This one mile stretch of handrail along the Colorado River in Moab, Utah appears to be simple uncoated weathered steel on the outside, but beneath the oxidized finish lies the durable corrosion protection of hot dip galvanizing. When the designers carefully chose the duplex coating for the handrails that run the new Lions Park Trail, the three main objectives that needed to be met were function, protection, and aesthetics. Only hot-dip galvanizing as the base element would hold the critical qualities in meeting these requirements. 

First, the galvanized coating needed to be smooth and comfortable to the bare hands of pedestrians as they came in contact with the rail. This handrail will be used by countless hikers and bikers of all ages as they trek through the campgrounds and parks the trail connects. Thoughtful material selection, and design, with attention to detail during the dipping process, afforded this smooth surface of the zinc coating on the rails. 

Second, it was imperative the coating provide robust protection against the elements as paint maintenance would be extremely limited given the heavy traffic this trail will see and the close proximity to the river and highway that runs only feet away.  Also, despite the hot arid summers this desert area is known for, there is frequent threat of harsh winds carrying abrasive sandstone, springtime flash floods, and wintertime snow and ice. Only hot-dip galvanizing can offer such abrasive resistant corrosion protection to the handrail against weather like this. 

Finally, the new Lions Park Trail handrail needed to camouflage itself with the natural red rock cliff backdrop along the Colorado River. After hot-dip galvanizing several sequences of panels, posts, and other components, they were then transported to the finish supplier to receive the application of the rustic brown finish. Timing and delivery was critical for the process as safe installation of the rail had to be made in short installation windows along the busy highway. It was through careful communication that the fabricator and coating plants kept up with the required schedule.  In the end, the net result would be a finished product that would compliment and protect the handrails while not distracting from the beauty of this unique natural landscape.