What is the Labyrinth Canyon Travel Plan and what does it do?

The Labyrinth Canyon Travel Plan determines where motorized vehicles are and are not allowed to travel on Bureau of Land Management (BLM)-managed public lands in the spectacular Labyrinth Canyon region outside of Moab, Utah. 

The BLM finalized a travel plan for the Labyrinth Canyon area in September 2023. That plan strikes a thoughtful balance between motorized and non-motorized recreation in this popular area of redrock country. It allows for motorized recreation on 810 miles of routes within the roughly 300,000-acre travel plan area, which is in addition to the more than 4,000 miles of routes available for motorized use in the greater Moab area. The Labyrinth Canyon Travel Plan closed about 317 (out of 1,200) miles of routes in the travel plan area. 

Where is Labyrinth Canyon and why is this area so special?

The Labyrinth Canyon Travel Plan area encompasses 300,000 acres of BLM-managed public lands near Moab, just north of Canyonlands National Park. Labyrinth Canyon itself is within the Travel Plan area and includes 40 miles of the peaceful Green River as it flows through towering redrock walls, as well as many side canyons, including Mineral, Hell Roaring, Spring, and Ten Mile. The 40-mile Labyrinth Canyon stretch of the Green River runs from Ruby Ranch at the north to Mineral Bottom Canyon on the south.

The Labyrinth Canyon stretch of the Green River is a gem of the American West, providing a multi-day flatwater wilderness adventure suitable for families and boaters of all experience levels. It is also a congressionally-designated Wild and Scenic River. The area is home to irreplaceable cultural and historic resources, important wildlife habitat for species like desert bighorn sheep and Mexican spotted owl, and unmatched quiet recreational opportunities. The west side of Labyrinth Canyon was designated as Wilderness by Congress as part of the 2019 Emery County wilderness bill.

Why did the BLM close routes in the travel plan to off-road vehicles (ORVs)?

The BLM closed 317 miles (out of 1,200 miles) of motorized routes for a variety of reasons. In some cases, the agency found that the motorized trails were redundant, with multiple routes leading to the same destination (like a scenic overlook or camping location). In others, the BLM found that the trails had naturally reclaimed and were largely non-existent on the ground; and therefore allowing new motorized use would damage soils, native vegetation, and other resources. The BLM also determined that motorized recreation was causing substantial damage to cultural sites, desert streams and waterways, wildlife habitat, and wildlife. In some instances, the agency decided that ORV use conflicts with non-motorized recreational uses, like floating the river, hiking, or mountain biking.  

I like to ride my UTV/ATV/dirt bike around Moab; does the BLM’s 2023 plan cut off motorized access to the Labyrinth Canyon area?

No! There are still 810 miles of motorized routes in the Labyrinth Canyon area. There are also more than 4,000 miles of additional motorized routes in the greater Moab area. In Labyrinth Canyon, there are still plenty of opportunities to drive to spectacular overlooks of the Green River and Canyonlands National Park. You can also continue to drive down to the Green River via the hair-raising Spring Canyon and Mineral Bottom switchbacks. The Moab area continues to provide a lifetime’s worth of high-quality recreational opportunities for all types of users. 

What’s the big deal with ORVs? Are they really all that bad?

While ORVs provide recreational opportunities for some, they can have an outsized impact on both public land resources and human-powered recreationists. ORVs harm streams, generate dust, exacerbate erosion, harass and displace wildlife, and damage cultural sites. They are also extremely noisy, which can impact those looking for a backcountry experience that provides solitude and natural soundscapes. Because these machines can cause such significant impacts, it’s critical that use is carefully planned and reasonably controlled. Nothing in the BLM’s Labyrinth Canyon Travel Plan cuts off ORV access; it just redirects ORV use away from certain sensitive areas and attempts to strike a much-needed balance between motorized and non-motorized use on public lands.

Why is the BLM changing the Labyrinth Canyon Travel Plan if it just finalized the plan in the fall of 2023?

The Trump administration is re-opening this plan at the behest of the State of Utah, the Utah congressional delegation, and motorized groups that are driven by a radical vision for public lands, where landscapes are blanketed in ORV routes and our remaining wild places are transformed into motorized playgrounds. The folks pushing for these changes fail to acknowledge the impact that increasing ORV use is having on public land resources and users. They are not seeking a reasonable balance, but instead want to see ORVs driven anywhere and everywhere, regardless of the impact of these vehicles on ecosystems, wildlife, and other public land users. Motorized vehicles have a particularly outsized impact along the Labyrinth Canyon corridor, a place that should be managed for quiet, non-motorized experiences. 

What is the BLM proposing to do now?

The BLM is proposing to open 141 miles of previously-closed routes to motorized vehicles. This includes routes along the Green River in Labyrinth Canyon and in sensitive side canyons like Hell Roaring and Mineral. It includes routes already identified by the BLM as impacting wilderness values and important wildlife habitat for species like desert bighorn sheep, routes that are reclaiming and largely non-existent on the ground, routes conflicting with non-motorized recreation, and redundant routes. Motorized groups are pushing BLM to go even further and more miles of route to ORV use in places like Ten Mile Canyon, a rich desert riparian area. . 

Is there a public comment period? How do I get in touch with BLM about the plan?

The BLM is holding a 30-day comment period that is open until Friday, October 24, 2025. It’s more important than ever to tell the BLM to keep these routes closed to preserve Labyrinth Canyon’s irreplaceable cultural sites, wildlife habitat, natural soundscapes, sensitive soils and vegetation as well as the experiences of non-motorized recreationists. 

You can provide feedback to the BLM using SUWA’s Action Alert. You can also provide a comment directly to the agency through their ePlanning site. Comments that draw from first-hand knowledge and experiences on the river, the side canyons, and the broader Labyrinth area are the most effective. Where possible, use specific route numbers. Those route numbers are available on ePlanning. If you need assistance with writing your comments, please contact SUWA organizer Nicole Milavetz (nicole@suwa.org). Tell the BLM to Keep Labyrinth Canyon Wild!