CROYDEN — It looks as though a new state park will be established in Morgan County.

House Bill 257 has passed through both the Utah House and Senate and now awaits only a signature from Gov. Spencer Cox to become a reality. The legislation, which was sponsored by Rep. Steve Eliason, R-Sandy, involves a one-time, $36.5 million appropriation to create the new Lost Creek and Utahraptor state parks in Morgan and Grand counties, respectively. The money will be used mainly to acquire land and build up the necessary infrastructure at the two locations.

The proposed Lost Creek State Park encompasses the 365-acre Morgan County mountain reservoir, located about 10 miles northeast of Croydon and 12 miles upstream from its confluence with the Weber River. The site has been a popular destination for fishing, ice fishing and boating for years.

The bill allows the Utah State Parks and Recreation division to enter into an agreement with the United States Bureau of Reclamation, which currently overseas the area, transferring management of all recreational operations at the reservoir to the parks division. The bill also stipulates that hunting in the Lost Creek wildlife area will be limited to waterfowl only.

Presently at the reservoir, there is no day-use fee charged and overnight camping is not allowed. That of course will change with the new state park designation. According to a fiscal note attached to the bill, visitors to the park could be charged up to $25 in entrance fees and up to $40 for camping. The note says the total estimated revenue generated by visitors fees to both parks, along with associated tax revenues, would be about $698,000 per year, beginning in 2023.

Jeff Rasmussen, director of the state parks division, said the new designation will help better accommodate an already increasing number of visitors to the area, ensure the reservoir and select land surrounding it is properly protected and cared for, and will take some pressure of other recreation areas in Northern Utah.

“It has a lot of potential to be a really great state park,” Rasmussen said. “For boating, fishing, camping — all of those great opportunities people come to our state to participate in.”

Lost Creek would make for Morgan County’s second state park after East Canyon State Park, which was dedicated in 1962. Much like Lost Creek, East Canyon features a large reservoir and is a popular area for fishing, boating and camping.

As for the Utahraptor State Park, the designation will cover 6,500 acres located near the Moab area in Grand County. The site includes campgrounds, trails and a host of other outdoor recreational opportunities. The park is named after the Utah State dinosaur and is near a large deposit of dinosaur bones.

Eliason said the bill will, among other things, help the small town economies where both of the parks are located.

“This will really give a big boost in the arm for rural Utah,” he said.

The two areas will be Utah’s 44th and 45th state parks.