As Utah’s national parks and ski areas are being increasingly overcrowded and as more residents visit state parks, state officials are seeking to add a new destination in the Monte Cristo Range northeast of Huntsville.
HB381 was introduced on Monday and seeks to appropriate $20 million to install infrastructures such as paved parking and a campground on 188 acres of state-owned land in Weber County on State Road 39, a report said.
“There’s already a huge trail system that connects to Forest Service land, summer and winter trails,” said bill sponsor Rep. Steve Eliason, R-Sandy. “It’s basically a jumping-off point to what’s already exists and being used by the public.”
The bill will also allocate $450,000 annually to pay for the operational expenses associated with the proposed Monte Cristo State Parks. The state already charges $10 in the winter months to park at the site.
The number of individuals who pay the fee has doubled over the past two years and reached 21,000 last year, as per the Division of Recreation.
State park visits increased by almost 40% in 2021, 12 million. In all of Utah, the parks division has made significant investments in the amenities of parks, thanks to the $120 million in new budgets.