From: Utah Department of Natural Resources SALT LAKE CITY (Jan. 23, 2024) — Utah Department of Natural Resources Executive Director Joel Ferry has appointed Scott Strong as the new Utah Division of State Parks director. The Utah State Parks Board announced its support on Thursday. Strong has served as interim director since Jeff Rasmussen retired in December […]
Author Archive
Exciting Updates to the 2024 Utah State Parks Annual Day-Use Pass
February 14, 2024 SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Division of State Parks is excited to announce updates to our annual day-use pass for 2024! Due to popular demand, the annual pass has undergone additional design and policy upgrades while continuing to be sold in a compact, wallet-friendly card style. The new design features the […]
Utah State Parks Director Retires After 31 Years
SALT LAKE CITY — After an illustrious 31-year career with the Utah Division of State Parks, Division Director Jeff Rasmussen has announced his well-deserved retirement. “The time has come for me to start my next great adventure,” Rasmussen said. “My time with Utah State Parks has been something that I’ll cherish forever, and I’m thankful […]
State Parks Will Remain Open During 2023 Federal Shutdown
UPDATE: The U.S. government has signed a short-term funding bill to avert a government shutdown through. All of Utah’s national parks, monuments and areas will continue to operate as usual during this time. Visit the Utah Office of Tourism for additional updates. Sept. 23, 2023 SALT LAKE CITY — With a federal government shutdown likely, […]
Goosenecks State Park Temporarily Closed To Camping For September Road Work
September 18, 2023 BLANDING, Utah — Goosenecks State Park will be closed for camping for multiple days this week for work to be completed on the road into the park. The park will be closed for camping and visitors from 7 p.m – 7 a.m. for three nights. Camping will be closed beginning September 19 […]
Colorado Man Dead After OHV Accident at Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park
September 3, 2023 KANAB, Utah — A Colorado man has died after an off-highway vehicle accident at Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park. On Saturday, 23-year-old Abel Ocampo from Denver, Colorado, was camping at the state park with friends and family. Just after 4 p.m., Ocampo was driving a rented side-by-side vehicle in dunes when […]
Utah Teen Dead After Incident at Sand Hollow State Park
Aug. 3, 2023 HURRICANE, Utah — A Utah teen has died after an incident at Sand Hollow State Park. Just before 10 a.m. on Thursday, 15-year-old Landon Crook from South Jordan, Utah, was paddleboarding in the south beach area of Sand Hollow State Park with family members when he fell from the paddleboard and did […]
NOTICE: Administrative Checkpoint on Markagunt OHV Trail
July 13, 2023 The Utah Division of State Parks and other partnering agencies will conduct an administrative checkpoint on Saturday, July 22, 2023. The checkpoint is right off Mammoth Creek Road on the Markagunt OHV trail in Kane County. The will run from 5 pm-10 pm. This checkpoint aims to verify driver’s licenses, vehicle registrations, […]
Paleontologists Find Ancient Forest Deposit in Northeastern Utah
June 14, 2023 SALT LAKE CITY — A team of paleontologists from the Utah Division of State Parks and the University of Bonn, Germany, recently excavated and are studying a fossil plant locality in northeastern Utah that indicates the presence of a humid forest in northeastern Utah during the Late Jurassic, the time that produced […]
Utah Man Dead After Incident at Palisade State Park
June 4, 2023 STERLING, Utah — A Utah man is dead following an apparent drowning at Palisade State Park Saturday evening. Just after 5 p.m. on Saturday, Utah State Park law enforcement rangers and Sanpete County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to Palisade State Park after receiving reports about a drowning in progress. The man, 18-year-old […]