GARFIELD COUNTY

Utah’s Garfield County is one of the most unique counties in the U.S. Covering more than 5,000 square miles, it’s larger than the state of Connecticut, and its border encompass portions of three national parks.

A total of 92% of the state is managed by the federal government; only 5% of the county’s land is privately owned. This means Garfield doesn’t have a lot of room to grow — but it also means its rural character is here to stay.

Tourism plays a major role in the county’s economy; its largest employer is Ruby’s Inn, a tourist center located just outside of Bryce Canyon National Park that features a hotel, an RV park/campground, a general store and more. There has been demand in the county for new RV parks, hotels and “glamping” opportunities, but the potential for growth in this industry is limited, primarily because of the lack of access to water, said Kaden Figgins, director of planning and economic development for Garfield County.

Interestingly, one of Garfield County’s biggest strengths when it comes to business isn’t related to tourism at all. It’s the fact that all nine municipalities in the county have access to high-speed fiber optic internet service. This was achieved through a grant received by area internet provider South Central Communications.

Figgins said this service is available anywhere there’s any kind of significant development in Garfield County; even some cabins in the woods have fiber optic lines running to them. This access makes Garfield County, an outdoor lover’s dream location, very attractive to today’s remote workers, and the county is happy to have them.

“These remote workers that come here, they’re contributing to society. They’re bringing families,” Figgins said. “We have CPAs and attorneys that are moving here.”

Housing has been a challenge in the county’s past, but recent new developments are providing more options for new move-ins, he said. Assisting these new residents as well as existing county businesses and even tourists passing through the county are two business innovation centers, one located in Panguitch and the other in Escalante. These centers provide private office and meeting space as well as access to technology such as a camera, printer and television.

Anyone who might need to spend time in a more professional environment can utilize these centers. They are run in partnership with Utah State University Extension.

In an effort to attract more tourists to the area, the county is gearing up to build a new mountain bike competition course in Red Canyon. Figgins said the fastest-growing high school sport in Utah is mountain biking, and a competition can attract 1,000 to 2,000 riders and their families. This can bring $500,000 to $750,000 into a community in one weekend.

The new course will have bikers riding through red rock landscapes similar to those found in Bryce Canyon National Park.

“We think we’ll have one of the most scenic venues and one of the largest venues in the state,” Figgins said.

When not in use, the course will be open for public use — yet another reason for remote workers to be considering Garfield County as a potential home base.