Summit Land Conservancy and Ogden Valley Land Trust partnership permanently protects 128.6 acres of forested canyonland, wildlife habitat, and important watershed lands



OGDEN CANYON, Utah (August 13, 2026) — Summit Land Conservancy and Ogden Valley Land Trust are celebrating the permanent protection of 128.6 acres in Ogden Canyon, preserving a dramatic stretch of wooded canyon, wildlife habitat, scenic views, and watershed lands at one of the gateways into Ogden Valley.

Now known as the Keith and Belinda Rounkles Ogden Canyon Conservancy, the property has been part of the canyon’s history for more than a century. Today, a conservation easement ensures the property will remain undeveloped, protecting its natural character and the streams and wildlife corridors that connect it to the Ogden River.

In July 2024, Summit Land Conservancy and Ogden Valley Land Trust agreed to work together to pursue and co-hold conservation easements in the Ogden Valley, combining Ogden Valley Land Trust’s local relationships with Summit Land Conservancy’s conservation, legal, fundraising, and stewardship expertise.

“This is exactly why partnerships like this matter,” said Cheryl Fox, CEO of Summit Land Conservancy. “Ogden Valley Land Trust knows this landscape and these landowners incredibly well, and Summit Land Conservancy brings additional capacity and expertise to help get projects across the finish line. When we work together, we can save more land and save it faster.”

Protecting a Piece of Ogden Canyon

The Keith and Belinda Rounkles Ogden Canyon Conservancy rises above Highway 39 along the Ogden River Scenic Byway, where its steep, densely wooded slopes, high-elevation ridgelines, and striking rock formations form part of the scenic approach into Ogden Valley.

The property provides important habitat for mule deer, moose, turkey, California quail, dusky grouse, and other wildlife. Its intact forest canopy and understory provide cover, forage, and travel corridors for wildlife moving through the canyon, while its proximity to U.S. Forest Service lands adds to the connectivity of the surrounding habitat.

Four seasonal streams run through the property, carrying snowmelt and stormwater toward the Ogden River. Located approximately half a mile downstream of Pineview Reservoir, the property plays a role in protecting water quality within the Ogden River and the larger Weber River watershed. Its wooded slopes and intact soils help filter runoff, reduce erosion and sediment, and maintain the natural function of the canyon’s waterways.

The property is also part of a stretch of land that has become increasingly valuable as development moves farther into Ogden Valley. Located approximately two miles from Snowbasin Resort and close to Pineview Reservoir, the canyon is experiencing growing pressure for residential and resort-oriented development.

By permanently removing residential and commercial development rights from the 128.6 acres, the conservation easement ensures that the property will remain a natural, undeveloped part of the canyon forever.

A Century of History

The property has a long connection to the story of Ogden Canyon. The Oaks was established in 1907 as one of several small resort businesses that grew after transit lines extended into the canyon, bringing visitors who came for fishing, recreation, and lodging.

The original Oaks was eventually relocated to its current location in 1933 after repeated flooding in the canyon. Over the years, the business served as a grocery store and seasonal restaurant before becoming the year-round restaurant operated by Keith and Belinda Rounkles.

The Rounkles purchased The Oaks and surrounding property in 1981 and operated the restaurant for 44 years, sharing the canyon’s beauty with guests from around the world. While the lower portions of the property developed over the years for commercial and overnight lodging uses, the 128.6 acres now protected always remained undeveloped, used by the Rounkles family for hiking, camping, and other low-impact recreation.

Today, the Rounkles are retaining the property as family open space and have established the Keith and Belinda Rounkles Ogden Canyon Conservancy to ensure its permanent protection.

A Family Legacy, Protected Forever

For the Rounkles family, protecting the property is a way to honor the place they have called home for almost five decades.

“Ogden Canyon has been our home for nearly fifty years and a defining part of our lives,” said Keith and Belinda Rounkles. “Owning and operating The Oaks restaurant for forty-four of those years allowed us to share the canyon’s extraordinary beauty with guests from around the world. Stewardship of this land, river, and wildlife is a duty our family carries deeply.”

“Nature has taught us invaluable life lessons, and we believe preserving this terrain creates vital learning opportunities for generations to come,” they said. “We are honored to announce the permanent protection of our property through the Keith and Belinda Rounkles Ogden Canyon Conservancy. This easement guarantees that the community can experience the same sense of wonder that has meant so much to our family.”

Kirk Langford, an Ogden Valley Land Trust Board Trustee, said the Rounkles have a long history of giving back to the community.

“Keith and Belinda Rounkles have always been generous and giving to our community as former owners and operators of The Oaks,” Langford said. “So, it’s not a surprise that they’ve placed a conservation easement on 128 acres of their forest land in Ogden Canyon. This spectacular pine-covered land is a wildlife sanctuary. Their gift to our community through this conservation easement, and the legacy they are creating for their family, will be memorialized forever.”

A Partnership Built to Get Land Saved

The protection of the Keith and Belinda Rounkles Ogden Canyon Conservancy reflects a broader effort by Summit Land Conservancy and Ogden Valley Land Trust to make land conservation more accessible to landowners throughout the Ogden Valley.

For Ogden Valley Land Trust, the partnership brings additional capacity to a landscape where landowners are increasingly interested in conservation but where completing an easement can require significant time, technical expertise, fundraising, and legal work.

“Ogden Valley Land Trust has always been about protecting the places that make this valley special,” said Langford. “Working with Summit Land Conservancy allows us to bring more resources to the table and help landowners turn their interest in conservation into permanent protection. This project is a great example of what we can accomplish together.”

And this won’t be the last project to come out of the partnership. Another Ogden Valley property is nearing permanent protection, adding another piece to the growing network of conserved lands in the valley.

“We’re seeing that landowners want to conserve their properties, but the process can be complicated, expensive, and time-consuming,” Fox said. “Our job is to make it possible. When organizations share expertise, relationships, and resources, we can spend less time reinventing the wheel and more time getting land protected.”

The collaboration is particularly important as development pressure continues throughout the Ogden Valley.

“Saving land is a team sport,” Fox said. “It takes willing landowners, local partners, funding, expertise, and a lot of patience. This project is a great example of what happens when all of those pieces come together, and we’re excited about what comes next.”

The permanent protection of the Keith and Belinda Rounkles Ogden Canyon Conservancy adds another 128.6 acres to the increased footprint of conserved lands across northern Utah, helping keep Ogden Valley’s open spaces intact as the region grows.

To learn more about Summit Land Conservancy’s conservation work, visit wesaveland.org.