State Parks

Utah Code tit. 79, ch. 79-4, pt. 79-4-P6

in effect

Utah Code § 79-4-601 "This is the Place Monument," Camp Floyd, old statehouse -- Supervision and control.

79-4-601. "This is the Place Monument," Camp Floyd, old statehouse -- Supervision and control. (1) The division shall administer and supervise the following historical monuments: (a) "This is the Place Monument" site; (b) Camp Floyd; and (c) the old statehouse at Fillmore. (2) The division may make expenditures for maintenance and administration from funds: (a) made available by appropriation; or (b) that are available to the division. Renumbered and Amended by Chapter 344, 2009 General Session

Utah Code § 79-4-602 Mountain Meadow Massacre site included within state park system.

79-4-602. Mountain Meadow Massacre site included within state park system. (1) The Mountain Meadow Massacre site and monument is included within the state park system. (2) The division may: (a) enter into an agreement with the United States Forest Service for the use of land at the site as a state park; and (b) receive donations of land or facilities at the site for inclusion within the state park. Renumbered and Amended by Chapter 344, 2009 General Session

Utah Code § 79-4-603 Iron Mission Historical Monument -- Acceptance of gifts from Iron Mission Park Corporation.

79-4-603. Iron Mission Historical Monument -- Acceptance of gifts from Iron Mission Park Corporation. The division shall accept on behalf of the state the Gronway Parry collection of horse-drawn vehicles, horses, harnesses, figures, costumes, and horse-drawn machinery of the pioneer era, the Melling log cabin, the Osborne blacksmith collection, and a metal exhibit building, all being gifts to the state from the Iron Mission Park Nonprofit Corporation. Amended by Chapter 153, 2025 General Session

Utah Code § 79-4-604 Iron Mission Historical Monument -- Acquisition of property.

79-4-604. Iron Mission Historical Monument -- Acquisition of property. The division may: (1) acquire, construct, maintain, and operate any land areas, objects, or structures as necessary to preserve, protect, display, and enhance: (a) the gifts described in Section 79-4-603; and (b) other historical objects or collections donated, loaned, or otherwise acquired that appropriately contribute to the pioneer heritage of Utah; and (2) acquire, directly or through others, by purchase, contract, lease, permit, donations, or otherwise, all real or personal property, rights-of-way, approach roads, parking and other areas, structures, facilities and services that the division may consider necessary or desirable to accomplish Subsection (1). Amended by Chapter 153, 2025 General Session

Utah Code § 79-4-605 Hole in the Rock included within state park system.

79-4-605. Hole in the Rock included within state park system. (1) As used in this section, "Hole in the Rock area" means the area of land beginning at Escalante, Garfield County to the western rim of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, extending eastward to Bluff Fort in San Juan County, following the trail used by Mormon pioneers to reach the southeastern area of Utah. (2) The division may: (a) enter into an agreement to acquire the Hole in the Rock area, or part of the area, as a state park with the United States Bureau of Land Management and the United States National Park Service; and (b) receive donations of land or facilities at the Hole in the Rock 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 and the United States National Park Service; (b) if a land transfer agreement is not possible, seek to purchase or lease the land from the United States Bureau of Land Management and the United States National Park Service 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 shall be maintained; 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 Hole in the Rock area. (4) In pursuing state park status for the Hole in the Rock area, the division shall consult with affected counties, the Hole in the Rock Foundation, and other parties as appropriate. (5) 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 Hole in the Rock area; or (b) exchange parcels of school and institutional trust land located within the boundaries of the Hole in the Rock area for other parcels of state land or other lands administered by the United States government. (6) The Hole in the Rock area shall be included within the state park system upon the division entering into the agreement described in Subsection (2)(a). (7) Upon its inclusion in the state park system, the state shall be responsible for the cost of law enforcement within the Hole in the Rock area. Amended by Chapter 108, 2018 General Session

Utah Code § 79-4-606 Little Sahara included within state park system.

79-4-606. 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

Utah Code § 79-4-607 Utahraptor State Park.

79-4-607. Utahraptor State Park. (1) As used in this section, "Dalton Wells" means the land located in the area known as Dalton Wells and fully described by the map and legal description on file with the division. (2) The division may: (a) receive donations of land or facilities in the Dalton Wells area for the creation of, and inclusion within, Utahraptor State Park; (b) engage in land transfers for land in the Dalton Wells area for inclusion in Utahraptor State Park; or (c) purchase land or facilities in the Dalton Wells area for inclusion in Utahraptor State Park. (3) Utahraptor State Park shall be included within the state park system. (4) The division may not open Utahraptor State Park to the public for use as a state park until the division has received sufficient funding from the Division of Facilities Construction and Management or from the General Fund to provide for capital improvements and any necessary land acquisitions. (5) Land acquisitions and capital investments will be made at the park in a way that allows Utahraptor State Park to remain financially self-sustaining. (6) Ongoing operations at Utahraptor State Park shall be funded through the Division of Parks and Recreation's restricted fees account. Amended by Chapter 369, 2023 General Session

Utah Code § 79-4-608 Lost Creek State Park.

79-4-608. Lost Creek State Park. (1) As used in this section, the "Lost Creek area" means the Lost Creek Reservoir and certain land around the reservoir, fully described by the map and legal description on file with the division. (2) The division may enter into an agreement with the United States Bureau of Reclamation to manage recreational operations at Lost Creek Reservoir and to use the Lost Creek area as a state park. (3) Upon the division entering into an agreement described in Subsection (2), the Lost Creek area shall be included within the state park system as Lost Creek State Park. (4) Hunting wildlife in Lost Creek State Park is limited to waterfowl only. Enacted by Chapter 160, 2021 General Session

Utah Code § 79-4-609 Gooseberry Narrows State Park -- Study -- Report.

79-4-609. Gooseberry Narrows State Park -- Study -- Report. (1) As used in this section, "gooseberry narrows" means the land on Gooseberry Creek between the Lower Gooseberry Dam and Fairview Lakes described by the map and legal description on file with the division. (2) The division shall study the feasibility of creating Gooseberry Narrows State Park, including: (a) any necessary requirement for the development or construction of a dam and reservoir in the gooseberry narrows; and (b) the expected cost to the state of: (i) transferring, exchanging, or purchasing all federally managed lands in the gooseberry narrows; (ii) constructing and developing infrastructure needed for a state park in the gooseberry narrows; and (iii) constructing and developing a dam and reservoir in the gooseberry narrows. (3) Before November 30, 2026, the division shall report the results of the study described in Subsection (2) to the Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Interim Committee. Enacted by Chapter 431, 2026 General Session

Source: Utah Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel (le.utah.gov)URL: https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title79/Chapter4/79-4-P6.html?v=C79-4-P6_1800010118000101Fetched: 10/26/2026