Provo Canyon
Provo Canyon is a unique and special place used by residents of Utah Valley, but also by visitors from the US and the world. It hosts world-class recreation such as skiing, snow mobiling, biking, rafting, fishing, and hiking. Bridal Veil Falls, located a fourth of the way up the canyon, draws thousands of visitors a year. Even with these amazing features, Provo Canyon has been and is still threatened by development. A drug rehab facility was almost built above Bridal Veil Falls but thanks to the combined voices of thousands of people this was stopped. Much of South Fork Canyon has already been developed into prime real estate property. CUV wants to protect that beautiful canyon from more development. At Conserve Utah Valley we are working hard to watch out for other threats to the canyon, but currently there is not a robust plan to protect Provo Canyon for the future.
That is why we have allied with Representative Keven Stratton, who was instrumental in getting Bridal Veil named a state monument, to support his bill that outlines the process for creating a comprehensive resource management plan. That bill has already passed review by House and Senate committees. While many consider resources to be primarily material such as lumber, oil, and minerals, we feel that the most important resources that Provo Canyon offers include it’s world-class recreation and scenic vistas. Without careful management, however, recreation can damage the ecology of an area. CUV has pushed for a management plan to prevent disorganized, wasteful, and damaging development in this precious canyon.
Photo by Nathan Thompson
Related Blog Posts:
Open Letter to Provo City Council on Vesper and PIDs
In the city council meeting on 25 August, you discussed 9d in the Vesper Development Agreement—public financing mechanisms, including Public Infrastructure Districts (PIDs). We at Conserve Utah Valley are concerned about both the tax liability on citizens and the lack of control…
CUV’s Analysis of the Vesper Development Agreement
In the August 11 work meeting of the Provo City Council, Bryan Bayles gave convincing evidence that Vesper can control traffic, limiting it to an 8-minute slowdown. Conserve Utah Valley’s (CUV) main concern with the Vesper proposal has been traffic which would prevent current users from accessing the canyon at peak hours.
CUV Virtual Town Hall: Development Process in Provo City
Conserve Utah Valley hosted a virtual town hall with guest speakers Bill Peperone and Rachel Breen from Provo City. Watch the recording here.
Conserve Utah Valley’s Response to the Proposed Vesper Amphitheater
Conserve Utah Valley is open to smart development, but we are concerned about the sound, light, and automobile pollution which may impact both wildlife and human recreational use of the canyon. Both the developers and city officials have told us that they share those concerns. We encourage Utah Valley residents to engage with city officials as this application goes through the approval process.
Concerned about the Vesper Amphitheater in Provo Canyon? We are too!
On May 19, 2026, the Vesper Amphitheatre was announced, backed by the Osmond Family. The planned venue can seat between 8,000 and 20,000 people and covers about 110 acres. This land was previously mined as a gravel pit.
CUV supports reclaiming the old gravel pit. However, a development project such as this is not a form of restoration. It’s simply another form of development.
Provo City Council Approves Conservation Easement in Bunnell’s Fork
Last year, Provo City Council voted unanimously to place a conservation easement on land in Bunnell’s Fork Canyon, in South Fork Canyon. Provo City retains ownership of the land, while development is permanently off the table.
