Multi-Use Trail – La Verkin to Zion’s South Entrance

One thousand feet of elevation, 22 miles of rural highway, and some of the most peaceful yet dramatic landscapes in the nation separate Zion National Park from the communities of Hurricane and La Verkin lower down the plateau in Southwest Utah.

State Route 9 is the region’s main artery into the park. With a challenging section, known locally as “the twist,” cyclists and hikers compete with traffic trek along the roadside with vehicles flying by. This initiative, supported by a regional coalition, envisions a phased trail network connecting local communities directly with the park while providing a safe, fun, and scenic alternative to driving.

Part of a larger vision focused on sustainable initiatives within the Greater Zion Landscape, support of this project helps fund the first phase of an eventual 22 miles of trail. Your donation will unlock matching funds, and build a reliable and accessible connector focused on promoting access through alternative transportation. The paved multi-modal trail system would accommodate hikers, cyclists, and those with limited mobility.

This long-needed connection establishes a backbone of infrastructure, eventually joining with trails from St. George Utah, heading directly into the park. Future plans integrate popular bike-sharing programs already available in other parts of the county, and stops along the way offer opportunities to meaningfully engage users with park information and interpretive displays.

The Zion Regional Collaborative is composed of leaders from the towns of Springdale, Rockville, La Verkin, the city of Hurricane, and officials with BLM and Washington County. They bring a diversity of thought and a level of expertise needed to plan, design, engineer, and build this forward-minded project. Your contribution endorses a future encouraging all of us to be outside and experience the land in a more connected way.