Dear Red Butte Garden lovers,

I have witnessed many milestones during my time at Red Butte Garden—from the construction of new buildings, venues, and themed gardens, to the development of outreach programs and conservation research. We have extended our reach beyond the foothills to the far corners of the state and beyond. And we’re not done yet! I’m excited to tell you about our newest addition, the Six Bridges Trail, a dream envisioned by our late co-founder, Zeke Dumke, Jr.

Tucked away along our northern boundary is a ravine that stretches along Red Butte Creek. Before Red Butte Garden became stewards of this land, the site belonged to the US Army and was used as a dumping ground. Where others saw a dump, Zeke saw opportunity. Bushwhacking his way through the ravine, Zeke foresaw a series of bridges crisscrossing the creek where guests could walk up the canyon and enjoy the flora and fauna in this riparian ecosystem, while pausing to watch the creek below. Today, that dream is reality.

Just as we built a trail of bridges connecting people to this new terrain, we have built bridges connecting us to the community. We have built:

• A bridge to the past through our methodical conservation efforts and the rediscovery of the Four Corners Potato, a staple of the region’s Indigenous people
• A bridge to the arts through our renowned summer concert series and cultural programming where we have showcased many community partners such as the Utah Symphony, Utah Shakespearean Festival, and most recently, Ballet West
• Bridges to our school children and educational system through our award-winning outreach programs and on-site field classes
• Bridges to the greater environment and residents of the arid mountain west with our Water Conservation Garden and related educational programs to promote sustainability

And now, as we embark on our next chapter, we seek to build a bridge to the future that will fortify all that we’ve accomplished and prepare us for all that we want to become.

As this year ends, I ask you to join us in looking ahead and being a part of that future. A gift to the Garden today will help us determine where our next bridge will lead. Will you make that journey with us?

Together, we’ve accomplished so much – let’s keep going. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Derrek Hanson, Interim Executive Director