Take in views of East Canyon Creek and an ongoing stream restoration project on the Swaner Preserve: installation of beaver dam analogs (BDAs).

These human-made beaver dams mimic the ecological benefits of beaver by cooling and maintaining streamflow through dry summer months, creating habitat for dozens of species like the native Bonneville cutthroat trout, helping the watershed adapt to a changing climate, and sequestering carbon. Learn more about this research on the Swaner Preserve website here. Along with BDAs, Swaner staff and volunteers plant hundreds of willows and other woody vegetation along the banks of East Canyon Creek each year to improve shading and habitat along the riparian area.

This Chronolog is located approximately 0.4 miles from the Spring Creek Trailhead along a singletrack packed dirt and rock trail open to hikers and mountain bikers. Immediately behind the Chronolog is a bench and switchback. Trail maps for the surrounding area can be found here. 

Swaner Preserve Beaver Dam Analogs

The Swaner Preserve and EcoCenter  is a Utah State University Extenstion site located in Park City, Utah. Swaner encompasses a 1,200-acre preserve, a 10,000-square-foot state of the art environmental education facility, and 10 miles of trails.

Swaner’s Mission is to preserve the land and the human connection to the natural landscape, educate the local and broader communities about the value of nature, and nurture both the ecosystem and the people connected with it. 