I hike more than once a year and backpack in Grand Staircase-Escalante and other places. And yes I say keep the cows off the hiking trails. You probably have cow pies in your front yard and aren't offended by them. My sympathies.
Some group was willing to pay more than the ranchers for the grazing rights. That's free enterprise. Are you against free enterprise? Raising cows on the public land doesn't seem to be the most economic use of the land according to what people are willing to pay.
It's hardly free enterprise, or capitalism at work when land swaps are made in this manner. What happens is the federal authorities begin cutting allotments, dictating unreasonable grazing plans and generally making it tough on ranchers to operate; then one of the so-called land conservation groups steps in and buys the ranch with grazing rights, then turns around and sells it to the feds at a huge profit. This happens all the time. It was a big issue in Idaho's Stanley Basin where conservation groups held title to the land they bought for less than a month before turning the property to the feds. The feds, being you and me.
That may seem like free enterprise at work to you, but it doesn't fit my definition.
Just for my interest, how much do you pay in user fees when you backpack? How much trail improvement are you Required to do to use the land?? How much paperwork, and records are you required to keep before you go hiking?
Why should recreation users get a free ride on public lands...I happen to think recreation users do not pay their fair share.
Oh yes, I did have cow pies in my pasture next to my house...not right in my yard though.