The National Park Service will have to revise its rules regarding off-road vehicles in the area after reaching a settlement with a conservation nonprofit.
(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Tourists gather at Lone Rock Beach near Page, Arizona, in 2023. After his two lawsuits over the use of off-road vehicles at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area were recently settled, the National Park Service must decide: The elevation of certain lakes at which Lake Powell shorelines, such as Lone Rock Beach, are open or closed to motor vehicle traffic.
| April 24, 2024, 12:00 PM
Since Glen Canyon National Recreation Area was established, visitors have used motorized vehicles to experience its red rocks. But environmentalists say their mobility comes at a cost to the landscape itself.
Thanks to a recent settlement, the National Park Service must revise its off-road vehicle regulations and restrict off-road vehicle traffic within protected areas.
In 2021, NPS announced rules to expand the use of off-road vehicles across National Recreation Areas. Environmental nonprofits Southern Utah Wilderness Association (SUWA) and the National Park Conservation Association sued the agency over the rule.
The nonprofit claimed that off-road vehicles cause water pollution, soil erosion, wildlife disturbance, habitat destruction, and conflict between motorized and non-motorized recreational vehicles. The 2021 rules could “degrade and permanently damage native lands within Glen Canyon,” according to the nonprofit group.
On April 10, the National Park Service reached a settlement with the nonprofit group. The revised final rule would restrict the use of motorized vehicles on the shores of Lake Powell and prohibit the use of off-road vehicles in portions of the Orange Cliffs Special Management Unit. The settlement does not affect recreation at Lake Powell.
“We hope that this new final rule will better balance the use of off-road vehicles with opportunities for solace and primitive recreation,” said SUWA Staff Attorney Hannah Larsen. “Having a better balance of these different types of recreation is better suited to the purpose of the recreation area.”
Some off-road vehicle users feel the terms of the settlement are unfair. “Glen Canyon is the nation’s recreation area,” said Ben Barr, executive director of the Blue Ribbon Coalition, a nonprofit organization that advocates for off-roading and recreation. “It should be managed for recreation.”
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area spans 1.25 million acres across northern Arizona and southeastern Utah. About 13% of its area is covered by Lake Powell, but more land will emerge as the reservoir shrinks due to climate change.
Environmentalists have expressed concern that Lake Powell’s expanding shoreline could become a playground for off-road vehicles. The revised rules would address this by establishing specific elevations at which shorelines are closed or open to motorized use.
The revised regulations also clarify that off-road vehicles can only be used in lakeside areas for transportation to and from the coastline, such as when entering a watercraft into a lake. One exception is the Lone Rock Beach Play Area, which is designated for off-road vehicle use.
The nonprofit group also challenged a provision in the 2021 regulations that would allow off-road vehicle traffic in the Orange Cliffs Special Management Unit, which borders Canyonlands National Park.
The proposed settlement requires NPS to prohibit the use of off-road vehicles on an eight-mile portion of the Poison Springs Loop within Orange Cliffs.
“This is a very valuable route that is already used by all kinds of car users,” Barr said. “I think as long as they’re following the rules and there’s not a lot of negative impact, they should be able to continue to use it. That’s what we’re going to advocate for.”
NPS must publish revised regulations by January 10, 2025. There will be a 60-day public comment period before the revised regulations are finalized.
