Council hears proposal for 600 North trailhead, discusses UDOT interchange work and regional trail feasibility

Arthur (city staff) told the council that vehicles have been parking on 600 North to access Bureau of Land Management (BLM) trails north of the road and that the situation looks like a safety hazard.

He said he had discussed the issue with Jason West, the new manager for the National Conservation Area on the BLM side, and that West asked the city to submit a right‑of‑way application if it wanted a trailhead there. Arthur said the BLM would issue a right‑of‑way and that the trailhead would be a city facility that the city would be responsible for maintaining. Arthur said he had obtained a letter of support from Conservation Southwest Utah to show the BLM there was local stakeholder backing for the plan and to reduce litigation risk.

The council discussed likely elements of a trailhead, including restroom facilities and pull‑through parking to accommodate horse trailers. Arthur said he would look into sewer and water availability near 600 North but recommended installing at least a basic restroom — possibly a BLM pit toilet — if the city proceeds.

Funding and partners were discussed. Arthur said the city has secured “pretty good, generous” funding from multiple entities and noted recent encouragement from the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) to apply for additional funding. He described the prospects for leveraging a modest local match to attract outside grant dollars.

Separately, staff reported work with Washington County and other stakeholders on a possible trail linking Confluence Park through portions of the Virgin River Gorge up to State Route 9. Staff said they had identified an Outdoor Recreation Planning Assistance grant from the Utah Office of Outdoor Recreation to pay for a feasibility study and planned to apply jointly with regional partners.

Council members also discussed submitted interchange plans tied to a proposed Kachina Ridge development. Staff said the developer is required to build an interchange to provide access to SR‑59 and that UDOT and the city are preparing a framework agreement — described as a ‘‘GRAMA’’ between the developer, UDOT and the city — to lay out design and approval steps. Staff said UDOT will need to provide its opinion on roadway options before the council can make local decisions affecting the state highway.

Why it matters: if the council pursues a trailhead on 600 North the city would own and maintain the facility and would be responsible for coordinating funding, design and ongoing maintenance. The interchange and highway planning could affect future local street alignments including 600 North, so the council framed these matters as long‑term infrastructure decisions requiring coordination with UDOT and neighboring agencies.

Speakers quoted or referenced in this article may not all carry formal titles in the transcript; direct quotations and paraphrases come from the public record of the meeting.