Little Sahara included within state park system.
Utah Code § 79-4-606
in effect79-4-606. Little Sahara included within state park system.
(1) As used in this section, "Little Sahara Recreation Area" means the area of land in the Sevier Desert, approximately 55,905 acres, fully described by the map and legal description on file with the division.
(2) The division may:
(a) enter into an agreement for the use of the Little Sahara Recreation Area as a state park with the United States Bureau of Land Management; and
(b) receive donations of land or facilities at the Little Sahara Recreation Area for inclusion within the state park.
(3) In entering the agreement described in Subsection (2)(a), the division may:
(a) pursue a land transfer agreement with the United States Bureau of Land Management;
(b) if a land transfer agreement is not possible, seek to purchase or lease the land from the United States Bureau of Land Management through the Recreation and Public Purposes Act, 43 U.S.C. Sec. 869 et seq.; and
(c) finalize an agreement to receive land by transfer, purchase, or lease, as described in Subsections (3)(a) and (b), if:
(i) the resulting state park, including the cost of law enforcement, would be financially self-sustaining;
(ii) all current grazing allotments would be maintained in their existing form; and
(iii) the Legislative Management Committee and the Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Interim Committee approve the plan to expand the state park system by including the Little Sahara Recreation Area.
(4) If the division successfully enters into the agreement described in Subsection (2)(a), the division shall negotiate in good faith with the School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration to attempt to:
(a) purchase parcels of school and institutional trust land located within the boundaries of the Little Sahara Recreation Area; or
(b) exchange parcels of school and institutional trust land located within the boundaries of the Little Sahara Recreation Area for other parcels of state land or other lands administered by the United States government.
(5) The Little Sahara Recreation Area shall be included within the state park system upon the division entering into the agreement described in Subsection (2)(a).
(6)
(a) Upon the division entering into the agreement described in Subsection (2)(a), the division shall rename the approximately 9,000-acre area known as the Rockwell Outstanding Natural Area to the "Bill Orton State Wilderness Area," with the ranch within the area being named the "Porter Rockwell Ranch."
(b) The director shall recommend the Bill Orton State Wilderness Area to the governor for designation as a protected wilderness area, as described in Section 63L-7-105.
(7) Upon the Little Sahara Recreation Area's inclusion in the state park system, the state shall be responsible for the cost of law enforcement within the Little Sahara Recreation Area.
Enacted by Chapter 134, 2017 General Session
Source: Utah Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel (le.utah.gov)URL: https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title79/Chapter4/79-4-S606.html?v=C79-4-S606_2017050920170509Fetched: 10/26/2026