Utah's Division of Outdoor Recreation will Spend $20 Million Enhancing 31 Recreation Spots Across the State

The complete list of all 31 recreation sites where grant monies will be spent is outlined below within this writeup.

The state of Utah is spending $20 million to improve outdoor recreation at 31 sites in the months ahead.

According to the recent announcement from the Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation, $20 million has been set aside via its Outdoor Adventure Infrastructure Fund to boost "... the state’s outdoor amenities, ensuring access, sustainability and enhanced experiences for all Utahns and visitors."

Formed by the Utah Legislature in 2022, DOR is 1 of 11 separate divisions/organizations within the Utah Department of Natural Resources, and its charter is

"... ensuring every Utahn can live a healthy and active lifestyle through outdoor recreation and access to natural space, ... (including) recreational access; safety and education; stewardship and sustainable visitation; and economic growth and opportunity through outdoor recreation."

Targeted work planned through the $20 million in Outdoor Adventure Infrastructure Fund grant monies range from

• Creating a connection from Sand Mountain Recreation Area to Sand Hollow State Park, as well as
• Six separate Feasibility Studies regarding projects for

1. Access at Lion's Park River,
2. Washington Dome,
3. Goosenest Park in Elk Ridge City,
4. Blanding,
5. Richfield, and
6. North Salt Lake.

The OAIF grants also include monies for acquiring five separate properties across the state, along with funding for an Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning project about avalanches.

A complete list is outlined below highlighting the monies to be spent on each of the different 31 projects. {NOTE: Where possible, we have included "hotlinks" for the respective projects.}

1. $3.0 million on the Beas-Lewis Campground;
2. $2.0 million on connecting Sand Mountain Recreation Area to Sand Hollow State Park;
3. $1.725 million to restore Lucerne Campground;
4. $1.295 million to improve Kents Lake Campground;
5. $1.107 million for the Mud Springs Trail System;
6. $1.0 million for the 2025 Port Ramp Reconstruction Project;
7. $1.0 million to acquire the BST Land;
8. $1.0 million Pineview Reservoir Phase 3;
9. $1.0 million for the Utah Avalanche Center A.I./Machine Learning Project;
10. $800,000 for acquiring the Ozark Property in Summit County;
11. $800,000 for completion of the Strawberry Bay Recreation Complex Backlog Maintenance, as well as Recreation Planning and Priority Site Design;
12. $570,000 for work on the Bonneville Shoreline Trail in Cache County;
13. $573,000 for the Guinavah-Malibu Campground;
14. $518,440 for restoration of Forest Road 085;
15. $500,000 for Infrastructure Gap Funding of Upper Mill Creek Canyon;
16. $500,000 the Five Mile OHV Improvement Project;
17. $500,000 for acquiring the Ure Ranch Recreation Area in Summit County;
18. $400,000 for acquiring land in Ivins City;
19. $400,000 for work on the North Wash Boat Ramp in Cataract Canyon;
20. $250,000 for acquiring Cascade Farms;
21. $200,000 for producing a Central Region Recreation Long-Range Plan;
22. $200,000 for a Feasibility Study for Lion's Park River Access;
23. $200,000 for the Lucerne Boat Dock;
24. $200,000 for a Recreation Participation Study;
25. $150,000 for a Feasibility Study about Washington Dome;
26. $146,000 for a Feasibility Study about Goosenest Park in Elk Ridge City;
27. $120,000 for a Blanding Feasibility Study;
28. $108,000 for a Spotted Owl and Archeology National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review in East Zion;
29. $72,000 for a Richfield Bike Feasibility Study;
30. $38,000 for a Bountiful Master Trails Plan NEPA review; and
31. $37,500 for a North Salt Lake Trails Master Plan Feasibility
    Study.

According to Patrick Morrison, DOR’s recreation program director,

“The (DOR's 'Outdoor Recreation Initiative') represents a collaborative approach to meeting the challenges of today’s recreation needs and being proactive about the future. By connecting local and regional voices, we’re fostering an inclusive and locally led vision for Utah’s outdoor future.”

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