For over three decades, the America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act has been repeatedly introduced in Congress—and repeatedly failed to pass. This bill, which would lock up over 8 million acres of southern Utah’s public lands, has never gained enough support to pass. That’s because it’s never had support of Utah’s elected officials—instead, it’s consistently pushed by lawmakers from other states who have no stake in Utah’s land management.
This bill isn’t about protecting legitimate wilderness—it’s about imposing extreme federal control over Utah’s public lands at the expense of local communities, recreationists, and responsible land users.
What Would the America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act Do?
If passed, this bill would:
- Prohibit motorized and mechanized access (including off-road vehicles, snowmobiles, and even mountain bikes) on over 8 million acres of BLM-managed lands in Utah.
- Ban new road construction, severely restrict vegetation and fuel management for wildfire prevention, cut off access to areas that families, hunters, and rural communities have relied on for generations.
- Eliminate multiple-use opportunities, including responsible energy development, grazing, and recreation access.
- Expand federal control over local lands, reducing Utah’s ability to manage its own public spaces.
These Lands Do Not Meet Wilderness Criteria
The Wilderness Act of 1964 defines wilderness as areas that are “untrammeled by man” and retain their primeval character. The lands targeted by this bill do not meet these strict requirements. Generally wilderness designations require areas of at least 5,000 acres with no permanent impairments such as roads:
- Extensive Historical Use: These areas have long been used for grazing, recreation, and travel, meaning they have a well-documented history of human activity.
- Existing Roads and Infrastructure: Many of the proposed wilderness areas contain roads, historic trails, and infrastructure that disqualify them from true wilderness designation.
- Popular Recreation Areas: The bill would shut down motorized and mechanized recreation, including world-famous off-roading areas, despite their long-standing use.
A Bill That Harms the Public and Ignores Utahns
This legislation is an attack on public access. It prioritizes extreme preservation policies over the people who live, work, and recreate in these areas. By removing multiple-use designations, the bill would:
- Hurt rural economies that depend on responsible recreation, tourism, and resource management.
- Restrict access for families, sportsmen, and outdoor enthusiasts who rely on these lands for hunting, camping, and off-road travel.
- Undermine local land management efforts, replacing them with one-size-fits-all federal mandates from politicians who have never set foot in Utah’s backcountry.
BRC’s Position: Defend Public Access
Help BlueRibbon Coalition (BRC) strongly oppose the America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act. This bill is not about protecting wilderness—it’s about restricting access and advancing an elitist agenda designed to exclude the public from public lands.
We urge all multiple-use advocates, to stand against this unnecessary and harmful legislation.
