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$500K Grant Received from the Utah Outdoor Office of Recreation
With Matching Funds, New East Zion Bike Trails Will Become a Reality
The Utah Office of Outdoor Recreation just completed this year’s grant funding. The Zion Forever Project was awarded the largest grant, totaling $500,000. This grant requires additional matching funds in order to be unlocked. Donate today and help envision the East Side Initiative that helps secure Utah’s first National Park.
With more than 4.5 Million visitors each season, creative and conservation-based solutions are needed to tackle some of the land management challenges seen in Zion’s main canyon. Working with a willing private landowner and numerous federal and state agencies, the Zion Forever Project is envisioning the next century of park planning and stewardship.
Through the securement of conservation easements that protect these park adjacent parcels from incompatible development, creating a new Visitor Center and more than 70+ miles of hiking and biking trails will protect more than 6,000 acres of land from future traditional development. Aligned with the park’s long-term management plan, the East Zion Initiative maintains public access to the land and ensures the future quality of the park experience.
Phase I of this initiative includes 25 new miles of mountain biking trail outside the park borders just north of the Mt. Carmel Scenic Byway. With 10 miles of trail nearing completion the next phase, with your support, could break ground by the end of this year.
Offering breathtaking views and world-class features and flow, the mountain bike trails at East Zion will be fully accessible to the public and cater to riders of all skills with green, blue, and black trail ratings.
“Communities are seeing the need to renovate decades-old trails or build new ones after seeing the demand increasing from both their residents and tourists. We’re happy to award these matching funds to enable cities, towns, counties, and nonprofits across Utah to invest in the outdoor recreation projects for which their residents are asking. The grants will enable communities to build a wide range of projects from trails and fishing piers to archery ranges for the enjoyment of both locals and visitors.” – Pitt Grewe, Director, Utah Office of Outdoor Recreation
