Project Overview
Navigating Utah River Access is a research-based training project that will create a free, statewide online course to clarify Utah’s river access laws while respecting both private property rights and public use of rivers. Utah's rivers are at the center of ongoing legal and policy discussions concerning public access, private property rights, and recreational use. Recent court decisions and legislative proposals have brought renewed attention to the complex legal frameworks that govern river access across the state.
This training is designed to be legally grounded, politically neutral, and practical for people who must work across disagreements on access and ownership by providing balanced education on Utah’s river access laws and practical tools for conflict resolution.
Project Goals
This training course aims to:
- Increase legal literacy among Utah's land use professionals and stakeholders concerning river and stream access laws
- Provide clear understanding of Utah's Public Waters Access Act, trespass statutes, easement law, and related regulations
- Equip participants with practical tools to interpret, draft, and apply these laws in local policy contexts
- Explore dispute resolution frameworks and collaborative approaches to managing public access while respecting private property rights
We recognize that Utah's rivers hold deep significance for diverse communities—landowners who steward riparian corridors, anglers and recreationists who cherish public access, local governments tasked with balanced decision-making, and all Utahns who benefit from healthy watersheds. By fostering greater understanding of the legal frameworks that govern river access, we hope to support decisions that respect both private property rights and public access interests within the bounds of Utah law.
Training Deliverables:
1) Three Live Webinars
Webinar 1: The Past, Present, and Future of Stream Access in Utah
Attendees will learn the shifting history of stream access law in Utah, what the law looks like today, and how access may change in the future. This session features Randy Parker and Cullen Battle, both of whom have extensive experience with stream access law in Utah.
Presenters:
Randy Parker served as CEO of Utah Farm Bureau and has been an advocate for property rights in Utah. He has attended navigable for title cases before the Utah Supreme Court and the Supreme Court of the United States, and he contributed to the development and passage of Utah’s Public Waters Access Act.
Cullen Battle is a retired attorney who has written and spoken widely on stream access in Utah and elsewhere in the West. In 2017, he represented the Utah Stream Access Coalition in a lawsuit that established navigability of the Upper Weber River.
Parker Chronology Document >
Session Slides >
Webinar 2: Utah Stream Access: Rights, Responsibilities, and Enforcement
Attendees will receive a practical overview of what waters are publicly accessible and what areas remain private under Utah law. The session will also explain the rights and responsibilities of both the recreating public and private landowners under the Public Waters Access Act. Lastly, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources law enforcement will highlight common stream-access conflicts and share practical insights to help reduce confusion and conflict.
Presenters:
Mike Begley is an Assistant Attorney General in the Utah Attorney General’s Office, Natural Resources Division
Ryan Williams is an Associate General Counsel in the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel for the Utah Legislature, and staffs the Legislature's Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Interim Committee and Legislative Water Development Commission.
Major Chad Bettridge is a 25-year veteran of law enforcement within Utah Natural Resources and leads the Conservation Officers.
Begley Slides >
Williams Slides >
Bettridge Slides >
Webinar 3: Working Solutions Under Utah's Current Stream Access Framework
This session will explore practical, mutually beneficial approaches for improving stream access within Utah’s current legal framework. Attendees will learn about existing programs and partnerships, including Utah’s Walk-In Access program, and hear insights from someone who fished every Walk-In Access property in the state. The session will also highlight common perspectives and concerns from Utah landowners and explore opportunities to improve stream access through voluntary, incentive-based approaches that can create “win-win” outcomes moving forward.
Presenters:
Andrew Becker has worked as a writer, journalist, and editor for nearly 30 years, and also written extensively on stream access issues and Utah’s Walk-In Access program.
Terry Camp serves as the Vice President for Public Policy for the Utah Farm Bureau Federation, where he advocates for farmers and ranchers throughout the state.
Sisson Slides >
Camp Slides >
Becker Slides >
2) Utah Stream Access Guidebook
Click to read and download the guidebook below:3) Quick Information Videos
Best Practices for Reducing Conflict & Trespass on Utah's Rivers
Utah Stream Access Decision Tree
A Brief History of Stream Access in Utah
Who This Training Serves
This course is designed for:
- Planning and zoning staff
- City and county attorneys
- Planning commissioners and local elected officials
- State and federal resource managers
- Landowners and property rights advocates
- Recreation advocates and outdoor enthusiasts
- Anyone seeking to better understand Utah's river access laws
While participation will be open statewide, special outreach will target regions with high recreational river use and ongoing access concerns, including northern Utah (Weber and Ogden Rivers), central Utah (Provo River), and southeastern Utah (San Juan River corridor).
Project Leadership
This training course will be led by Dr. Jordan W. Smith and Dr. Chase C. Lamborn of Utah State University's Institute of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism.
- Dr. Jordan W. Smith is a nationally recognized expert in land use policy, outdoor recreation planning, and stakeholder engagement, with over a decade of experience delivering trainings and workshops to state and local government agencies across Utah.
- Dr. Chase C. Lamborn is an applied researcher in fisheries management whose work regularly intersects with land use decisions affecting public water access and aquatic habitat.
Partnership & Funding
This project is developed and hosted by the Institute of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism at Utah State University in partnership with the Utah Office of the Property Rights Ombudsman and supported through the Land Use Training Fund.
The training will be free of charge to all participants, and all materials will remain publicly accessible following project completion.
Questions?
For more information about this training project, please contact:
Jordan W. Smith
Utah State University
jordan.smith@usu.edu
(435) 830-6294