Sen. Mike Lee says he's revising a proposal to sell up to 3.3 million acres of public land to housing developers after backlash from outdoor rec enthusiasts.

Why it matters: Some of Utah's most popular hiking, skiing and camping areas would be eligible for sale under the current draft, released last week.

Driving the news: "Hunter Nation: You spoke, and I'm listening," Lee posted Sunday on X. "I'll be making changes in the coming days."

What's inside: Lee's proposal would require the sale of about 2.2 million to 3.3 million acres of federally owned land in 11 states, including Utah.

What they're saying: "The bill is fairly clear that the sale should be for housing-related needs," Bob Keiter, a public lands legal expert with the University of Utah, told KUER. "It's much less clear that this addresses affordable housing concerns."

Between the lines: That means lands could be sold for vacation homes, ski villas and other luxury real estate that is unlikely to alleviate Utah's housing shortage.

Caveat: The draft forbids the sale of certain protected lands, like national parks, monuments, recreation areas and wilderness areas.

Yes, but: The measure doesn't protect wilderness study areas, areas of critical environmental concern, or lands that may be removed from national monuments, as President Trump did during his first term.

Zoom in: A Wilderness Society map of land that could be sold under Lee's proposal includes swaths of Alta, Snowbird, Solitude and Brighton, which operate on public land under special use permits from the U.S. Forest Service.

• Those permits likely would protect in-bounds slopes from sale, the winter sports magazine Powder reported — but popular sidecountry terrain is more exposed.

What we're watching: Whether future drafts address possible easements for hiking and skiing access on trails that have been heavily used by the public for decades.

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Sen. Mike Lee's proposal to sell public lands to housing developers includes some of the most popular hiking areas in Salt Lake County, according to an analysis by the Wilderness Society.

• The conservation nonprofit's map shows federal lands not exempt from sale under the latest draft of the measure.

Between the lines: Much of the land that's eligible for sale may not be desirable or realistic for housing.

• Yes, but: The language of the proposal only describes housing-friendly qualities that should give a tract high "priority" for sale. It doesn't eliminate specific lands from consideration, even areas heavily used by the public.

Here are five trails on land that could be sold.

🐕 Upper Mill Creek Canyon: The dog-friendly trails around Dog Lake draw hundreds of hikers each day.

• Nearby Mount Aire and Alexander Basin are also unprotected from sale.

🚵‍♂️ Mill Creek Pipeline Trail: The path is wildly popular among cyclists.

⛰️ Grandeur Peak: It's one of the most prominent mountains above Salt Lake's skyline.

⛷️ Mill D North Fork: The Big Cottonwood Canyon approach to Dog Lake is a magnet for hikers, cyclists and skiers.

🌸 White Pine Lake: The alpine wonderland in Little Cottonwood Canyon is home to wildflowers, moose and more.

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🥅 The Utah Grizzlies minor league hockey team could be sold and relocated after next season, the league said Sunday. (Salt Lake Tribune)

🗳️ A referendum on Utah's collective bargaining ban for public employees is officially set for November 2026, per a declaration Monday by Gov. Spencer Cox. (KSL.com)

The family of a South Jordan man says they still don't know why police fatally shot him more than a year ago. (FOX 13)

• Police say county prosecutors are still reviewing the investigation.

⚕️Utah expects to receive $57 million in a settlement with Purdue Pharma over the company's role in the opioid crisis, state officials said. (Utah News Dispatch)

Protests and petition drives are slated for this weekend, opposing Sen. Mike Lee's proposal to sell public lands in western states to offset President Trump's proposed tax cuts.

The intrigue: These are some of the first protests organized in Salt Lake since a shooting at the "No Kings!" protest June 14.

When and where: A "Big BeUTAHful Protest" at the Capitol is set for 3pm Friday.

• Petition drives and demonstrations are planned noon to 4pm Saturday at the Bells Canyon trailhead and Sunday near Spruces Campground in Big Cottonwood Canyon.

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