Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
- Utah County commissioners seek congressional support for a land swap near Bridal Veil Falls.
- The swap involves 63 acres from the U.S. Forest Service for 78 county-owned acres.
- The county aims for improved control over maintenance, safety and visitor experience.
PROVO — Utah County commissioners approved a letter on Wednesday calling for congressional support for a land swap as they seek greater control over the area surrounding Bridal Veil Falls.
"Utah County government is seeking your support for a property exchange/land swap near Bridal Veil Falls in Provo, Utah," the draft letter to Rep. Mike Kennedy, R-Utah, stated. "This exchange is crucial for the continued development and preservation of this iconic natural landmark."
According to Utah County Commissioner Skyler Beltran, the county is seeking 63 acres currently owned by the U.S. Forest Service in exchange for 78 more rugged acres the county holds closer to Vivian Park.
Beltran told KSL-TV on Thursday the swap would give the county greater control over issues like appearance, maintenance and safety while lowering the federal government's maintenance costs.
"A big project we want to do is divert bikes off of the trail where the people like to congregate on the bottom of the falls, and just make a small, little bike bridge across, bring them over, and then pick them back up," Beltran said. "The Forest Service, being federal, in Washington, D.C. — it tends to take a lot of time, or we get told no."
Beltran said the county ideally would also look for better ways to prevent people from falling in the Provo River and would look at upgrades along the trail in the area to make for a better experience for people visiting what he described as "Utah County's gem" and likely the top outdoor tourist destination in the county.
"It's a beautiful, beautiful scene in the spring and summer," Beltran said.
He expressed optimism that a deal could be worked out and said the matter had support from Kennedy as well as local and state leaders. The timeframe was unknown, and Beltran said the matter was likely to take time.
Regular visitors to the area, including Jake Denny, said they saw value in the swap.
"I don't think it would be a bad idea if we're just talking put up some guard rails, maybe add some bathrooms, some water fountains, clear out the ice this time of year, and open up the park so that we can still enjoy it," Denny said. "Yeah, in theory, I think that's great."
