One of Zion National Park’s favorite trails will soon be restored and open to hikers after the National Park Foundation received a $1 million grant from the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation.
The trail has been closed since December 2010 after heavy rains and mudslides destroyed part of it. The trail was further damaged in a second flash flood, which occurred a year ago.
The Eccles Foundation grant will fund needed repairs and improvements to the trail. Fixing the trail will require extensive re-engineering, realignment and reconstruction, the anticipated completion date for the trail project is in December 2019, at which time it will re-open to the public.
Part of the $1 million grant will also go toward programs to provide Utah’s youth with opportunities to visit the parks and programs in their home state.

The grant will make it possible for up to 20,000 school children from throughout Utah — including many who have never before visited a national park — to participate in engaging, hands-on, in-park experiences through programs such as the National Park Foundation’s Open Outdoors for Kids initiative and Concrete to Canyons.
“Thanks to funding from the Eccles Foundation, Middle Emerald Pools in Zion National Park will get an essential infusion of support to restore and reopen the trail,” said National Park Foundation President Will Shafroth. “Private support like that from the Eccles Foundation plays a vital role in meeting critical needs within our parks.”
Spencer F. Eccles, chairman and CEO of the Eccles Foundation and longtime supporter of the National Park Foundation, believes wild places add to the well-being of the nation and its citizens.
“Our national parks are among the most incredible places anywhere in our country, and we’re so fortunate to have more than a dozen of them right here in our backyard,” he said. “Our foundation’s directors take special pride in Utah’s national parks, and as we welcome the 101st year of our National Park Service, we remain committed to ensuring its vibrant future in our state.”
The National Park Foundation is the official charity of America’s national parks and nonprofit partner to the National Park Service. Chartered by Congress in 1967, the National Park Foundation raises private funds to help protect more than 84 million acres of national parks through critical conservation and preservation efforts, connect all Americans with their incomparable natural landscapes, vibrant culture and rich history, and inspire the next generation of park stewards.
The entire national parks systems has been severely underfunded for several years and as a result many maintenance and upkeep projects have gone unrepaired, said John Marciano, public information officer for Zion National Park.
He said the reason the Middle Emerald Pools trail hasn’t been repaired sooner is because Zion National Park hasn’t had the funds to do it.
“It’s all a matter of funding,” said Marciano. “Without this grant, this trail would likely have continued to go unrepaired for years to come. It will be great to have this trail back in use. It will help displace our visitors and make the other trails less crowded.”