A New Year, A Lot of Miles Ahead

Many of you will get to know me from the trail, events, or the occasional meeting, but I wanted to take a moment to properly introduce myself and talk about where we’re headed together this year.

My name is Mike LaMar, and I have the privilege of serving as the Executive Director of the Utah Public Lands Alliance (UPLA). I’m a husband, father, long-time off-road enthusiast, retired Marine, and someone who believes deeply that access to our public lands only survives if the people who use them stay involved in protecting them.

Like most of you, my connection to off-roading didn’t start with policy, it started with experience. Early mornings, late nights, fixing things in the dirt, helping strangers, and realizing the off-road community is one of the most self-reliant and generous groups out there. Over time I also saw something else: access isn’t guaranteed. Trails don’t disappear all at once… they disappear one decision at a time, usually because we weren’t in the room when it mattered.

That’s what UPLA exists to change

What I’m Doing This Year

This year my priority is simple: getting out of the office and into the state.

UPLA works best when we’re physically present — with clubs, land managers, dealers, vendors, and riders. Relationships solve problems long before regulations do. So my focus for the coming year is boots-on-the-ground engagement across Utah.

You’ll see me at:

• Club meetings and trail rides
• Dealer and vendor visits
• Land manager coordination meetings
• Events around the state

Not just to talk, but to listen. Every area has different challenges. Moab is not the Wasatch Front. Southern Utah is not the Uintas. Statewide advocacy only works when we actually understand local realities.

What I’ve Learned So Far

From the visits I’ve already made, a few themes keep showing up:

• Gaps in communication create conflict.
• Most closures and restrictions don’t begin with hostility; they begin with assumptions. When landowners, managers, riders, and organizations talk early, outcomes improve dramatically for all parties involved.
• Clubs are the backbone of access.
• Through volunteerism, education, and trail stewardship — clubs quietly do more than almost anyone realizes. Supporting clubs means protecting trails.
• Our Industry wants to help.
• Dealers and manufacturers understand their future depends on sustainable recreation. They just need structured ways to participate.

One of UPLA’s roles is to connect those three groups before problems become policies.

Partnerships That Help Everyone

We’re expanding programs that benefit riders while supporting access.

Trail Hero — 10 for 10- Participants receive 10% off their trail registration, and Trail Hero contributes $10 to the Utah Public Lands Alliance. It’s a simple way to support stewardship while you’re already out enjoying the event. Just Use the Promo Code UPLA10 to take advantage of your discount and get a donation to UPLA. Registration Opens May 1 at …TheTrailHero.com

Rock Slide Engineering Partnership- When you use code UPLA10 at RockSlideEngineering.com you’ll receive 10% off your order. Rock Slide Engineering will also then donate 10% of their net profits from those sales back to UPLA annually.

If your company would like to enter into a partnership agreement with UPLA to gain customers and support keeping our roads open, please email Loren Campbell.

Moving Forward Together

UPLA is the voice of OHV user across the state of Utah. But a voice only matters if it represents real people.

• That means showing up, working together, and making sure decision-makers hear from the people who actually use the land.
• If I’m in your area, I’d like to meet your club.
• If you’re hosting an event, invite me.
• If there’s a problem brewing locally, let us know early.

The future of access won’t be decided in one big moment.

It will be decided in hundreds of small conversations all around our state.

Let’s make sure we’re part of them.

Mike LaMar
Executive Director
Utah Public Lands Alliance
mike@utahpla.com

Significant progress has been made toward preserving access to BLM and SITLA lands in the Virgin area. We have held two productive meetings with the Town of Virgin, the Washington County Attorney, and the PLPCO Assistant Attorney General for Washington County to explore viable paths forward.

As a reminder, there are two separate access rights-of-way in this area: the historic RS 2477 route and a prescriptive easement crossing Lot 10 of the Zion’s Edge subdivision. While there are valid legal claims supporting both routes, all parties generally agree that maintaining reliable access through at least one of these corridors would be sufficient.

Having multiple options improves the likelihood of preserving access, but it also adds complexity, as each potential solution affects different property owners in different ways. To allow time to work toward a voluntary and mutually acceptable resolution, we have agreed with the Town of Virgin to temporarily delay our appeal hearing.

In the meantime, all “No Trespassing” signs have been removed, and access—both motorized and non-motorized—is currently open and allowed.

Magazine Article January 2026

Important Updates January 1, 2026 Thank you to so many of you that expressed support for fighting to keep this key access route available to BLM lands in Virgin, and especially to those that have donated to help us with legal costs. If you’d like to sign up for updates or to make a donation, please click here.

We’re making progress on several fronts. I had a meeting this week with our new Executive Director Mike LaMar, the Virgin Town Manager, the Washington County Attorney’s Office, and the PLPCO Asst. Attorney General for Washington County to discuss not only the legal challenges with closing access to BLM land, but also a handful of alternate options for continued access. The purpose of this meeting was not to push for any decisions, but to explore options, and it met that objective. During the meeting, the Town Manager agreed to have the No Trespassing signs removed. PLPCO also made it clear that the State will insist that vehicular access to BLM land be continued. One of the keys we all agreed on is that our best option is settle the matter without the need for litigation.

To preserve our legal rights, I filed our formal appeal with the Town of Virgin for their land use decision jointly with Utah Public Lands Alliance and BlueRibbon Coalition. BlueRibbon’s support is key in this as they are more experienced than any other group in fighting for access to public lands, including through litigation when necessary. You can see our Notice of Appeal and Exhibits here while will give a complete background on both the history and our legal position.

Our intent is to continue negotiations while the Town Appeal is pending, with success we hope to be able to dismiss the Appeal.

If you would like to sign up for our newsletter or to make a donation, please click here.

Loren Campbell
President@UtahPLA.com

UPLA submitted comments on BLM’s plan to close all the free dispersed camping near the SR9, and supplement camping by building developed camping and improving some designated camping on the South Side of the Virgin River. Another part of their plan is to close some areas near Gooseberry Mesa for restoration, and build a developed campground there.

UPLA looked at the plan, and is concerned about efforts that will end Free, dispersed camping in both area. You can read our comments here

Public comments close on December 24, so if this concerns you, please go to the BLM EPlanning website for details and to submit your comments.