One of southern Utah’s largest mountain resorts has big plans in the coming years, and the public will have a chance to weigh in on that expansion over the next month.
Brian Head Resort aims to add 1,651 acres of Dixie National Forest Land to its permit with the Forest Service. That would nearly triple the resort, which currently encompasses 896 acres — 887 of which are national forest lands, according to a story map created by the resort.
Such growth includes an additional 382 acres of ski trails, 14 lifts, 19 miles of snowmaking lines, 10 miles of roads, four dining facilities and eight stand-alone ski patrol spaces, the story map details.
Two of those proposed lifts would link national forest land to private land in Aspen Meadows, a spokesperson for the resort said. The adjacent private development plans to add an additional 850 acres of ski terrain and seven lifts to Brian Head in the future.
(Christopher Cherrington | The Salt Lake Tribune)
The Forest Service will formally start the environmental review process on Tuesday. This kicks off a 45-day public commenting period, which will be followed by a multi-year analysis that the agency expects to complete by June 2028.
Specific issues the Forest Service may analyze include impacts on groundwater, cultural resources, wildlife, other recreational opportunities, neighboring communities and dark skies in nearby Cedar Breaks National Monument.
Brian Head Resort has been exceeding its capacity, according to its 2023 master development plan, leading to a deficit of 606 dining seats and 375 parking spaces.
The year-round recreation destination, just a 40-minute drive from Cedar City, gives visitors a taste of Utah’s varied landscapes. In the winter, snow covered peaks rise juxtaposed to red rock cliffs. Nearby Cedar Breaks National Monument, Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon draw millions of tourists, some of whom may stop at Brian Head on their road trip across southern Utah.
During the summer months, a growing number of residents from nearby Cedar City and St. George, as well as those from further desert cities such as Las Vegas and Los Angeles, also venture to Brian Head to enjoy cooler temperatures, according to the resort’s 2023 plan.
(Mark Eddington | The Salt Lake Tribune) A vista overlooking Cedar Breaks National Monument in August 2024.
The Forest Service has had concerns with the scale of Brian Head’s proposed expansion, though, according to a 2023 letter to Scott Price, president of Mountain Capital Partners, which owns the southern Utah resort.
“While the Forest appreciates the comprehensiveness of your planning effort, we have concerns about the feasibility and timeliness of implementing such a large plan,” Kevin Wright, the Dixie National Forest supervisor, said in the letter.
Some proposed new ski terrain overlaps with crucial summer elk calving habitat, according to the letter. Wright recommended the resort coordinate closely with the Utah Division of Wildlife to mitigate impacts.
He also asked the company to proactively coordinate with potentially affected stakeholders before the environmental review process begins, including sheep and cattle grazers whose allotments overlap with the resort’s existing and proposed boundaries.
According to the resort’s spokesperson, Brian Head and the Forest Service have since conducted outreach to stakeholders, including the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.
At the end of this month, the Forest Service will host a series of open houses from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the following days and locations:
To learn more about the proposed project and provide comment, visit the Forest Service project webpage.