‘The views are just phenomenal’: New Pioneer Park trail would connect the past to the present

ST. GEORGE — A concrete path leads past a red-stoned cliff. The word “Dixie” painted in stark, white letters overlooks the valley. A staple of the present. A time capsule for the future.

This file photo shows Sugarloaf, also known as the “Dixie Rock,” as seen from downtown St. George, Utah, June 3, 2022 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News

Viewpoints lead to stories. Pioneers build their future on rough, arid terrain. Vigilant stewards strive to protect the land’s unique inhabitants. A new tale at each marker. A new sight with each step.

This proposed Pioneer Park trail would take users on a tour through history and habitat, as they traverse the quintessential desert landscape of the city’s most visited park.

At Tuesday’s Washington County Habitat Conservation Advisory Committee meeting, the focus was on recreation, with attendees reviewing recreationists’ impact on local trails and two proposals for new trails within the county.

The city proposed that the Sugarloaf Interpretive Trail be built near a parking lot on the west side of Pioneer Park at 375 Red Hills Parkway, Leisure Services Director Shane Moore said. One benefit of the trail would be a potential reduction in social trails, which are created via foot traffic from humans and animals.

The 8-foot-wide, multi-use trail is expected to be made of concrete the same color as the surrounding stone and will work its way past Sugarloaf, also known as Dixie Rock. Eventually, Moore said the city would like to connect the trail to the Red Hills Desert Garden, east of the park.

The red line indicates the proposed trail alignment | Image courtesy of Shane Moore, St. George News

Washington City Mayor Kress Staheli said he believed the park would be a good location for the proposed trail as he likely used the same path to reach the restroom during a recent visit. Other committee members concurred that a well-worn social trail could be found at the site.

Along the trail, the city would install signs “to tell the story of the (site’s) viewpoints” and the history of Dixie Rock. Moore said they’re also working with a local historian to tell the story of Southern Utah’s early pioneers to trail-goers as they look out across the valley.

“The views are just phenomenal,” he said.

With its proximity to Red Cliffs Desert Preserve, Moore said the trail could also include educational signs about the tortoise reserve.

“I think it’d be a really good way to get the word out on our desert tortoises and what we’re doing to protect them,” he said.

Additionally, the trail will be accessible to individuals who use wheelchairs or to families pushing strollers, Moore said.

Pioneer Park, St. George Utah, July 26, 2022 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, St. George News

After a unanimous vote, the project was sent to the technical committee for review before it can return to the Habitat Conservation Advisory Committee for consideration at a later date, said Cameron Rognan, Washington County Habitat Conservation Plan administrator.

One detail the technical committee will consider is how much of the proposed trail would cut across Red Cliffs Desert Reserve lands. Moore said it would encroach about 630 linear feet into the reserve and sit approximately 30 feet from the fence separating the two areas.

Rognan said the fence doesn’t necessarily indicate the reserve’s boundary but was put in place to keep tortoises away from people and the park’s current trail systems. During the review process, geographic information system maps will be used to accurately assess the proposed trail’s location in relation to the reserve.

The next Habitat Conservation Advisory Committee meeting will be on Sept. 27.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.

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