One of Utah’s most famous waterfalls will remain closed to the public through at least the end of July.
KSL News reports that the hiking trail and area around Bridal Veil Falls in Provo Canyon will remain closed through at least the end of July. This is due to a major avalanche in January of this year. The amount of avalanche deposit has increased over the past couple of weeks, making the remaining ice and snow more dangerous. This news was followed by two teens injuring themselves near Bridal Veil Falls over the weekend.
Utah County Sheriff’s Sgt. Spencer Cannon issued the following warning about Bridal Veil Falls:
“We want people to stay away from it. We understand how attractive this area is and how much people want to get here and enjoy it as much as they can.
It’s a very real risk if something happens as they’re walking on this avalanche deposit. They’re in an area that they think is 10 feet deep of snow and it’s only 2 or 3 inches, and they fall through, it could cause very serious injuries to them.”
There’s a variety of things that need to be done before the area around Bridal Veil Falls can reopen. The Provo River Parkway Trail bridge is likely destroyed, so it will need to undergo a damage assessment and then be repaired. They will also need to clear debris, which includes large boulders and tree trunks. The Provo River is also flowing at a dangerous level around the hiking trail, which is another hazard for visitors. Back in May, explosives were used to destroy the ice bridge, which eliminated a safety risk.
Bridal Veil Falls has dealt with some major avalanches in the past. There used to be an aerial tram that went up Bridal Veil Falls and Provo Canyon, but it closed in 1996 due to damage from a major avalanche.
Richard Nielson, director of Utah County Public Works, described to KSL what needs to be done before the trail to Bridal Veil Falls can reopen:
“Once the snow and ice are gone, we will have to clean up any debris and evaluate what damage was done. We think it will be at least the end of July before we can open the area to public access.”
In the meantime, you can still see the waterfall while driving on Provo Canyon Road (US 189). The video report from KSL is below.
Image/Video Credits: KSL News, David Knudsen
