I have another thread here about suggestions for my visit to UT but I have a few more specific questions about gun laws.

As far as open carry goes, is it legal all over the state? In parks and remote areas as well as towns?

Any specifics when interacting with law enforcement getting pulled over, etc. Any duty to notify that you are armed?

Any other quirky state specific laws?

Both my dad and I have VA concealed handgun permits and will be carrying.

There are restricted areas in the State, but in most of the places you will go hiking it is fine to open carry.

You can open carry in town also, but you might make some people in the bigger cities, like Salt Lake

City, nervous.  VA has formal reciprocity with Utah, which means that you can use your VA permit to

conceal carry in this State, so why not just carry concealed when in town?


Just my experience. I have been pulled over a few times while armed. I just hand over my Concealed

Carry Permit with my driver’s license.  Every time so far, the Officer has said that he appreciated  the

fact that I let him know that I have a gun.  They have always told me to just not touch it and keep it

where it is. Doing that  got me out of a very expensive ticket with just a warning one time.

The duty to notify was repealed.  In my experience, it seems to make cops jumpy when you tell them you are packing.  I'd only tell them if I was about to be searched.

As long as you have a valid CCW permit you can carry loaded, openly or concealed, anywhere except the few prohibited places (airport secured areas, jails, the loony bin, courthouses, LE facilities, federal buildings, and Mormon churches).  Best to carry concealed to avoid hassle as OldButNew says.  You can carry in bars and schools, as well as state and federal parks (but not in federal buildings in federal parks).

This above is the same in VA. We also don't have a duty to notify the police if we are armed when pulled over.

Sometimes OCing while hiking is much easier than trying to conceal.

Thanks for the advice.

I usually open carry when hiking or backpacking. Stopped and chatted with a couple of forest rangers one time on my way back down from lake Blanche. They asked how many people were up there and if we saw anyone with a fire (not allowed). They never even commented on my firearm.

In the UT CFP Instructor class they tell you that notification is not required, but that it is preferred.



From the LE I've talked to, they generally prefer to see your permit at the start of an interaction. Some may not care, but some will recognize it as certification that you're unlkely to be in the lower percentiles of society and less likely to want to screw up both your days.

I always hike open carry.

Fuck bears.

I've only done so in Indiana and Utah, two gun friendly places, but the officers seem to appreciate it. A simple "Hey, just thought I'd be courteous and let you know I have a concealed carry permit. Hope it makes your job a little easier" goes a long way. They seem to appreciate it and relax a little. And frankly, I do it just because it's a nice thing to do.

DO YOU NEED ASSISTANCE?

I have successfully completed my trip and appreciate all the input you guys gave. I need to make a post with some pics.

Both my dad and I CCed the whole time.