Today, a coalition of off-road groups took their challenge to the federal government’s arbitrary and illegal closure of over 300 miles of trails near Moab, UT, to federal district court for the District of Utah. The federal court filing follows a ruling by the Interior Board of Land Appeals to deny a stay of the closures earlier this month. Now it will be up to a Utah federal judge to decide whether the trails will remain closed while the litigation is pending, or whether they will be open and available to the hundreds of thousands of Jeepers, mountain bikers, dirt bike riders, and others who have enjoyed them for decades.

The coalition, which consists of the BlueRibbon Coalition, Colorado Off-Road Trail Defenders, and an individual named Patrick McKay, is asking the federal court to issue a preliminary injunction that will allow the trails to remain open while the litigation is ongoing.

“The government has already announced that they would begin re-vegetating, bulldozing, and otherwise erasing these trails the moment they were closed,” said Matt Miller, a Senior Attorney at the Texas Public Policy Foundation and lead attorney on the case. “That is why an immediate injunction is necessary. If these closures are not immediately reversed, there could be no trails left after this litigation concludes, even after the plaintiffs win.”

“The federal government’s closing of these world-class routes ignores the evidence on the ground, the needs of the community, and the rich history of off-road recreation in the area,” added TPPF Attorney Nate Curtisi. “Worse yet, this government overreach was done in violation of a myriad of constitutional and statutory protections that were made specifically to avoid these kind of arbitrary and capricious actions.”

“After reviewing the legal deficiencies with this decision, we committed to our members that we would do everything we can to keep these popular trails open,” said Ben Burr, BlueRibbon Coalition Executive Director. “Now that they are closed and the Bureau of Land Management will get to work erasing these trails from the landscape, the irreparable harm to our members will be difficult to quantify. It’s impossible to place a value on generations worth of traditions, experiences, and meaningful connections to these spectacular lands. The BLM didn’t just close 317 miles of trails, they closed 317 miles of some of the best trails, and we are prepared to do what it takes to keep them open.”

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Following are copies of both the Lawsuit Complaint and the Injunctive Relief Request

Federal Lawsuit ComplaintMoab-District-Court-Original-Complaint

Moab-Motion-for-injunction

Watch the Fox 13 News story about the David & Goliath story of BLM and SUWA stripping 317 miles of OHV access in Moab Labyrinth Canyon. This decision only appears to affect motorized OHV now, but the decision details will affect many others including equestrians, photographers, mountain bikers, rock hounders, and even base jumpers.
We need to start acting as big as we are. Get involved and support BlueRibbon Coalition with your time and your money by Donating Here.

The Labyrinth Canyon/Gemini Bridges Travel Management Plan has created a lot of uncertainty. If you’d like to understand what’s happened and where we stand in Moab with the BLM’s decision to close 317 miles of trails, read on.

On September 28, Nicollee Gaddis-Wyatt, BLM Canyon Country District Manager, signed the Decision Record for the Labyrinth/Gemini Bridges Travel Management Plan (TMP) This Decision caused the closure of 317.2 miles of trails, or 28% of all trails previously open to motorized OHV. Additionally, another 98.4 miles of trails were limited closures, mostly pertaining to the type of motorized OHV on the trail, i.e. ATVs, E Bikes, mountain bikes, etc. This resulted in the closure of most of the major trails west of Moab including Day Canyon Point, Hey Joe Canyon, Mashed Potatoes, Ten Mile Canyon, Hell Roaring Canyon, Mineral Canyon, Hidden Canyon, 7-Up, and 2 of the 3 overlooks on Deadman Point. Additionally, the closures also includes many spur routes and 120 dispersed campsites being closed, which struck a hard  blow to overlanders in the area and primitive campers. In addition, the plan is suggesting that additional areas be considered being managed as areas with “wilderness characteristics.” This designation will open the door to additional closures and restrictions.

This is on top of the 2008 Recreation Management Plan, which although it closed a whopping 766 miles of roads, specifically identified many of these roads as having an overriding purpose and designated them to be kept open.

The changes and closures were to become effective after the end of a 30 day appeal period.

On October 30, BlueRibbon Coalition, Patrick McKay, and Colorado Offroad Trail Defenders filed an Administrative Appeal with a Petition for Stay. This granted a window where the TMP would not go into effect until the US Department of Interior Board of Land Appeals (DOI IBLA) issued their decision, meaning that trails remained open. The State of Utah, Colorado Trail Preservation Alliance, Ride with Respect and the Offroad Business Association also filed timely appeals which are not discussed here.

On November 27, Administrative Judge Kevin Haugrud denied the Petition for Stay, meaning that the TMP was back in effect and that the 317 miles of closures are CLOSED.  Although the Petition for Stay was rejected, the IBLA has still not issued their decision on the Appeal.

The denial of the Stay will allow a lawsuit to be filed in Federal Court along with injunctive relief that may restore access to the trails, BlueRibbon and the Plaintiffs are assessing their options.

In Summary:

• The 317 miles of roads listed in the Travel Management Plan are CLOSED, and UPLA strongly encourages that all users obey the closure orders and don’t drive on the closed roads. Here’s a great map of the closed trails.
• The Appeal is still pending. You can read BlueRibbon’s appeal here.
• Read about the 5 Actions that BlueRibbon is taking, and learn how you can take action.
• Support Utah Public Lands Alliance by donating to our campaign for BlueRibbon’s Legal Defense Fund. UPLA already contributed $69,672 to the BlueRibbon Coalition Legal Defense Fund, and will match dollar for dollar approximately the next $15,000 in donations. You can donate here online, or if you prefer to write a check, designate in the memo line “Legal Defense Fund” and mail it to:

Utah Public Lands Alliance
PO Box 833
St George, UT 84770


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Together, We Will Win,

But We Can’t Do It Without You!

As a result of a settlement agreement between BLM and Conserve Southwest Utah, BLM will revisit their former approval of the four lane divided 4.5 mile highway connecting the northeast and northwest sides of St George. This decision also included establishment of Zone 6 as a newly designated Desert Tortoise Habitat, shutting down many uses including OHV in that area.

BLM originally looked at 6 proposals, 2 of which included expanding existing streets in St George which were dismissed because of cost and impact on historic buildings located on the routes. Ultimately, BLM considered 4 proposals, and selected the UDOT alternative as the recommended route, which is shorter than either of the 2 other routes crossing the Red Cliffs National Conservation Area. (RCNCA)

Conserve Southwest Utah claims that placing the highway through the RCNCA will have significant environmental impact than addressed in their Decision, especially impacting the Mojave Desert Tortoise.

The 2021 BLM decision also established Zone 6 to offset habitat loss for the tortoises as a result of the highway construction for this option, resulting in losses to OHV in this area located West of Bloomington and Sun River Country Clubs. This particularly affected the loss of some trails going down to the Zion River. Reversal of the decision could restore Zone 6 for OHV and other limited purposes.

The BLM will be reconsidering 2 issues:

• Impact of wildfires including impacts on vegetation, and tortoise habitat
• Historic and prehistoric archeological sites.

We Need Your Feedback to develop UPLA’s position. This decision may affect motorized OHV, Rock Climbers, Equestrians, and cyclists to name just a few. If you have experience with trails, roads, or areas that might be affected by this decision, please email us with your feedback.

Comments Close on December 21, so follow us to learn more about our conclusion and instructions for submitting comments.

Here are some additional references for more on this

Article by KUER with an overview of the action

Public Scoping Meeting Guide with Important Information

Record of Decision by BLM 2021

Record of Decision by Fish & Wildlife 2021

St. George, UT — December 5, 2023

Utah Public Lands Alliance (UPLA) is pleased to announce a significant donation of $70,000 to the BlueRibbon Coalition for their Legal Defense Fund. This generous contribution is a testament to UPLA’s unwavering commitment to preserving public lands’ accessibility for all Americans. The presentation of the donation will take place during the Utah Public Lands Alliance’s Board Meeting on December 7, 2023, at 6:00 PM. The event will be hosted at Dixie 4 Wheel Drive, located at 73 N 900 E, St. George, UT 84770.

Loren Campbell, President of Utah Public Lands Alliance, and Ben Burr, Executive Director of BlueRibbon Coalition, will be present at the event to commemorate this important occasion. The $70,000 donation is made possible through the UPLA’s initiative to match up to $50,000 in donations from a broad coalition of supporters across the United States. This collective effort highlights the shared commitment to preserving the accessibility and integrity of public lands for current and future generations.

Campbell expressed his enthusiasm about the collaboration, stating, “Preserving our public lands for responsible recreational use and ensuring accessibility is a shared responsibility. We are proud to support BlueRibbon Coalition in their efforts to defend these lands legally. The overwhelming response from supporters across the nation demonstrates the collective strength of our community in safeguarding our natural heritage.”

Ben Burr, Executive Director of BlueRibbon Coalition, added, “We are grateful for the Utah Public Lands Alliance’s dedication to the cause. This donation is one of the largest single donation ever received by BlueRibbon and will help us in our legal fight to continue advocating for the responsible use of public lands. The support from UPLA and their broad coalition of donors is instrumental in our efforts to protect these lands for everyone.”

The presentation event will provide an opportunity for both organizations to express their gratitude to supporters and showcase the importance of collaboration in preserving public lands. Ben Burr will be available to update attendees on the Moab closures and provide a chance to learn more about the initiatives undertaken by UPLA and BlueRibbon Coalition to protect the nation’s cherished natural resources.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Loren Campbell, President@UtahPLA.com, 909-499-3295

About Utah Public Lands Alliance: Utah Public Lands Alliance is a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and advocating for responsible access and use of public lands in Utah and surrounding areas. UPLA works to protect the cultural, recreational, and economic value of public lands for current and future generations.

About BlueRibbon Coalition: BlueRibbon Coalition is a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to preserving public lands for responsible recreational use. The organization focuses on advocacy, litigation, and education to ensure that public lands remain accessible for a wide range of recreational activities.

You can donate to the campaign here