This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

The National Park Foundation has received a $1 million grant for upgrades to the Middle Emerald Pools Trail, donors announced Tuesday.

The grant comes from the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation and will also cover youth programs, according to a news release from the foundation.

The Middle Emeralds Pool Trail in the Grotto area near Angel's Landing has been closed to the public since December 2010 because of severe rain and mudslide damage, the release stated. One of the most popular trails in Zion, it leads to three pools, but for the past seven years, hikers could only reach the lower and upper pools.

The project is slated to be finished in December 2019.

Up to 20,000 school children will also benefit from the grant, through programs such as the Open OutDoors for Kids initiative and Concrete to Canyons, according to the release. Both programs bring students to the park for educational field trips, according to the National Parks website.

Twitter: @tiffany_mf