Moab advances study for new Colorado River access at Lions Park

Moab moved a step closer to a possible new Colorado River launch at Lions Park, where city leaders approved a $198,407 study to test whether the south bank could support non-motorized access for swimmers, paddleboarders and kayakers. The study is fully covered by a $200,000 state grant, so the city does not need a local match.

The Moab City Council voted unanimously on June 9 to award the contract to River Restoration, chosen from eight proposals. The city’s request for proposals went out April 20, with questions due April 27 and proposals due May 12. The June 9 decision date was built into the process, and Alex Veilleux, Moab’s sustainability and grant coordinator, was listed as the official contact.

The feasibility work is meant to answer the practical questions that come before design. The city said it wants improved and sustainable Colorado River access from the south bank at Lions Park, while preserving ecological integrity and surrounding natural resources. That means looking at where access could go, how the bank and vegetation might hold up, how river dynamics could affect the site, and what ownership or environmental constraints could shape construction.

Lions Park sits about three miles north of Moab in a spot the National Park Service describes as a strategic gateway, just south of Arches National Park and north of downtown Moab. The park already functions as a busy trail and transportation hub, with direct paved trail connections, a pedestrian bridge, pavilion, bathrooms, water and a bouldering area. The National Park Service says Moab and Grand County welcome about 2.5 million visitors a year, which helps explain why even a modest new access point could matter for congestion and river traffic.

The idea is not new. Grand County’s 2022 Moab Town Boat Ramp Action Plan, produced with help from the National Park Service Rivers, Trails, & Conservation Assistance Program, identified Lions Park as a potential future phase for river access. That plan suggested the site may be better suited than the existing motorized ramp for swimming, kayak launches and stand-up paddleboards. The city’s RFP also notes that the Utah Department of Transportation owns most of the northern Lions Park property, while Grand County owns a portion near the pedestrian bridge.

The existing Moab Town Boat Ramp, on the north bank, dates to the 1950s and last saw major improvements in 1990. A 2023 engineering update said the ramp becomes exposed and unusable at low water levels. That history makes the new Lions Park study feel less like a one-off idea and more like the next step in a long, grant-driven effort to expand river access where Moab’s busiest recreation corridor already converges.