A new initiative by outdoor access platform Infinite Outdoors aims to expand public access to millions of acres of federally and state-owned land currently blocked by private property boundaries.
Announced on May 7, the “Access Granted” program seeks to provide legal walk-in routes to public lands that have long been inaccessible due to their location behind privately owned land parcels.
The initiative addresses a long-standing issue in the United States where an estimated 16 million acres of public land are considered “landlocked” and unreachable by the public.
While more than 640 million acres of public land exist across the country, these landlocked sections have remained difficult or impossible to access without crossing private property. Infinite Outdoors is now working to change that by partnering with private landowners and outdoor brands to create new access points.
Through agreements with landowners and the support of outdoor-focused companies like HUSH and Primos, Access Granted allows members of the public to legally traverse private lands to reach adjacent federal, state, or national forest lands.
The program is offered at no cost to users and is funded through the company’s Access+ paid membership program and industry contributions. Landowners are compensated for participation in the program.
“For decades, there has been debate around why there are millions of acres of public land that the public cannot access,” said Sam Seeton, founder and CEO of Infinite Outdoors.
“There’s nothing more frustrating than knowing public land is right there yet having no way for the average person to legally get to it. We are passionate about public lands being public, and as such, built the Access Granted Initiative to fix this issue, using our own funds and industry partnerships to tear down the invisible fences and let people experience the land that was meant for all of us free of cost.”
The Casper, Wyoming-based company, often described as an “Airbnb for outdoorsmen,” launched in 2020 and offers over one million acres of private land access for hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation across 16 states.
The new Access Granted initiative extends this model to improve access to public lands specifically.
As part of the program’s launch, Infinite Outdoors has collaborated with the Mule Deer Foundation and other partners on a wildlife conservation project at the Andrus Draw Access Granted property, a 600-acre site near Kaycee, Wyoming.
The project opens more than 40,000 acres of landlocked Bureau of Land Management land. A community volunteer event supporting wildlife fencing efforts on the property is scheduled for June 7.
In its initial rollout, the Access Granted Initiative includes nearly a dozen properties in Wyoming and Colorado, collectively unlocking over 45,000 acres of new public land access.
“Access Granted is one of the most important programs I’ve seen to date that will help shape the future state of hunting and the outdoors,” said Casey Butler, founder of HUSH.
“Opening up new opportunities to hunters and sportsman to enjoy public access through private lands, while also promoting responsible land use and smart wildlife management efforts, bodes well for the future of our sport.”
Conservation is a central aspect of the program. According to Infinite Outdoors, each participating property is assigned a biologist to help manage harvest quotas and ensure wildlife populations remain healthy.
The company states that the initiative not only aims to open access but also creates opportunities for long-term conservation efforts by facilitating projects on newly accessible lands.