The Rainbow Lighting of BYU's Iconic Y

The BYU Y Rainbow Lighting: When Public Land Meets Institutional Control

On a March evening in 2024, Brigham Young University's iconic Y, a 380-foot concrete landmark illuminated against Utah's Wasatch Mountains, glowed in rainbow colors. The event lasted approximately 40 minutes. By the end of the night, BYU police had ascended the mountain, interviewed participants, and terminated the display. What followed raised sharp questions about public access, institutional authority, and the limits of religious university policy on allegedly public land. According to coverage documented on the Mormon Stories Podcast, this incident illustrates an ongoing tension between BYU's control and the public's legal right to the mountain the university purchased in 2014.

The Background: A 2014 Purchase with Public Access Stipulations

The controversy's legal roots run deeper than the March event itself. In 2014, BYU finalized its purchase of the Y, the surrounding trailhead, and the mountain from the United States government. However, the sale included a crucial stipulation: BYU was obligated to keep the trailhead, mountain, and Y symbol open to public access.

This condition was not incidental. It formed the basis of the transaction and reflected federal land policy priorities. Yet, according to the Mormon Stories Podcast's investigation, BYU began restricting access through policies that some legal observers question, particularly a demonstration policy enacted in December 2021. The university fenced off the direct trail to the Y in March 2024, less than two weeks before the rainbow lighting occurred, citing safety and property protection concerns.

The March Event: Flashlights, Not Graffiti