On the subject of dead horses, Dead Horse State Park in Utah has the following drone policy:
Dead Horse Point is a small state park that often experiences high levels of visitation. In order to protect peoples’ privacy and enjoyment, along with the well being of wildlife,
drones are prohibited from March through October of each year.
Between November and February of each year, drone use is permitted by permit only. Permits cost $10 and can be filled out at the visitor center (open daily 9am-5pm) before flying. Please bring your FAA drone registration number.
A google search indicates that each State Park in Utah sets its own drone policy.
Antelope island State Park has the following policy:
Drones: A person must obtain written permission from the park before operating an unmanned aircraft within the park system (R651-601-18, R651-602-8). See Special Events below.
Last year in Snow Canyon State Park, my brother asked the ranger in the fee booth about their policy, and she wasn't sure. He chose not to fly (I think if they ranger doesn't know - I'd err on the side of asking forgiveness, not permission).
Regarding "Wilderness Areas" in Utah, I would suggest that whether on BLM land or Forest Service land - you are treading on thin ice if you decide to fly from inside a Wilderness Area.
The Forest Service Website addresses drones specifically (
Unmanned Aircraft Systems | US Forest Service) and says this about Wilderness Areas:
The FAA provides
guidance(link is external) on “Flights Over Charted U.S. Wildlife Refuges, Parks, and Forest Service Areas”. Per this guidance, federal laws prohibit certain types of flight activity and/or provide altitude restrictions over “designated Forest Service Areas.” UAS are considered to be "mechanized” equipment and cannot take off and land in designated
Wilderness Areas on National Forest System lands.
If you launched the drone outside a Wilderness Area, and flew over a Wilderness Area, while piloting outside the boundary, you might be in the clear - however I can see a Ranger still writing a citation for disturbing the wildlife. There are several Wilderness Areas in Utah whose boundaries come within hundreds of yards of paved roads (and some Wilderness Areas may even have grandfathered roads that permit mechanized travel). There are certainly several "Wilderness Study Areas" that are managed as Wilderness Areas that have grandfathered roads in them.
The Timpanogos Wilderness Area comes within hundreds of yards of the "Alpine Loop", a scenic byway.
https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/regions/intermountain/MtTimpanogos/MtTimpanogosTrailMap.pdf
If you were to fly over the wilderness area, while piloting from a pullout on the highway, I think you would be fine. However it would be wise to consult with Ranger.
Another thing to consider: there have been multiple lawsuits and much discussion over helicopter skiing near Wilderness Area in northern Utah. There have been arguments against renewing permits for skiing in non-wilderness areas in national forests because the helicopters land close to the Wilderness Areas and are disturbing the recreational users in the Wilderness Area. There is historical record for heli-skiing near some Wilderness Areas in the legislative history for some of the areas, and so the permits were renewed, but other areas don't have the legislative history from the discussion when the areas were designated by Congress, and so the permits for heli-skiing near those areas have been much more disputed.
