{"id":9352,"date":"2023-11-02T07:29:08","date_gmt":"2023-11-02T13:29:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sbbch.org\/?p=9352"},"modified":"2025-04-26T16:31:11","modified_gmt":"2025-04-26T22:31:11","slug":"public-lands-access-problems-for-everyone-federal-closure-of-moab-trails-sparks-outrage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sbbch.org\/?p=9352","title":{"rendered":"Public Lands: \u2018Access Problems for Everyone\u2019: Federal Closure of Moab Trails Sparks Outrage"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Off-roading groups and the State of Utah have filed legal challenges to keep Moab trails open to vehicles after federal officials announced large-scale closures in September.<\/p>\n

Written by\u00a0Andrew McLemore” November 1, 2023
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\nFor decades, the precipitous trail through Hey Joe Canyon offered Moab off roaders an iconic experience of the area\u2019s world-famous rock formations.<\/strong>\u00a0But now it\u2019s one of many classic trails closed to motorized recreation by federal officials. While some environmental groups laud the closures, opponents say they make access more difficult for everyone.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor someone to access that now is severely limited,\u201d said Joe Risi, Senior PR Manager for onX Offroad. \u201cIt limits those that are healthy and able, not just the young, old and disabled.\u00a0Where I park my car, where I unload my bike, how much water I need to bring: It\u2019s all been rocked by this.\u201d<\/p>\n

The mapping engineers at onX know better than most just how quickly land access in Moab is changing. They\u2019ve spent the last several weeks updating the onX Offroad app as quickly as possible after the U.S. Bureau of Land Management\u00a0announced a plan<\/a>\u00a0on Sept. 28 to close about 317 miles of Moab trails to motorized vehicles.<\/p>\n

That decision led to widespread outrage from the off-roading community. In terms of density, it\u2019s the largest single closure on the\u00a0onX Offroad app<\/a>\u00a0since it was released in 2019. Roads in Hey Joe Canyon, 10-Mile Wash, Dead Cow, and Hell Roaring Canyon are now closed to anything with a motor, including e-bikes. The changes affect not only motorists, but also hikers and mountain bikers who will have a harder time reaching trailheads.<\/p>\n

\u201cMoab has become an iconic off-roading mecca. These trails are loved by this community, and that\u2019s where it hits home,\u201d said Risi. \u201cBut it also creates access problems for everyone. Many people don\u2019t understand that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Environmentalists cheered the closures as a win for Utah wilderness. But legal challenges filed this week will attempt to stop federal authorities from moving forward with the plan. One thing is certain: The battle over the future of Utah land access is just getting started.\"\"<\/a>
\nA Win for Wilderness Advocates<\/strong><\/p>\n

When the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced the trail closures, environmental advocates immediately welcomed the news. The closures will protect cultural sites, river habitats, and the \u201cexperience\u201d of non-motorized recreationists, the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA) said in a\u00a0news release<\/a>\u00a0on Sept. 28.<\/p>\n

\u201cVisitors will finally be able to experience stunning Labyrinth Canyon without the noise, dust, and damage that accompanies motorized recreation,\u201d said Laura Peterson, SUWA\u2019s staff attorney. \u201cFor too long, the BLM has prioritized off-road vehicle use at the expense of Utah\u2019s incredible natural and cultural resources. The Labyrinth Canyon plan represents an important step forward to guide the management of Utah\u2019s public lands and reduce the impacts of off-road vehicle routes in this area.\u201d\u00a0 READ MORE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Off-roading groups and the State of Utah have filed legal challenges to keep Moab trails open to vehicles after federal officials announced large-scale closures in September. Written by\u00a0Andrew McLemore” November 1, 2023 For decades, the precipitous trail through Hey Joe Canyon offered Moab off roaders an iconic experience of the area\u2019s world-famous rock formations.\u00a0But now […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[48],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9352","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-public-lands"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sbbch.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9352","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sbbch.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sbbch.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sbbch.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sbbch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=9352"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/sbbch.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9352\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9355,"href":"https:\/\/sbbch.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9352\/revisions\/9355"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sbbch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9352"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sbbch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=9352"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sbbch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=9352"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}