The Legal Debate: Corner Crossing and Public Land Access

Author

Kaden Leverenz, University of Montana, MissoulaFollow

Graduation Year

2025

Graduation Month

December

Document Type

Professional Paper

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science – Forestry

School or Department

Wildlife Biology

Major

Wildlife Biology – Terrestrial

Faculty Mentor Department

Wildlife Biology

Faculty Mentor

Erim Gómez

Keywords

corner crossing, public land, hunting access, recreation, land management

Subject Categories

Air and Space Law | Environmental Law | Land Use Law | Natural Resources Law | Property Law and Real Estate

Abstract

Is it legal to cross from one corner of public land to an adjacent corner of public land across checkerboarded landscapes in the American West? This question regarding corner crossing has become one of the most prominent and unresolved issues in public land access. Although federal courts in Iron Bar Holdings v. Cape (2025) confirmed corner crossing, without touching or damaging private land, does not constitute trespass, the legal landscape still remains unsettled. Public land users play a significant role in shaping the direction of this issue, as demonstrated by past public mobilizations against large-scale land sell-offs. Therefore, this paper serves as an accessible guide for those seeking to understand the legal complexities surrounding corner crossing and the checkerboarded land ownership pattern that blankets the West. Specifically, it covers the historical origins of checkerboarded lands, the legal doctrines and statutory frameworks, broader impacts of limited access, and a discussion of potential solutions and pathways forward.

Honors College Research Project

1

GLI Capstone Project

no

Recommended Citation

Leverenz, Kaden, "The Legal Debate: Corner Crossing and Public Land Access" (2025). Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts. 576.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/utpp/576