Kanab to celebrate opening of new trail at Jackson Flat Reservoir with 5K Turkey Trot

Stock image, St. George News

KANAB — To celebrate the opening of the newly opened Sherry Belle hiking trail in Kanab, the public is invited Thursday, Thanksgiving day, to enter the “K-Town 5K Turkey Trot.”

Everyone is welcome to join the family-friendly fun run. Entrants can run, jog or walk, and strollers and pets are welcome on the fully paved trail.

Jackson Flat Reservoir, Kanab, Utah, March 9, 2017 | Photo courtesy of Andrew Gaskin via Wikimedia Commons, St. George News

The grand opening celebration of the new Sherry Belle Trail at Jackson Flat Reservoir will begin with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 8:15 a.m. To commemorate the trail opening, the first annual K-Town Turkey Trot will take place immediately after the ribbon cutting at 8:30 a.m.

Registration for the trot begins at 7:45 a.m. Registration costs $5 per person or $20 for a family. A turkey will be awarded to the top male and female finishers.

“We are excited to open the trail with a ceremonial ribbon-cutting and subsequent run around Jackson Flat Reservoir,” Kane County Water Conservancy District General Manager Mike Noel said. “This trail will make a significant contribution to tourism and the quality of life enjoyed by Kanab residents and visitors.”

The Sherry Belle trail at the Jackson Flat Reservoir project was primarily supported by the Kane County Water Conservancy District, Kane County Center for Education, Business and the Arts, Kane County and grants from the Utah Office of Outdoor Recreation with the assistance of community member involvement.

“These locally driven efforts strive to make Kanab a destination, and we appreciate everyone coming together to make this project happen. This project will increase economic development through additional recreational opportunities providing beneficial growth in Kane County,” Kane County Commissioner Dirk Clayson said.

“Amid the red sandstone cliffs and sweeping vistas of the Kanab area, we have an enormous potential for outdoor recreation and family-friendly trails,” Clayson said. “The Sherry Belle Trail at Jackson Flat Reservoir is a remarkable community asset.”

The Sherry Belle Trail is approximately 3 miles long and is named in honor of the late Sherry Noel, who was an advocate for trails and regularly promoted community health and wellness.

The trail is open during daylight hours and the public is welcome to travel and enjoy the trail surrounding the reservoir. Motorized vehicles are not permitted on any portion of the trail. Trails and other infrastructure development are a major part of the long-term recreational plans for the reservoir.

“The Jackson Flat trail project is an another example of the beautiful landscapes and accessible recreation that make Utah one of the best places to live, work and play,” Tom Adams, Utah Office of Outdoor Recreation director, said. “We’re proud to support close-to-home outdoor recreation opportunities in communities across the state.”

The Utah Office of Outdoor Recreation operates a grant program to help local communities fund new recreation infrastructure projects. The grant invests in new trails, bicycle parks, boat ramps, shooting ranges and more. In the past two years, the Utah Outdoor Recreation Grant provided matching funds for 29 infrastructure projects statewide, including $500,000 for the Jackson Flat Trail project.

The local Trails Committee, Kelly Stowell, Kelly Brown and Mike Noel worked together to make the trail a reality. The effort is part of a larger vision for an established Kanab City trail system with linking trails connecting Jackson Flat Reservoir to Kanab City and Jacob Hamblin Park.

The race sponsors are Kane County Water Conservancy, Kane County Office of Tourism and Healthy Kane County Coalition. For more information, call the Kane County Water Conservancy at 435-644-3997 or the Kane County Office of Tourism at 435-644-5033.

Event details

  • What: Ribbon cutting celebration for the new Sherry Belle Trail and 5K Turkey Trot run.
  • When: Thursday, Nov. 23 at 8:15 a.m.
  • Where: Jackson Flat Reservoir, Kanab.
  • Details: Registration begins at 7:45 a.m., fee is $5 per person or $20 per family. The public is invited.

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Twitter: @STGnews

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