000 - $52,000 per mile). That’s a lot. And maintenance isn’t much less. Again, in July of 2022 the average cost of maintaining one foot of natural surface (dirt) trail was between $2.50 - $4.00 p/f. ($13,000 - $21,000 per mile). On an average year, over 4000+ hours will go towards building and maintaining trails just in Weber County. It’s true that TFNU secures many grants each year to help pay for the materials, tools and employees to perform this maintenance, however, no other direct funding comes to the organization to help to pay for our general year-round operations. This is why we rely heavily on donations and participation in our annual membership campaign.
Membership with TFNU is a way of showing that you stand with and support our local trails. It’s true - you don’t get special access to any secret trails, or the password to the members-only clubhouse (we wish!) What you do get is an intangible sense of ownership of some of the best parts of our Northern Utah Area.
Membership dollars allow us to operate in a way where we can be out in the community, at events, hosting volunteer evenings, publishing educational information, trail maps, kiosks, signs and more. It allows us to send our leadership to conferences and trainings which, in-turn, benefit us all.
At $60 a year - or just $5 a month, you can become a member of the Trails Foundation of Northern Utah. You will be invited to join a private facebook group just for members. You’ll receive our e-newlsetters -both monthly and quarterly (for members-only). You’ll have access to member only events, contests and opportunities throughout the year. And all members, regardless of their membership level, will receive a discount code for TFNU merchandise purchased online through our web store, a TFNU Member Exclusive T-shirt and Sticker.
Malans Peak Level: $60 /year or $5 /month - Entry level - Shirt/Sticker
Lewis Peak Level: $120 /year or $10 /month - Shirt, Sticker, TFNU Neck Buff & Member Pint Glass
Mt. Ogden Peak Level: $240 /year or $20 /month - Shirt, Sticker, TFNU Neck Buff, Member Pint Glass and Member Exclusive Hat
Family Membership: $360 /year or $30 /month - Up to 4 shirts, stickers & neck buffs. Up to 2 Member Hats and a complimentary Family Day Pass to the Ogden Nature Center.
Ben Lomond Peak Level: $480 /year or $40 /month - Shirt, Sticker, TFNU Neck Buff, Member Pint Glass, Member Hat and TFNU Trail Sign
Trail Guide: $1000+ a year: Shirt, Sticker, TFNU Neck Buff, Member Pint Glass, Member Hat, TFNU Trail Sign, TFNU embroidered Vest and lunch with TFNU Executive Director & Board Chair, our treat.
Corporate / Business Membership: $1000 a year: Your logo will be displayed prominently and hyperlinked on our website with up to six social media posts yearly, a TFNU Member Trail Sign and up to 10 TFNU Member T-shirts for you and your employees, and an optional team building trail clean-up day for you and your staff.
We have a goal to reach 500 members by the end of 2023. Will you please join us? Become or renew your membership today and help us to continue reaching our mission of planning, promoting, preserving, protecting, constructing and maintaining a network of public pathways, trails and related open spaces for non-motorized users throughout Northern Utah as well as to educate, advocate and to raise awareness of trails.