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- Garfield County proposes renaming Burr Trail Scenic Byway after President-elect Donald Trump.
- Garfield County Commission Chairman Leland F. Pollock supports the change to honor Trump's policies benefiting the county.
- Some residents and organizations oppose, citing historical significance and traditional naming values.
SALT LAKE CITY – One of Utah's most scenic roads could soon bear the name of President-elect Donald Trump.
Garfield County Commission Chairman Leland F. Pollock proposed renaming the Burr Trail Scenic Byway to "The Donald J. Trump Presidential Burr Trail Highway."
The Burr Trail, a 67-mile path that begins in Boulder, Utah, and ends near Bullfrog Marina on Lake Powell, winds through Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Capitol Reef National Park and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.
Pollock's proposal aims to recognize the Trump administration's policies in the county during his first term, including a 2017 proclamation to downsize Grand-Staircase Escalante and Bears Ears national monuments.
"This is just a sign of appreciation. This guy right here was good to Garfield County, and he was good to all of the Western public land counties," Pollock stated.
The Burr Trail was originally named after John Atlantic Burr, a pioneer and rancher who settled in the area and carved out the trail for his cattle.
Boulder resident Stacy Davis opposed the name change, though she said not for political reasons but to preserve Burr's legacy.
"I think the important issue here is not a political one," Davis said. "If it was Abraham Lincoln, I would feel the same way. That's a landmark that was literally created by the ancestor of people who still live in the area."
Jacqueline Grant, executive director of Grand Staircase Escalante Partners, issued a statement opposing the proposal.
"The monument withstood President Trump's attempt to downsize it in 2017, which means that it would be counterintuitive to name one of its major routes after him," Grant said, adding that scenic byways are traditionally named after local archeological, cultural, natural, or scenic values that make them special and unique.
The three-person County Commission will hold a public meeting on Jan. 27 at 1:30 p.m. to hear from the community. Pollock said that a two-thirds vote would determine if the renaming proceeds.
Correction: An earlier version stated that the Burr Trail begins in Boulder, Colorado. That has been updated to Boulder, Utah.
