BLM Advances Three Utah Travel Management Plans
BLM Advances Three Utah Travel Management Plans
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management has announced three travel management planning efforts that will determine how existing motorized routes are managed across more than 816,000 acres of public land in Utah. The plans cover the Trail Canyon area near Kanab, the Dinosaur North area near Vernal, and the Dolores River area managed by the Moab Field Office.
Two of the plans are now open for public comment, while the Dolores River plan has released preliminary route alternatives ahead of a formal comment period expected later this year. Together, these efforts will evaluate existing routes and determine which will remain open, receive seasonal or limited designations, or close to motorized travel.
The BLM’s stated goal is to support balanced multiple use management while implementing “Executive Order 14408, Removing Unnecessary and Counterproductive Restrictions on Access to Federal Lands.” The agency also confirmed it is continuing to work on revisions to the federal off-highway vehicle regulations found in 43 CFR Part 8340.
Travel management plans shape far more than trail maps. They influence where people recreate, where events can be held, how local businesses serve visitors, and how public lands are managed for years to come. Public participation remains an important part of that process, particularly when comments are based on firsthand knowledge of an area and specific routes.
ORBA and SEMA encourage members to review the proposals and participate during the public comment periods. Thoughtful, well supported comments help agencies better understand how these routes are used and why continued access matters to recreationists, local communities, and the outdoor recreation economy.
Resources
BLM Announcement- https://www.blm.gov/announcement/blm-advances-travel-management-planning-across-utah-three-initiatives
BLM Federal Register (Trail Canyon Travel Management Plan)-
BLM Federal Register (Dolores River Travel Management Plan)-
BLM Federal Register (Dinosaur North Travel Management Plan)-
Related SEMA Reading- Reopening Popular Utah Routes Proposed. BLM Needs to Hear from You NOW! https://www.sema.org/news-media/enews/2026/20/reopening-popular-utah-routes-proposed-blm-needs-hear-you-now