Random Rambler: Eccles Wildlife Center: Purple Trail

The George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Wildlife Education Center (or what I just call: The Eccles Wildlife Center since the former is a bit much) is a a fun little natural area in Farmington. The Purple Trail (also known as the Glovers Pond Trail is a nice little trail that goes alongside Glovers Pond. It offers the Great Blue Heron nesting poles, as well as many other shorebirds.

The map makes it appear that the trail has been cut short and does not go around the pond. But, it just shows what is on the property. As far as I can tell, the trail does still fully circumnavigate the pond.

Quick Details:

Length: Officially on the map, .37 miles one way or .74 out and back. There is a 1.2 mile loop around option.
Trail Type: Out and back, loop and connector options.
Difficulty: It is flat, but super lumpy. DR3.
Elevation Gain: NA
Restroom: There are 24/7 vault toilets, or flush toilets if the Wildlife Center is open.
Dogs? Yes, leashed.
Other Info:

Wildlife Center Hours:

Tuesday–Saturday: 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
Sunday, Monday and holidays: Closed

The nature trails may be used during daylight hours any day of the week and on holidays.

The entry gate opens at 7 a.m and closes at 5 p.m. (it will not lock you inside after 5, it will open automatically for you as you approach it).

If it is still daylight, and the gate is closed, you can still hike along the trails, you just have to park outside the gate and walk the short 3/10ths of a mile in to the parking lot.

To Get Here: (directly from the webpage)

Coming from the south

Travel north on I-15 and take Exit 322 (just after the Glovers Lane overpass). When the ramp forks, stay right. Just off the exit ramp, turn right on the frontage road and continue south. At the first stop sign, turn right onto Glovers Lane.

Continue west on Glovers Lane for two miles, passing through the roundabout at 1100 West. Turn left when you reach Waterfowl Way, drive through the gate and follow the paved road to the parking lot.

Coming from the north

Travel south on I-15 and take Exit 325 toward Park Lane. Turn right onto Park Lane. Turn left at the stop sign onto 1525 West and follow this street until it ends. Turn right onto Glovers Lane.

Shortly after you take this turn, you will see a small parking lot and a gate on your left. Drive through the gate and follow the paved road to the parking lot.

The George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Wildlife Education Center. The Eccles have their name on so many things. But their foundation donates a lot of money to the arts and education, etc. So, I would say they deserve it. It is refreshing to hear about billionaires giving back to the community rather than taking more *cough Ryan Smith cough*.

Anyway, the trail is to the right of this. At the southwest corner of the parking lot.

The Trail:

There is not a trail map in front of the trail, so I used the one from the Red Trail. As you can see, it appears the purple trail comes to an abrupt end.

It is on the other side of this gate. The gate is just meant to deter cars.

Starting along the south side.

There is a nice view of Antelope Island most of the way.

Goose Egg Island.

Another little pond.

The Great Blue Heron Breeding Colony.

Glovers Pond.

Cattails.

Duckies.

They were spinning in circles, I guess looking for food, but it sure looked weird.

The pond again.

Another small pond.

Antelope Island.

Goose Egg Island.

Around to the west side.

Continuing along.

Antelope Island again.

The pond and the nesting colony.

Closer look at the nesting colony.

Panoramic.

The other direction.

Continuing along.

The nesting colony again.

Panoramic.

The pond. You can also see Lagoon in the background.

Waves.

A bunch of red-winged blackbirds.

They all fled to the reeds as we got too close.

Fun clouds.

The pond and the weather radar dome.

Geese.

Little islands.

Another panoramic.

Antelope island, and another little pond.

I guess this is the best of a sunset we are going to get.

Geese.

Then we reached the end of the wildlife centers property. As you can see the trail does continue around the pond.

You can also pick up the Great Salt Lake Shoreline Trail from here. But, I am not sure how much of it is left now that the West Davis Corridor comes through here.

But, we only planned to do a short add-on trail today, so we went back the way we came.

Heading back in. They have not updated this sign since it was renamed. It used to be called the Robert N. Hasenyager Great Salt Lake Nature Preserve before they rebuilt the nature center.

Continuing back.

I guess we got a smidge more sunset color.

Phragmites. All the red-winged blackbirds are hiding in there making a lot of noise.

Quick video, just for the noise they are making. I uh.. failed to focus.

The pond’s outlet.

The nesting colony again.

Antelope Island.

Gloomy clouds. The storm is definitely coming in! Hopefully it brings a lot of snow! This winter has been pretty darn bleak so far.

Another panoramic.

Ducks.

Back to the south side of the pond, heading towards the Wildlife Center.

The pond.

The nesting colony and weather radar dome.

Back to the parking lot.

The wind sure has the flags flapping!

Bonus Content: The Wildlife Center Outside Grounds.

The Wildlife Center is currently closed, but I know there are a few viewing areas back there so, we tossed that on real quick.

The entrance.

Here is what it used to look like before it was rebuilt back in 2018 or so.

February is bald eagle month.

Conservation Hall.

It’s been a minute since we have been inside.

Dedication Stone.

Art? Hopeful bird perches? I don’t know.

L.S. Skaggs Wetland Discovery Classroom.

The new building at the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium is also named for a Skaggs. Huh, nope. different Skaggs. Oh wait, haha. L.S. is Leonard Samuel, who had a wife named Aline so yeah, same guy. He was a prominent Utah business man and philanthropist and son of another business man who owned Skaggs Alpha Beta (among other things, but that is what I remember). Jr. died in 2013. Source (outside link).

Speaking of… the Sam & Aline Skaggs Science Learning Center at the aquarium is supposed to open soon.. oh, next weekend! February 20th. We uh… may or may not go.

Viewing platform.

Which include a couple telescopes for wildlife viewing.

View.

Panoramic.

Goose Egg Island.

Panoramic of the back of the Wildlife Center.

I guess Mr. Hasenyager’s legacy was demoted from the wildlife center, to this tiny trail back here. But, I get it. The Eccles Foundation funded rebuilding it.

“Welcome to the Hasenyager Legacy Trail

The Great Salt Lake has over 350,000 acres of wetlands with 70% managed for water birds. Many wetlands managed by the state were purchased over 100 years ago to boost waterfowl populations. In the 1930’s, drought and poor water conservation dried up wetlands, spreading botulism and drastically reducing waterfowl populations.

Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area was purchased in 1935 and with the help of the Civilian Conservation Corps, ditches and dikes were built to create waterbird habitat. Today, more than 12 million birds from over 330 species visit the Great Salt Lake ecosystem annually, with Farmington Bay serving as a hotspot for migratory waterbirds.”

Well, dang. I was hoping to learn a bit about Mr. Hasenyager. I did find this:

“Robert "Bob" Hasenyager, who died in 2013 at the age of 61, was a long-time employee of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, and the creator of a foundation that sought to protect natural places like what is now the Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area.”

2015 KSL Article (outside link) it also mentions a 1.6 mile loop, named for him that was completed in 2024. Uhm… what? This trail is tiny. Are they referring to the Red Trail maybe? If so, other than this sign, there is no mention of him, not to mention that trail has existed for some time, just renamed with the Wildlife Center rebuild. I am a little confused.

The new "What’s your wingspan?” sign.

Random weather station…. I think. Maybe another random bird perch?

Bird friendly pollinator garden.

I didn’t get a picture, but the old Upland Trail turned service road is now signed as employee use only. So that is definitely not the Hasenyager Legacy Trail.

Back between buildings.

Oh! Here we go.

“The Legacy of Robert N. Hasenyager

Through volunteer work, research, recreation and a distinguished career with the Utah Division of wildlife Resources, Robert N. Hasenyager championed wetland conservation and encouraged the community to create an education center at Farmington Bay. His Leadership and passion garnered wide support, resulting in the marsh boardwalk and the previous education center.

The George S. and Dolores Dore Eccles Wildlife Education Center, built on the Robert N. Hasenyager Great Salt Lake Nature Reserve, stands as a testament to his pioneering legacy and commitment to nature education and conservation.””

Oh… so the property is the Robert N. Hasenyager Great Salt Lake Nature Reserve still? Just the education center is Eccles it would seem. Both names are definitely a freaking mouthful. But… I am now leaning towards going back to calling it the GSL Nature Reserve unless specifically speaking about the education center.

Super fun art! A combination of a shorebird and a water control gate.

Wetlands, 2018 by Dan Gerhart.

The sign on the vault toilets.

“Vault Toilets available 24/7

If you’d rather not use this facility, the nearest public restrooms are at the Maverik convenience store, located at 1172 W. Park Lane in Farmington.

Indoor restroom are available during the Education Center’s open hours: Tuesday-Saturday, from 11 AM - 4 PM.”

What a nice way of saying this is what is available outside of normal hours, if you don’t like it go somewhere else.

The front of the wildlife center.

Lagoon starting to light up (PSP).

The automatic gate (PSP). Just approach it slowly, you need to be like… 5-10 inches from it to activate it, but it will open to let you out. I was about to say I promise, but you know, things happen, like power outages etc.

We did a quick drive out to the south end of the Buffalo Ranch trail. It looks like there is now a trail over the new West Davis Corridor, and otherwise it looks like it isn’t too different, but, of course I will have to come back and check it out to be 100% sure. But I am glad to see the new highway didn't completely kill the trail.

Farmington used to be my absolute favorite city in regards to trail maps and information, but they seem to have removed the master maps and deferred to smaller area maps, all within a kind of hard to navigate 200 page pdf. It is a shame that while trying to provide more information, they have gone a little backwards in usefulness. I really struggled to figure out if these trails still existed, and if so, how they exist now that the highway cuts through here.

Glovers Pond again as we head back (Passenger Seat Photography (PSP)).

The parking lot just outside of the gate to the Wildlife Center (PSP).

That was fun. I am glad we explored it again, and I am glad I went down some rabbit holes and learned about some more of the people that make things like this possible for us all to enjoy. They absolutely deserve to have their name live on. Sadly, we did not have so much luck on any of the raptors today, or much wildlife other than ducks and geese, but it was still a good add on. meh… 7 squirrels today.