If you've driven out Glovers Lane since summer and seen the permit signs, did you turn around? Plenty of people heard that Farmington Bay "requires a permit now" and stopped there. But the permit costs nothing and takes one short video to get. The rules that will shape your walks from now through early spring come from somewhere else. They come from the waterfowl hunting calendar and from a closure that starts once waterfowl hunting season ends.
The rule that actually got easier
Since July 1, 2026, visitors 18 or older entering most of Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area need either a free digital access permit or a valid Utah hunting, fishing or combination license. The requirement comes from H.B. 30, passed in the 2026 legislative session. It applies to WMAs in Utah's most populous counties, and Davis, Salt Lake, Utah and Weber counties are currently on that list.
The free part matters. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources says the 2026 list covers the same 30 WMAs that were already on the list in 2025. Before this year, getting into them meant holding a hunting, fishing or combination license. The Salt Lake Tribune reported that the earlier license requirement drew complaints, and that lawmakers responded in 2026 by expanding the policy rather than dropping it. KPCW and KUER covered the change as a fix that followed pushback from hikers and bikers. A local legislator told them it would please area bird watchers, hikers and bikers.
According to DWR and KSL's reporting, getting the permit works like this:
- Watch DWR's short educational video about WMAs through the state's online permit form.
- Acknowledge that access to WMAs can be seasonal, or closed altogether.
- Keep the permit, which is good for 365 days and gets renewed each year.
That second step matters at Farmington Bay, where which dikes, units and roads are open shifts with the season.
This statewide rule is getting bigger. Starting July 1, 2027, it expands to 110 WMAs in Class 1 through 4 counties, and starting July 1, 2028, it covers every WMA in Utah. The KPCW/KUER piece also reported that recreationists were interested in giving voluntary contributions, and that a sportsmen's group worried donations might not replace the license revenue the old system brought in.
Two front doors off Glovers Lane
Farmington Bay WMA is not all one place under the new rule. DWR excludes two spots from the permit requirement: the Eccles Wildlife Education Center and the Hasenyager Reserve. They are essentially the same destination. The Robert N. Hasenyager Great Salt Lake Nature Reserve is the site the Eccles center sits on.
| Eccles Center and Hasenyager Reserve | Farmington Bay WMA beyond them | |
|---|---|---|
| Permit or license for ages 18+ | Not required | Required since July 1, 2026 |
| Where | 1157 S. Waterfowl Way, near 1700 W. Glovers Lane | Unit dikes and access points across the WMA |
| Walking | 1.6-mile nature trail loop, open in daylight every day | Depends on the season and posted closures |
| Center hours | Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. | Access set by season and posted signs |
The Eccles gate opens at 7 a.m. and closes at 5 p.m. During daylight hours when the gate is closed, you can still reach the trails through a walk-in entrance on the east side of the gate. DWR has also extended gate hours on Mondays so people who can't use the walk-in entrance can see the wetlands at sunset after 5 p.m. The center says that extension depends on visitors keeping the grounds clean and free of vandalism. As the days get shorter heading into November, Monday is the one evening a week a visitor who can't use the walk-in entrance can still be out there for the late light.
If you'd rather not deal with the permit, or you're bringing out-of-town guests who don't have one, the 1.6-mile Eccles loop is the option the rule leaves open.
Into the new year, the dikes are part of hunting season
Past the Eccles boardwalk, the WMA is in its busiest stretch of the year. DWR says Farmington Bay's access points opened Sept. 17, 2026. In its September report, DWR described the impounded wetlands as in favorable condition, with water outside the impoundments more variable and ducks and geese already gathering. That's good news for anyone with binoculars. It also means hunters are using the same dikes.
Here are the season dates that overlap with a resident's fall and winter, from DWR's 2026 hunting information:
- Ducks, mergansers, coots and snipe, Northern Zone: Oct. 3, 2026 through Jan. 16, 2027
- Light geese, Wasatch Front: Oct. 15 through Dec. 22, 2026, then Feb. 1 through March 10, 2027
- Dark and white-fronted geese, Wasatch Front: Nov. 10, 2026 through Feb. 15, 2027, following an earlier Oct. 3 to 10 window
- Tundra swans: Oct. 3 through Dec. 13, 2026
Some parts of the property are closed to the public even during the season. The northwest corner of Unit 1 is a designated rest area, closed to hunting and to trespass. DWR has also closed the area west of the main entrance road, through the first right bend and north to Goose Egg Island, for educational purposes, and South Crystal is motorless. DWR's own report on conditions tells visitors to check the current map and signs before heading out. The Utah Wildlife and Waterfowl Management Areas map is where DWR points people for what's open on any given day.
What changes when waterfowl season ends
DWR's WMA table sets a seasonal closure at Farmington Bay. It runs from the end of waterfowl hunting season until the Thursday before the next Youth Waterfowl Hunt, which this year fell on Sept. 19.
During that closure, two rules apply:
- Motorized travel is allowed only on the road along the Unit 1 dike, up to the four-way intersection.
- Dogs are not allowed.
Duck season ends Jan. 16, 2027, but the Wasatch Front goose seasons listed above run into February and March, and DWR's table ties the closure to the end of waterfowl hunting season rather than to a fixed date. Check DWR's WMA page and the posted signs for when the closure actually takes effect this winter. Once it does, a drive-and-walk routine gets shorter, and a walk that includes the family dog doesn't work in the WMA at all, whether or not you have a permit. A Deseret News guide to watching bald eagles notes that eagles are more likely to be found in Utah in winter.
So there are three versions of Farmington Bay between now and spring. During hunting season, the WMA is open alongside hunters, with posted rest and education areas closed. After waterfowl season ends comes the closure, with vehicles limited to the Unit 1 dike and no dogs. The Eccles loop stays open in daylight all year and never needs a permit.
A small date worth saving at Eccles
The next scheduled program at the center falls in that first stretch. Tales and Trails: Story Time for Littles is set for Saturday, Nov. 7, at the Eccles Wildlife Education Center. It offers two one-hour sessions, starting at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., and each one pairs a wildlife-themed story with a guided walk along the nature trail. A local youth is leading it as an Eagle Scout project. Admission is free, and organizers ask families to bring a nonperishable food item for the Bountiful Food Pantry. Space is limited, so register through DWR's events calendar only if you plan to go. Since it's held at Eccles, families don't need the WMA permit to attend.
A couple of other dates on the Farmington calendar land around the same time:
- Station Park's Monster Mash Halloween Bash is Saturday, Oct. 31, from 4 to 6 p.m. in The Village, with candy, costumes and crafts.
- Lagoon's Frightmares closes for the year on Nov. 8. Closing-weekend hours are 5 to 11 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 6, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 7, and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 8. Lagoon says hours can change without notice because of weather or other factors, so check before you go.
Saturday, Nov. 7 lines up nicely if you've got little kids: story time at Eccles in the morning, then the last full Saturday of Frightmares down the road.
This post is general information about public access rules, not legal advice. For your own visit, go by DWR's current rules, maps and posted signs.
The Doxey Real Estate Group team has worked in Davis County since 2006, and spots like Farmington Bay are a big part of what our clients mean when they talk about loving where they live. If you're thinking about what your Farmington home is worth, or how close your new place would be to Glovers Lane, reach out for a free home valuation and a no-pressure conversation.
