A free guided bike ride paired with bird watching along the Jordan River Trail is set for Thursday, Sept. 10, starting at 6:30 p.m. at Shields Lane Park.

The Jordan River Commission and Tracy Aviary are co-hosting the "Bikes and Birds" ride, a short, mostly paved route along the trail that continues onto dirt paths around the Big Bend Restoration Area in West Jordan, between 8400 and 8800 South.

Tracy Aviary staff will lead bird observations along the way.

The ride is part of the Get to the River Festival, a monthlong series of events along the 50-mile Jordan River Parkway now in its 13th year, according to a Jordan River Commission article in the Salt Lake Tribune published Aug. 27. The festival also includes weekly Saturday morning bird walks with Tracy Aviary, group bike rides and paddle trips throughout September.

Participants need to bring their own bike and binoculars. The commission described the route as family-friendly but noted it includes some off-trail sections on dirt around the Big Bend site. Registration is required, and organizers encourage signing up early because space may be limited.

The full calendar and registration links are available at GetToTheRiver.org. Questions can go to [email protected] or 801-536-4158.

The Big Bend Restoration Area itself is in the middle of a major overhaul. West Jordan, the Jordan River Commission and the Utah Division of Forestry have partnered on a $7 million project to restore 70 acres along the river, funded by an America the Beautiful Grant. The work, announced in September 2024, includes planting 20,000 trees and shrubs and removing invasive species like phragmites and tamarisk.

Tracy Aviary has conducted bird monitoring studies along the Jordan River since 2013, with the Jordan River Commission as a partner.