The biggest violators, according to Todd Jensen, director of the Legacy project for the Utah Department of Transportation, were not automobile drivers but bicyclists and walkers excited to use the new 14-mile paved trail system and three-mile nature trail adjacent to the highway.

"People were more anxious to use that than any part of the facility," he said. "We have had good response on the trail."

Even on a recent weekday, bicyclists, a few walkers, an in-line skater and even a geo-cache enthusiast explored the new trail system that also includes access to the Bountiful Pond on the west side of the Legacy Highway. There was evidence that horseback riders were also exploring the area.

While the noise of traffic did detract a bit from the experience, trail users who picked up the pathway at any one of seven trailheads from Farmington to North Salt Lake enjoyed a largely rural scene of farm fields and wetlands. A surprising number of small streams coming out of the nearby mountains feed the marshes.

Interpretive signs at each stop offer information on the area and identify shorebirds that might be viewed along the path, especially where the paved trail runs along the west side of the highway on the northern part of the system.

The three-mile nature trail, which is made up of road base and not paved, starts at the 500 South Trailhead in Woods Cross and gives walkers a good view of the Legacy Preserve, which is part of the project.

If there is a problem, it is that there are no restrooms at any of the stops, although there are toilets at the Bountiful Pond near the middle of the trail. There is also no place to fill water bottles and, given the nature of the parkway and highway, there aren't commercial establishments along the way either.

"The trailheads right now are pretty much what they will be like with the exception of landscaping," said Jensen. "As far as restrooms and other facilities, we evaluated that and had safety and long-term maintenance concerns. Those were considered and ruled out."

Bob Kerry of Layton rode about six miles on the northern part of the trail and enjoyed the experience.

"There is nothing extreme," he said. "I had to shift down a few gears. I plan to come here at least twice a week. There is good access to it and it's a recreational level trail."

Wayne Barnes of Bountiful, a member of a Utah Geo-cache Club, said there are six caches along the Legacy Parkway. He was riding his bicycle and using a global positioning system in an effort to find them.

The idea behind the trail system is to serve as a recreational amenity and be used by commuters on bicycles going to work.

According to Jensen, the idea for incorporating a trail system into the project came from then Gov. Mike Leavitt when he announced the idea in the mid-1990s and called it a parkway instead of a highway because the trail concept was always a part of it.

The trail is relatively level, though there are some small hills. Exposure to wind can make it challenging for bicyclists who aren't in great shape, but most walkers, cyclists and in-line skaters should enjoy the route.

Plans call for the Legacy Parkway trail to be connected eventually with the Jordan River Parkway. Currently, there is a one-mile gap between the two, but Salt Lake City is working on funding to get that mile built.

Tom Wharton writes about travel and the outdoors. Contact him at wharton@sltrib.com or 801-257-8909. Comment about this story at livingeditor@sltrib.com.