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Visitors enjoy Bridal Veil Falls in Provo Canyon on Friday, May 16, 2025.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Renderings of the Bridal Veil Falls improvements are shown.

Courtesy Utah County

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Renderings of the Bridal Veil Falls improvements are shown.

Courtesy Utah County

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Renderings of the Bridal Veil Falls improvements are shown.

Courtesy Utah County

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Utah County will begin construction Tuesday on a project that will make significant improvements to the recreation area around Bridal Veil Falls.

The county said the $7 million, two-year project using tourism tax funds will enhance safety for visitors, improve parking and expand public access to the popular waterfall in Provo Canyon.

“These improvements will elevate the visitor experience through upgraded amenities and infrastructure, all while maintaining the scenic charm that makes Bridal Veil Falls a beloved destination,” Utah County Commission Chair Brandon Gordon said in a release.

Beginning Tuesday, the gravel parking lot in front of the falls on the north side of the Provo River will close, and people wanting to visit the falls will need to park at Nuns Park or the Upper Falls Picnic Area, according to Utah County spokesperson Richard Piatt.

Phase 1 of construction will turn the gravel parking lot into a park that will include a paved parking lot, grass, picnic pavilions and playground features.

A bike path will also be built on the north side of the river to steer cyclists away from pedestrians viewing the falls on the river’s south side. The first phase is anticipated to be completed in spring or summer 2026.

“Part of the problem with the base of the falls now is that you have people who are standing there with their families taking pictures of the falls, and it’s really narrow, and then you have someone cruising through on their bike, and then they get hit, or other stuff can happen, too,” Piatt said. “We try to eliminate that and just take the bikes completely away from that path and direct them across the river.”

For phase 2 starting next year, the county will focus on improving the base of the falls by redoing the path that runs in front of the falls and the bridge that goes over the spillway. The spillway and catch basin will also be reconstructed, and a hiking trail that goes to the lower falls will be upgraded to reduce safety risks. Phase 2 is slated to be completed by September 2027.

“We’re just trying to make it a little bit safer for people to see what they need to see in an improved path to minimize people doing their own thing and getting hurt,” Piatt said.

The plans have been years in the making as the county sought to improve the tourism experience around one of the most popular natural features in the area.

While Utah County or the Utah Department of Transportation own much of the land around the falls, part of the planning involved coordinating with the U.S. Forest Service, which also owns some land affected in the project, including the trail that leads to the lower falls.

The county was originally working on a land swap with the Forest Service and sought 39 acres near the falls in exchange for 39 acres farther up the mountain. However, the Forest Service is no longer interested in a land swap, according to Piatt, and the two parties are working on a land conveyance that would allow the county to make improvements on federal land.

“We’re working with Congressman (Mike) Kennedy’s office to get that done,” Piatt said. “But that’s part of the reason why phase 2 is next year, to give that a chance to go through the process.”

If that process is not finished in time, Piatt said the Forest Service has agreed to work with the county on a special-use permit to make the improvements.

“We’re excited about it. I think public works is excited about it,” Piatt said. “Really good people over there that really want to do the stuff that needs to be done for attractions like this.”