Utah Outdoor Adventure Commission previews strategic plan and statewide recreation asset database

The Utah Outdoor Adventure Commission on a recent meeting reviewed a draft strategic plan and a centralized outdoor recreation asset database intended to consolidate federal, state and local datasets for use in project prioritization.

Jordan, the presenter for the plan, told commissioners the team compiled trailheads, trails, restrooms, drinking fountains, RV dump stations, showers and parking into a single ArcGIS platform that can pull updates directly from agencies such as the Forest Service, state parks and the Automated Geographic Reference Center. "All of that data... is pulling directly from central authority to the dataset," Jordan said, summarizing the database's source connections.

The commission will use the database to pair a single infrastructure index with a demand index derived from geotagged photo‑sharing activity and population density, then plot locations in a four‑quadrant supply‑and‑demand framework. Jordan described the categories as: low demand/low infrastructure; low demand/high infrastructure; high demand/low infrastructure; and high demand/high infrastructure. He said the analysis is intended to guide where infrastructure investments, marketing or policy interventions are most likely to succeed.

Commissioners pressed on how updates would be kept current. Jordan said the system pulls official agency layers and that update cadence depends on partner agencies: "All of the data that we have now that's managed by a federal agency is pulling from their official datasets," he said. Commissioners noted differing update rates across partners and stressed the commission should treat the maps as one tool among considerations including safety, economics and local capacity.

The draft strategic plan was distributed in hard copy at the meeting and will be sent digitally; Jordan asked commissioners to return comments within about three weeks so the team can refine the plan before an Oct. 31 presentation and before the commission finalizes a prioritized project list to recommend to the legislature. The commission agreed to publish an interest form so counties and local partners can submit project proposals for review.

The meeting concluded with routine business items completed and a motion to adjourn.

What’s next: commissioners will receive the digital draft, submit feedback ahead of Oct. 31 and expect the division to present an abbreviated set of recommended priorities for the commission to review before the legislative session.