The shores of the Great Salt Lake near Antelope Island are pictured on Tuesday, May 21, 2024. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch)
The Bureau of Land Management announced a small land transfer on Tuesday, moving several parcels of federal land under state control.
The parcels are small tracts of land scattered throughout Antelope Island and Wasatch Mountain state parks. Amounting to roughly 618 acres total, about 329 acres in Antelope Island and 289 acres in Wasatch Mountain, currently owned by the Bureau of Land Management, will be transferred to the Utah Division of State Parks.
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The transfer is made possible by the Utah State Parks Adjustment Act, a 2024 law sponsored by Utah GOP Rep. Celeste Maloy, which targeted several isolated tracks of federal land to be handed over to the state and absorbed by existing state parks.
“Having federal lands interspersed throughout these parks has made effective management more challenging,” Maloy said after the bill passed the House last December.
Bureau of Land Management and state officials said the transfer will improve the visitor experience at Utah state parks.
“This land transfer reflects our commitment to efficient land management,” said Michael Gates, the BLM’s West Desert District Manager, on Tuesday. “By consolidating land ownership, we’re creating a better experience for the public.”
“Federal and state collaboration ensures our public lands are protected and the public is served,” added Utah State Parks Director Scott Strong in a statement. “Public lands are for everyone, and we invite everyone to make lifelong memories experiencing Utah’s incredible state parks. We will continue to ensure these lands are maintained for the enjoyment and preservation of this and future generations.”
