Opinion ID: 2635256
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: facts

Text: [¶3] The Luthers purchased real property in Fremont County known as the LHart Ranch in 1991. This property is located in the North Fork Canyon of the Popo Agie River. At the time the Luthers purchased the property, they were aware that legal access to the Ranch was questionable. According to the Luthers, the LHart Ranch was historically accessed by using the North Fork Road. The North Fork Road passes over land owned by several private parties, tribal trust property, and BLM land. A recorded right-of-way does not exist for the portions of the North Fork Road that crosses tribal trust property and BLM land. However, the Luthers previously utilized this road without interference. [¶4] Around Thanksgiving of 2003, the manager of the LHart Ranch was traveling on the portion of the North Fork Road that traverses tribal trust property and received a citation from a tribal game warden for trespassing. [2] The issuance of the citation caused the Luthers to believe that access to their property was now in jeopardy. As a result, they began efforts to secure easements for access to their property. [¶5] The Luthers' efforts to obtain easements were ultimately unsuccessful. On December 22, 2003, the Luthers filed an application for establishment of a private road. [3] The application alleged that the LHart Ranch was landlocked. The Luthers submitted a proposed route for a private road, which substantially followed the historical access over the North Fork Road. The Luthers proposed a change in the access in an attempt to avoid approximately 400 yards of the road which crosses tribal trust property. [¶6] Pine Bar Ranch objected to the Luthers' petition, claiming that the Luthers were not landlocked. Pine Bar Ranch asserted that the Luthers have access to their property via a public road known as the Surrell Creek Road. Pine Bar Ranch further claimed that the Luthers and their neighbors historically used the Surrell Creek Road to access their respective properties. [¶7] In accordance with Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 24-9-101(e), the Board held a hearing on the application. [4] The Board entered its Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law & Order Denying Second Amended Application on January 3, 2005. The Board ultimately concluded that the Surrell Creek Road is a public road and, therefore, the Luthers failed to meet their burden of establishing necessity. The Luthers filed a petition for review in the district court. The district court reversed the Board's decision finding Surrell Creek Road is not a public road and remanded the case to the Board. Pine Bar Ranch filed this appeal.