(Courtesy photo provided by Justin Heideman) A St. George developer is seeking to build four camping resorts on Kolob Mountain above the deep gorge carved by the Virgin River in Zion National Park. The largest, called Above Zion, would put up as many as 2,000 sites, most equipped with yurts, tepees and other temporary structures, on 1,200 acres east of Kolob Reservoir.A sprawling network of camping resorts soon could begin unfolding in the Kolob highlands on ’s northern boundary, potentially resulting in an influx of overnight use in a remote and scenic part of southern Utah.Late last year,...…(Courtesy photo provided by Justin Heideman) A St. George developer is seeking to build four camping resorts on Kolob Mountain above the deep gorge carved by the Virgin River in Zion National Park. The largest, called Above Zion, would put up as many as 2,000 sites, most equipped with yurts, tepees and other temporary structures, on 1,200 acres east of Kolob Reservoir.A sprawling network of camping resorts soon could begin unfolding in the Kolob highlands on ’s northern boundary, potentially resulting in an influx of overnight use in a remote and scenic part of southern Utah.Late last year,...WW…

(Francisco Kjolseth | Tribune file photo) Then-Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, left, and Utah Gov. Gary Herbert meet with reporters during Zinke's May 2017 tour of Bears Ears National Monument. Zinke ended up urging President Donal Trump to drastically reduce the size of the monument. Utah lawmakers also gave thousands to a nonprofit group to sue the federal government over the monument's initial designation on behalf of San Juan County. The group, known as the Foundation for Integrated Resource Management, spent the money without filing a single lawsuit.In 2016, the Utah Legislature opened...…(Francisco Kjolseth | Tribune file photo) Then-Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, left, and Utah Gov. Gary Herbert meet with reporters during Zinke's May 2017 tour of Bears Ears National Monument. Zinke ended up urging President Donal Trump to drastically reduce the size of the monument. Utah lawmakers also gave thousands to a nonprofit group to sue the federal government over the monument's initial designation on behalf of San Juan County. The group, known as the Foundation for Integrated Resource Management, spent the money without filing a single lawsuit.In 2016, the Utah Legislature opened...WW…

(Photo courtesy Zion National Park) In this photo posted to the Zion National Park Facebook page on March 25, 2020, hikers stand and walk along a trail in the park. Rangers have encouraged visitors to practice social distancing to reduce coronavirus infections.While visitor services and many popular Zion Canyon destinations are closed, southern Utah’s remained open Thursday despite pleas from two gateway towns to shut down the tourist spot, which has seen heavy spring traffic by out-of-staters.In recent days, elected officials in Springdale and Rockville voted to send letters to Interior...…(Photo courtesy Zion National Park) In this photo posted to the Zion National Park Facebook page on March 25, 2020, hikers stand and walk along a trail in the park. Rangers have encouraged visitors to practice social distancing to reduce coronavirus infections.While visitor services and many popular Zion Canyon destinations are closed, southern Utah’s remained open Thursday despite pleas from two gateway towns to shut down the tourist spot, which has seen heavy spring traffic by out-of-staters.In recent days, elected officials in Springdale and Rockville voted to send letters to Interior...WW…

(Brian Maffly | Tribune file photo) Tourists in 2018 explore the Toadstools, formations located in an area recently removed from the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.While rural Utah leaders have long derided national monument designations as an unacceptable drag on their area economies, a new study by a nonpartisan think tank indicates that large monuments, including , on balance, have helped drive economic activity in adjacent communities.And, it warns, reducing them in size, as , could cost hundreds of jobs.These are the findings of , a long-established nonpartisan...…(Brian Maffly | Tribune file photo) Tourists in 2018 explore the Toadstools, formations located in an area recently removed from the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.While rural Utah leaders have long derided national monument designations as an unacceptable drag on their area economies, a new study by a nonpartisan think tank indicates that large monuments, including , on balance, have helped drive economic activity in adjacent communities.And, it warns, reducing them in size, as , could cost hundreds of jobs.These are the findings of , a long-established nonpartisan...WW…

(Lennie Mahler | Tribune file photo) Hikers follow the silty Paria River near the Utah-Arizona border on Sept. 26, 2016. The popular slot canyon east of Kanab is among the many BLM sites Kane and Garfield counties closed to recreational use on Tuesday to limit the spread of the coronavirus in these rural southern Utah communities.Editor’s note: The Salt Lake Tribune is providing readers free access to critical local stories about the coronavirus during this time of heightened concern. See more coverage . To support journalism like this, please consider or become a .The clampdown on outdoor...…(Lennie Mahler | Tribune file photo) Hikers follow the silty Paria River near the Utah-Arizona border on Sept. 26, 2016. The popular slot canyon east of Kanab is among the many BLM sites Kane and Garfield counties closed to recreational use on Tuesday to limit the spread of the coronavirus in these rural southern Utah communities.Editor’s note: The Salt Lake Tribune is providing readers free access to critical local stories about the coronavirus during this time of heightened concern. See more coverage . To support journalism like this, please consider or become a .The clampdown on outdoor...WW…

(Trent Nelson | Tribune file photo) Visitors to Bryce Canyon National Park stand in a closed-off area covered in snow on at Bryce Point during last year's government shutdown. The last of Utah's national parks to close in the face of this year's coronavirus epidemic, it will be the first to welcome visitors back on May. 6 with limited services and destinations available.Bryce Canyon, Utah’s last national park to close as the coronavirus swept the nation, is poised to be the first to resume operations May 6 even as new infections climb in other parts of the state.For the time being, of the...…(Trent Nelson | Tribune file photo) Visitors to Bryce Canyon National Park stand in a closed-off area covered in snow on at Bryce Point during last year's government shutdown. The last of Utah's national parks to close in the face of this year's coronavirus epidemic, it will be the first to welcome visitors back on May. 6 with limited services and destinations available.Bryce Canyon, Utah’s last national park to close as the coronavirus swept the nation, is poised to be the first to resume operations May 6 even as new infections climb in other parts of the state.For the time being, of the...WW…