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BOULDER, Garfield County — A "cherished" recreation site at Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument is set to reopen this weekend after the first phase of a project to enhance its infrastructure took a little longer than anticipated.
The Calf Creek Recreation Site will reopen Saturday, although visitors may notice some "minor construction activities" over the next few weeks, according to the Bureau of Land Management. That means visitors can access the trailhead to the popular Lower Calf Creek Falls hike, again.
"We have enhanced the facilities at Calf Creek to provide visitors with an even better outdoor experience," said Doug Rowles, the monument's assistant manager, in a statement.
The site closed in early July and was scheduled to remain closed for about two months, but construction ended up lasting a few weeks longer than expected. It will reopen on the same day as National Public Lands Day, one of the bureau's few scheduled fee-free days for any day uses and other standard amenities.
Entry into all National Park Service lands is also free on Saturday.
More construction is on the horizon in the Calf Creek area, though. Rowles points out that another phase is scheduled to begin sometime next year, carrying into 2026 before the multiyear project is completed.
Planning for the infrastructure enhancements began three years ago when federal land managers said they wanted to improve the site's aging infrastructure as its visitation has soared.
The project called for a reconfiguration and expansion of the parking area to add 70 stalls, new camping units and a replacement of infrastructure like shade shelters, restrooms and crossing structures among other changes.
