Whether you are a regular customer or you have never been, the upcoming open house at the Lee Kay Public Shooting Range on April 18 is a great time to visit the facility. Visitors will have the opportunity to enhance their target shooting skills and try various types of shooting during a day full of exciting events!
Located at 6000 W. 2100 South in Salt Lake City, the Lee Kay Public Shooting Range is the only outdoor shooting range in the Salt Lake Valley, and is one of two shooting range facilities owned and operated by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.
"We really enjoy the members of the public who visit, as well as our volunteers and staff who help run the ranges," Lee Kay Public Shooting Range Manager Blanche Smith said. "I love introducing people to target shooting and seeing their faces light up when they hit a target for the first time. We are the last outdoor shooting range in the Salt Lake Valley, and we realize the importance of offering a safe, controlled environment for the public to come participate in shooting sports. This facility is an invaluable asset for residents along the Wasatch Front."
The Lee Kay Public Shooting Range open house will be held Saturday, April 18 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. A variety of events and clinics will be held throughout the day to help visitors enhance their shooting and hunting skills, including:
- A .22 rifle marksmanship and spinner course.
- Hunting dog training demonstrations.
- A mini-archery challenge.
- Trap and skeet clinics.
- A sight-in clinic for firearms. (You must register in advance on this Eventbrite page, as spots for this clinic are limited.)
Free entry to the rifle, handgun and archery ranges will be offered on April 18 during the open house. Visitors can also get one free round of shotgun shooting on April 18 (choosing between trap, skeet or five-stand shooting). The free shooting will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Participants are encouraged to register for the open house on Eventbrite in advance. Visitors of all ages are welcome, but youth who are 16 and younger must be accompanied by an adult at the event.
The range has undergone various expansions and renovations since it opened in 1981. Currently, it offers a variety of amenities, including:
- A 100-, 200- and 300-yard rifle range
- 25- and 75-yard ranges with multiple lanes for handgun, rimfire, muzzleloader and rifle use
- Trap shooting
- Skeet shooting
- Five-stand shooting
- An archery range with 15 lanes, ranging from 20-100 yards
- A 934-acre dog training area with upland game and waterfowl habitats (located within the Lee Kay Wildlife Management Area, which requires possession of a valid Utah hunting, fishing or combination license for access)
- A bird-watching area, complete with gazebo (also located in the Lee Kay Wildlife Management Area)
On average, the Lee Kay Public Shooting Range receives roughly 50,000 visitors a year to its various ranges. Over 1 million clay targets are thrown each year at the shotgun ranges. You can learn more about the history of the Lee Kay Public Shooting Range on the DWR website.
The range is open on:
- Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. for the rifle and handgun ranges and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. for the shotgun and archery ranges
- Fridays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Sundays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
If there's a range you hope to use on a particular day, you should call in advance to make sure it will be open.
Aside from the open house event, regular admission to the range is $6 for an adult day pass and $3 for a youth day pass (for those 15 and younger). Fees for trap, five-stand and skeet rounds can be found on the DWR website.