Zion region groups request NEPA and capital help for Guacamole Mesa, Discovery Center and corridor trail

Multiple presenters representing the Zion Regional Collaborative, Zion Forever Project and regional partners outlined three distinct but related project requests for state support.

Guacamole Mesa (GEM): Emily Friedman (Zion Regional Collaborative) requested funding to complete a retroactive NEPA for an illegally constructed but heavily used trail network and to plan trailhead infrastructure. She said recent counts show over 20,000 annual visitors and estimated NEPA at ~$107,000 and trailhead infrastructure at ~$96,000 (total ~$203,000). "In order to do any further work on Guacamole Mesa... requires NEPA," Friedman said.

Zion Discovery Center / Experiential Campus: Natalie Bridal (Design Forever Project) and Amanda Rowland (park liaison) described a long‑developed public‑private project on the park's east boundary focused on education, tribal partnerships and visitor dispersal. Presenters said the project already has $18.5 million from the Community Impact Board for building costs, $10 million from UDOT for access improvements and $850,000 from the Outdoor Adventure Commission for trail work; they requested continued support for master planning and the experiential quarter.

Kanab–East Zion paved corridor: Kelly Stowell and Sunrise Engineering presented feasibility and NEPA needs for a 45‑mile active‑transportation corridor connecting Kanab to the East Side of Zion. They estimated construction costs in the tens of millions (headline figure cited: ~$45,000,000) and asked the commission to prioritize phased NEPA and design funding to make sections shovel‑ready.

Commissioners generally praised the projects and noted their potential to disperse visitation and provide educational access; staff emphasized the commission must decide prioritization criteria and how to balance infrastructure vs. planning rides ahead of the January appropriation window.

Next steps: Applicants will supply packet details; staff will circulate prioritization materials and the commission will weigh funding across two fiscal years.