The recent decision to close hundreds of miles of some of the best off-road trails on the planet near Moab was part of a larger ongoing project that will affect many more trails.
In 2017 the Department of Interior, wilderness groups, and pro-access groups including BRC entered into a settlement agreement that required the Bureau of Land Management in Utah to update travel plans for most of the state. This will affect over 10,000 miles of trails in Utah, and is a process that will take most of this decade to complete. We call our ongoing effort to keep all these trails open the 10,000+ Project.
Every quarter we get an update from the court that outlines when the BLM plans to complete the different plans. In the October 2023 report, we learned that they plan to finish the San Rafael Swell plan by November 10, 2024. They also plan to complete the Trail Canyon plan by 2nd quarter and the Puansaugunt plan by the end of the year. These are two areas near Kanab, UT. All three of these areas contain great trails that each provide access to unique experiences and adventures.
BRC and its members have been involved in the development of these plans, and during the next year we need everyone to become familiar with these areas. If you haven’t explored these areas yet, we hope you will make a resolution for the next year to go exploring.
Here is a map of the trails that will be affected in the San Rafael Swell:
https://eplanning.blm.gov/EPLCommentMap/?itemId=e65d6582b5764e399ae499f0165866eb
Here is a map of the trails that will be affected in the Trail Canyon area:
https://eplanning.blm.gov/EPLCommentMap/?itemId=fe56a4173ad7440d81e75cc9abbc618b
Here is a map of the trails that will be affected in the Paunsaugunt area: https://eplanning.blm.gov/EPLCommentMap/?itemId=3adc52affaef4d5cba31c78c2f9e62f7
This is a process that is going to take years to complete. We appreciate everyone who has been supporting the 10,000+ Project, so that we can stay committed to this long-term fight.
