Beaver is a place where Utah’s Old West still thrives. The town lies in a broad valley below the towering Tushar Mountains, the state’s third highest mountain range, and their diverse recreational opportunities. Beaver, with a population of 3,000, is a gateway to gorgeous landscapes, rivers and streams, miles of hiking and mountain biking trails, breathtaking scenic drives, haunted ghost towns, and plenty of peace and quiet. Once a well-kept secret, Beaver is a growing four-season paradise for outdoor recreationists.
The easily accessible Tushars boast three 12,000-foot peaks, herds of mountain goats, alpine meadows strewn with wildflowers, and dense fir and aspen woodlands. Lakes dot the high country, attracting fishermen and campers, while mountain bikers pedal world-class trails. Hikers climb the high peaks and follow the spectacular 23-mile Skyline National Recreation Trail, one of Utah’s best paths for day hikes and backpacking adventures. West of Beaver is an arid land of mountain ranges punctuated by sagebrush-covered basins. The Mineral Mountains are one of Utah’s renowned rock hounding areas, where gem collectors hunt smoky quartz, opal, azurite, and prized blue beryl, while rock climbers scale the granite Milford Domes at the Rock Corral. Minersville Reservoir is the place to catch trophy-sized trout and camp lakeside on starry summer nights. Day trips to western Beaver County include visits to Frisco—once one of the West’s rowdiest mining camps and the remote Wah-Wah Mountains.
Getting To Beaver
Beaver sits right off I-15, 104 miles north of St. George. If you’re coming from Salt Lake City, it should take about three hours to cover the 200-mile drive.
Outdoor Adventure
The Tushar Mountains east of Beaver offer up one of Utah’s great unknown hiking areas. Set up camp at a Fishlake National Forest campground and follow the Skyline National Recreation Trail along the west flank of the range crest. For spectacular views, follow a trail up grassy slopes to the summit of 12,169-foot Delano Peak or hike a rocky ridge up 12,137-foot Mount Belknap. Beaver offers miles of single-track mountain bike rides and no crowds. After the snow melts, Eagle Point Resort boasts 41 miles of riding on 12 trails through aspen forests and meadows dotted with wildflowers. Trails around Big John Flat and the Skyline Trail are perfect pedal adventures in late summer. In the winter, head for the dry desert to ride abandoned mining tracks that date from the 19th century in the Mineral and Wah Mountains. There are several fishing holes scattered around Beaver, from glistening alpine tarns to forest-edged lakes filled with trout. The best fly fishing for brown and rainbow trout are deep pools along the upper Beaver River. Favorite fishing lakes for locals include the three Kent Lakes, Little Reservoir, Lebanon Lake, and Puffer Lake, the largest natural lake in the Tushar Mountains. The 72-mile Beaver Side Trail, part of the famed Paiute ATV Trail, makes a loop through the Tushars that begins and ends in Beaver. This ATV trip twists along dirt roads and narrow tracks through forests and meadows and over high ridges with spacious views across western Utah. The Beaver Canyon Scenic Byway, one of Utah’s best drives, threads 17 miles up a deep canyon from Beaver to Eagle Point Ski Resort. The Kimberly/Big John Scenic Back way runs 22 miles over the Tushars before dipping past mine ruins at Lower Kimberly. The Tushars are home to one of Utah’s largest and healthiest herds of mountain goats. Head for the high country from July through September to glimpse the shaggy goats grazing in high meadows and cavorting on snowfields. Bring binoculars, warm clothes and a camera.
The state Division of Wildlife offers an annual goat-watching event, usually the first weekend of August. Beaver, first settled in 1856, is filled with historic sites including over 100 places listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The brick Beaver County Courthouse, built in 1882, is one of the area’s finest Victorian buildings and now houses a local history museum. Next door is the historic Farnsworth Cabin and Monument and across the street is the Beaver Opera House. The town, birthplace of famed outlaw Butch Cassidy, is also famous for its drinking water. Beaver’s water supply, originating from snow on the Tushars, was dubbed the world’s best spring water in 2010. Eagle Point Resort, 20 minutes east of Beaver, is one of southern Utah’s best ski areas, with 650 skiable acres, 40 runs, terrain and snow tubing parks, and over 350 inches of snow every winter. It’s affordable and friendly, with groomed beginner and intermediate runs and, best of all, no crowds. If you yearn to catch lurker trout, head west from Beaver to Minersville Reservoir at the southern end of the Mineral Mountains. Set up camp at a Beaver County campground on the south shore and cast your line from the shore or a boat. The cold tail water below the dam is filled with 20-inch rainbow and brown trout, especially when irrigation flows are released.
Every July, bike riders mount up in Beaver and race up paved and gravel roads in the Tushar Mountains to Eagle Point Resort during the legendary Crusher in the Tushar bike race. The windswept ghost town of Frisco, below the San Francisco Mountains Northwest of Beaver, thrived during its 1880s mining a day. Daily shootouts on the streets of Utah’s most dangerous town earned Frisco the title the murder capital of the Old West. Now you can roam its dusty streets and crumpled buildings, haunted by owls and lizards, and find the remains of mines like the Horn Silver, once the world’s richest silver mine.
Adjacent counties
• Lincoln County, Nevada (West)
• Millard County (North)
• Iron County (South)
• Sevier County (East)
• Piute County (East)
Cities in Beaver County, Utah
• Beaver
• Milford
• Minersville
• Adamsville
• Blue acre
• Cook Corner
• Cunningham Hill
• Frisco
• Greenville
• Laho
• Manderfield
• Murdock
• Newhouse
• North Creek
• Shauntie
• Shenandoah City
• Smyth
• Sulphurdale
• Thermo
• Upton
• Yellow Banks
Lawyers in Beaver County Utah
Here are some of the areas of law that the attorneys at Ascent Law LLC practice for their clients in Beaver County Utah:
If you were charged with a drug crime in Beaver county Utah, you should be aware of recent changes to Utah’s statutes for controlled substances. In 2015, judges in the state courts throughout Beaver County Utah started handing down sentences in some types of drug crimes that include a greater emphasis on treatment instead of incarceration in jail or prison. The new drug laws were mandated by HB348 (often called the Justice Reinvestment Initiative. The Justice Reinvestment Initiative is based on recommendations by the Utah Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice (CCJJ). The new legislation was approved by the Utah Legislature and signed into law on March 31, 2015, by Governor Gary Herbert. The new legislation took effect on October 1, 2015. The reforms for drug crimes related to the possession of controlled substances were designed to help non-violent offenders become law-abiding members of their communities. The reforms were intended to save taxpayer money and reserve harsher penalties for violent criminals. The reforms also give an innocent person more leverage in plea negotiations when they are facing a misdemeanor charge instead of more serious felony penalties. Additionally, the new legislation allows defendants convicted of controlled substance offenses to retain their driver’s licenses if they participate in a substance abuse treatment program.
Overview of New Drug Laws under Beaver County
• Downgrading Felony Drug-Possession for Personal Use to a Misdemeanor
• Downgrading Marijuana Possession Charges to a Class B Misdemeanor
• Downgrading 241 Misdemeanors to Infractions
• Reducing the Prison Population for Non-violent Drug Crimes
• Reducing the Area for a Drug-Free Zone in Utah
• Changes to the Way Criminal History Affects the Sentence Length
• More Funding for Treatment instead of Incarceration for Drug Crimes
• Additional Resources
Downgrading Felony Drug-Possession for Personal Use to a Misdemeanor
Perhaps the biggest impact of House Bill 348 is the fact that the new legislation makes Schedule I or II controlled substances, which include drugs like methamphetamines, oxycontin, and heroin, a class A misdemeanors instead of a felony for the first two convictions. Class A misdemeanors carry a statutory maximum sentence of up to 12 months in jail and a $2,500 fine. A third offense for possession of a Schedule I or II controlled substance is charged as a third-degree felony. Prior to October 1, 2015, a person convicted of drug possession for personal use (simple possession) could be charged with a second degree felony (one to 15 years) or a first-degree felony (five years to life). Now those offenses will be charged as a class A misdemeanor with significantly lower maximum statutory penalties. A person’s charges are only increased to a felony after a third conviction. House Bill 348 did not change Utah’s drug laws for those accused of selling or trafficking drugs. Other drug crimes for distribution, production, manufacturing, sales, and organized criminal activity are still classified as serious felony offenses.
Downgrading Marijuana Possession Charges to a Class B Misdemeanor
Under the new version of Utah, for drug possession of certain substances such as marijuana or cannabis in an amount less than 100 pounds is a Class B misdemeanor. The statutory maximum penalties for a Class B misdemeanor including up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. Marijuana possession is enhanced to a Class A misdemeanor for a third conviction. Therefore, the new legislation effectively eliminated the weight thresholds for marijuana offenses and reclassifies marijuana possession (including conduct previously classified as a third-degree felony or a Class A misdemeanor) to a Class B misdemeanor. Possession of marijuana in amounts of 100 pounds or more is still a second-degree felony.
Downgrading 241 Misdemeanors to Infractions
The new legislation also turned 241 misdemeanor crimes into infractions. The penalties for criminal traffic offenses such as reckless driving and DUI remained unchanged under the new legislation.
Reducing the Prison Population for Non-violent Drug Crimes
Utah’s prison population has increased dramatically over the past decade. In fact, it grew by more than 18 percent from 2004 to 2013, according to The Pew Charitable Trusts. The Utah Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice (CCJJ) believes that the reforms in Utah’s drug laws could save taxpayers more than $500 million over the next twenty years by avoiding the need to fund more prison beds. The state prisons in Utah currently house close to 6,700 inmates. More than 80 percent of the inmates in the state prison have a substance abuse problem. House Bill 348 requires tracking of inmates and identifies who has a substance abuse addiction and/or a mental health issue and helps get them treatment.
Reducing the Area for a “Drug-Free Zone” Beaver County Utah
Before House Bill 348 took effect on October 1, 2015, a 1,000-foot radius around all schools and other facilities where children often go, such as churches and parks, were drug-free zones. House Bill 348 decreased drug-free zone from 1,000 feet around schools, churches, parks and other facilities where children may be, to 100 feet. Some of those areas are considered drug-free zones only during operational hours. Drug-free zones were also amended to criminalize only those with drugs and the intent to distribute, rather than mere possession of a controlled substance.
Currently, Utah law provides for special enhancements in drug cases including:
• In, on the grounds of, or within 100 feet of any structure, facility, or grounds of a public or private [elementary or secondary school][vocational school or postsecondary institution] between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.]
• In, on the grounds of, or within 100 feet of any structure, facility, or grounds of a preschool or child-care facility during the preschool’s or facility’s hours of operation.]
• In or within 100 feet of any structure, facility, or grounds of a public park, amusement park, arcade, recreation center when the public park, amusement park, arcade, recreation center is open to the public.
• In, on the grounds of, or within 100 feet of any structure, facility, or grounds of a house of worship. in, on the grounds of, or with
• In 100 feet of any structure, facility, or grounds of a library when the library is open to the public.
• In the presence of a person younger than 18 years of age, regardless of where the act occurs.
• For the purpose of facilitating, arranging, or causing the transport, delivery, or distribution of a [controlled][counterfeit] substance to an inmate or on the grounds of any correctional facility.]
Changes to the Way Criminal History Affects the Sentence Length
House Bill 348 changes the way criminal history affects sentence length by reducing the number of points in a criminal history score. The criminal history score is a measure of prior criminal involvement for the purposes of determining sentencing guidelines and now counts only misdemeanors classified as a Class A in the score. The new legislation also eliminates from the criminal history score factors that are not major indicators of risk of reoffending, such as crimes committed more than 10 years in the past. Most importantly, House Bill 348 eliminates the double counting of factors such as prior supervision, residential placement, and failure to report.
More Funding for Treatment instead of Incarceration for Drug Crimes
The Justice Reinvestment Initiative passed in 2015 provides opportunities for parolees and probationers to reduce their time on supervised release. The reforms require the Board of Pardons and Parole to grant a reduction of at least four months when prisoners successfully complete a priority in their case plan.
Additional Resources
Senate Bill 119, sponsored by Sen. Todd Weiler, R-Woods Cross, took effect. That new law requires law enforcement officers to get a warrant to search Utah’s Controlled Substance Database, which is under the jurisdiction of the state’s Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing. The legislation was prompted by several unwarranted drug database searches. Utah’s prescription database was created by the Utah Legislature to collects names, date of birth, address, names of treating physicians, the visit to the doctor, and information from prescriptions including the medication prescribed and its dosage. Law enforcement officers use the database when they get a tip from a doctor or pharmacist about possible prescription fraud. Under the new law, the officer needs to submit a reasonable probable cause statement to a judge for the judge to grant the warrant. Previous criminal convictions are used as mandatory charge enhancements as provided in Utah. Under Utah, the level of offense is increased for each subsequent conviction for violating the Utah Controlled Substances Act. Facing the criminal justice system on drug charges without an experienced Beaver County, Utah drug lawyer in your corner can be intimidating, but fortunately there is hope. In the court system of the United States, you are innocent until proven guilty. You also have the right to legal representation. Make sure that you have a confident, experienced defender on your side.
Beaver County Utah Court Directory
The Utah trial court system consists of District Courts, Juvenile Courts, and Justice Courts. Below is a directory of court locations in Beaver County.
• District Courts in Beaver County
5th District Court – Beaver County
2270 South 525 West, PO Box 1683, Beaver, UT 84713
Phone: 435-438-5309
Fax: 435-438-5395
• Juvenile Courts in Beaver County
5th District Juvenile Court – Beaver County
2270 South 525 West, PO Box 1683, Beaver, UT 84713
Phone: 435-438-5309
Fax: 435-438-5395
• Justice Courts in Beaver County
Beaver County Justice Court – Beaver
2270 South 625 West, PO Box 387, Beaver, UT 84713
Phone: 435-438-6470
Fax: 435-438-5348
Beaver County Justice Court – Milford
26 South 100 West, PO Box 922, Milford, UT 84751
Phone: 435-387-5571
Fax: 435-387-2524
• Beaver County Justice Court – Minersville
60 West Main Street, PO Box 268, Minersville, UT 84752
Fax: 435-386-2586
Fax: 435-386-2586
• Beaver County Utah website : https://beaver.utah.gov
Free Initial Consultation with a Lawyer In Beaver Utah
It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when. Legal problems come to everyone. Whether it’s your son who gets in a car wreck, your uncle who loses his job and needs to file for bankruptcy, your sister’s brother who’s getting divorced, or a grandparent that passes away without a will -all of us have legal issues and questions that arise. So when you have a law question, call Ascent Law LLC for your free consultation (801) 676-5506. We want to help you.
8833 S. Redwood Road, Suite C
West Jordan, Utah
84088 United States
Telephone: (801) 676-5506
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