Miles of Moab Trails Are Now Closed - The Beginning Of The End? 

While I too am saddened at this loss of trails, I also see the destruction that so many off-roaders have caused. Trash, feces, graffiti, etc are being left in the wake of ever increasing numbers of people visiting these locations. Unless some sort of oversight can be put in place, they will have no choice but to continue the closures. 5 tons of litter was just collected at Yosemite by volunteers. People shouldn’t have to clean up after others just to ensure continued access.

2 days ago my wife and I went to Yosemite and dispersed camping in the national forest. A group of #vanlife went by and camped about a mile from us. They proceeded to blast blaring music throughout the night. Sure, it is public land after all but come on. We avoided established campgrounds to find peace and quiet...not Lady Gaga blasting at 0100 in the morning.

Unfortunately it takes only a few bad apples to spoil the bushel. I'm an avid mountain biker but to many people don't respect the land and this was a long time coming. With many more larger vehicles tearing up the trails, something had to be done. As they say, leave no trace.

We are our own worse enemy. On a recent trip to the Alabama Hills, I stopped at a "Day Use Only" spot. Most of the good camping spots are closed to camping. The spot I stopped at was littered with broken beer bottles. I cleaned up the best I could but it speaks to what the slackers are doing to affect the rest of us.

The only true way to prevent closures is 100% accountability.

Thanks for telling this story, Tyler. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your service to this community, our interests, and the country in general. As a military veteran, former wilderness travel instructor with the sierra club, and active (by-foot and by-vehicle ) adventurer … I believe one can explore the world without destroying it. But, the more people there are, the harder that is to do. And, clearly, too many folks are not doing the right thing. Reminds me of how common it is for ego-centric folks to trash the trails up to our mountains like Whitney and Everest. These people come from all walks of life. So … those of us that are concerned or upset about this need to remember that pointing fingers at groups they routinely disagree with (e.g., the woke folk, the MAGA folk, the blue camp, the red camp, social media folks, young folks, old folks, etc) isn’t going to solve anything. In fact, it’s only going to distract us from real solutions. The bottom line here is that.. these are simply people who don’t do the right thing … and those people can be found in all camps.. regardless of beliefs - political, religious, social, or whatever. They come from all walks of life, all economic backgrounds, all races, and all parts of the country. The only common thread is that they don’t care about doing the right thing.. which is to respect the environment, respect others, and follow the rules. It shouldn’t surprise any of us that we need teachers to grade students work because students can’t be trusted to grade their own work… Much like corporations, can’t be trusted to police themselves, and therefore you need regulatory oversight. So, to combat this, we all need to help socialize what doing the right thing looks like (this channel is an important platform for this) and perhaps accept that really popular trails will require a permit… that camping is only allowed in designated areas. I’m personally fine with closing some trails while I also think that it’s fine to temporarily close others until the area is rehabilitated. But I definitely agree that we don’t want to see a trend in permanent Trail closure. I would be just as bummed if large chunks of my favorite national parks became closed because people were not following the rules. I will look into these organizations you’ve shared Tyler and will absolutely support what makes sense.

While we were camping in Moab some idiot rock climbed one of the black rock cliffs that you are not supposed to touch and leave hand prints and footprints on. Then we learned about the idiot that dug up a millions of years old dinosaur footprint that was in the sandstone. Then he threw it in the river where it dissolved. He didn’t want to get caught by police. These kinds of acts is why they had an easy time closing trails.

Thanks for the info, and yes keep us updated!

Welcome to the east coast style where everything is ether gated for the season or closed permanently… This problem comes from the trendy popularization of off-roading/overlanding on social media and the HUGE increase in people that don’t belong out there (people that trash, graffiti, drive off trail, and get into trouble and expect officials to come save them). It is a domino effect, They will continue to close trails due to overcrowding as more and more people advertise these places that were previously not popular, and the more trails that get closed, the more crowded the other trail become, leading to more closures

I'm moving just outside of Moab in Colorado, I was excited to dirt bike in the famous Moab Utah area. This is extremely sad, yet as a fisherman in the Northwest, I am used to this due to the bad apples.

Thank you for this Tyler! I hope it opens people’s eyes and get more involved.

Not so much the off-road mecca anymore....

I attended the Moab Jeep Jamboree last year. Great time and the event/clubs were responsible for ensuring we stayed on-trail and didn’t leave trash. The problem we face is too much love and many people new to off-road or overlanding who don’t consider the impacts of cutting trails, creating new trails, graffiti, dumping trash, dumping human waste and/or dumping gray water. I first visited Moab in 1990 and back then many people didn’t know Utah was a state. Now there are festivals every weekend in Moab and the area receives millions of visitors. Local businesses allow anyone with a drivers license to rent a sxs or jeep for the day. Many don’t know proper stay-the-trail etiquette and this contributes to negative impacts. Unfortunately popularity means Moab is going to be more heavily regulated. If someone doesn’t, then we will love it to death. If you truly want to overland or camp by yourself there are many less traveled, scenic and beautiful areas of UT, CO, NV, AZ, WY, SD, TX, NM and CA. SUWA may be exaggerating the trash however i see it on most trips. The 4x4 clubs and supporters here in CO regularly hold trash round ups on many more used trails. Finally no one seems to be focusing on how many miles of trails remain open, the value of spreading out and spreading the word on how to leave no trace and responsible use are how we keep trails from being closed.

All those overbuilt Rigs for grocery shopping now

I'm not a fan of the closures, but there is a LOT of freaking out and exaggeration going on about this. Virtually all of the closed areas are faded, old mining roads, two tracks that lead to nowhere, spur roads bulldozed long ago and then abandoned. All of the trails that have been popular with the OHV crowd are still there. They (the BLM) are just trying to limit the damage caused by people venturing into the backcountry via these old tracks and tearing it up, cutting down trees, smashing vegetation and creating more campsites. I'm a mountain biker and dirt bike rider, I have a truck camper and love to boondock...I know the Moab area like the back of my hand having vacationed there 2-3 times a year for the past 30 years...I've seen the maps from the BLM regarding the closures. It's really not a big deal...in fact, I think it's quite reasonable. Old two tracks, boys and girls...nothing to panic about.

Leave no trace!

@IndependenceOverland, I appreciate the heads-up on this issue, I love your channel awesome camping adventure videos, keep doing what your doing brahda, keep the updates coming, see you on the next one 🤙🤙🤙🤙🤙

Although moab is no secret this is part of why i, or no one else should spot burn places. Keep it off of social media. It doesn't matter you think you're "helping" people find places because you're also helping dirt bags find these places too.

Thank-you for helping bring this to everyone's attention. I'm really enjoying your trip videos and just discovered your channel. This issue really strikes home with me because I recently lost significant use of my legs from an autoimmune condition. I can still drive but hiking very far is out of the question. My last trip to Colorado gave me a lot of hope that I can still get out in nature. Instead of hitting the hiking trails this time, we rented a Gladiator and drove the wheels off that thing for a week-driving up Independence Pass in the snow, hitting some mountain gravel roads, and even a rocky 2 track. I've yet to get to go to Moab but it saddens me that this is being done. I recently heard the Blue Ribbon Coalition's talk about this on the Snail Trail 4x4 Off-road Podcast. It sounded to me from their in-depth study of it that the side-by-side/4 wheeler impact was overstated and just an excuse to close more areas. Also that the closures were in reality driven by some litigation that's been going on for a long time sponsored by a few small environmental activist groups. I hope we can all get behind BRC's effort to educate people and represent our side of the story.

Way to get the info to your audience! I can assure everyone that I’ve run many of the closed trails and what’s being said about them is bs. These trails were great… no trash, not overcrowded, no off trail use… it was an overlander’s paradise. Some of the absolute best camping I’ve done was there. It’s really frustrating… I definitely suggest watching CORE’s video on how this happened. It’s a video that’ll make you mad.

Thank you for taking the time to make this video and spread awareness of what is going on. These trails around Moab closing is a bummer, for sure .... but what concerns me more is a precedent being set of public land closures. Unfortunately, I can see more and more of this happening in the future. Like you, I cannot imagine a world where we aren't able to get out and enjoy our public lands the way we've grown accustomed to.

Thank you taking the time to get this out there and let people know what going on just like what the next place that they want to close down the more people know the better thank for sharing 😊

Totally agree with Toglander, it’s the use and abuse and move on mentality. It should be, never leave the trails and leave only footprints….

Thank you for sharing this.

Man, decades ago when I was into snowmobiling, Blue Ribbon was in that fight against trail closures too.

Good informative video mate. Before I posted my video about the Moab trail closures I was wondering why bigger creators in the space weren’t posting their own to help bring awareness… I found out quick that it was a more controversial topic than I had first thought… needless to say prepare for the comments. 😅

The same thing is happening here in Canada. Our communist government is systematically shutting down trails….for no reason other than they can. This forces more tragic onto fewer trails and is making things worse.

This is horrible, we just got into overlanding, we were tired of the race car lifestyle, got us each a Bronco, set them up, did our first trip to the Ozarks a couple of weeks ago. MOAB is on the bucket list, this is just so sad. My sister goes there quite often, they live part time in Colorado, we were suppose to go next summer, using her house as a base camp. There has to be a way to stop them, I do land title in Louisiana and Texas, dabbled in Colorado, not Utah, for a living, so I know here it is hard to just shut public lands down, because WE the PEOPLE Own them, not the government, they just manage them. If I get a chance after work, I want to delve into Utah Land Title rights, and just see what their laws are for Federal and State lands, would be worth a look.

Need to stay vigilant on this type of over reach. But I also get it in some cases. Way too many side-by-sides in our areas here in Idaho.

Wow this is crazy that it's actually happening! Iv hurd people talk about it for the past 3 years. But it's actually happening! Thank you very much for your content as always I appreciate it!

Should have put this video out 3 months ago when the Open Comment Time Frame was active... Alot of RU-vidrs are late to the game! Only a few Channels took it serious enough..

I saw some videos of mountain bikers getting in trouble riding some rocks there next to a main road. They cited the area was needing conservation due to the land (which they built a main road on) and then their solution to stop people was to drill a hole in the rocks they wanted to protect and put up a sign post. I can get behind conservation - i live in a very forested area, but if they are going to block once accessible areas citing environmental damage , they should probably not cause damage themselves.

This breaks our hearts. We dreamed of traveling from Aussie to do an overland trip and MTB rides though Moab 😢

the people i know who either live there or spend a lot of time there say most of it is because of people mainly on side by sides ,so rzrs and the like r going off the trails or brakeing new ones . when u see people doing this stop them or more of these closures will happen

I think it's like most things in life. A small minority of irresponsible "4x4" /offroaders spoil it for everyone else. You do need to take care of and respect these trails, and I see a lot of groups treating them like obstacle courses in massive convoys. Some of the rigs with suoer high lifts and 40"tyres tearing up the tracks using brute force rather than finessed 4x4 driving skill.The rigs are getting too big, and there are too many people getting into it. Something has to give.

This is going to raise the pressure on the remaining trails and areas available, which are already over crowded.

SXS''s are killing our off road areas in Tennessee. I can't even go into the OHV's on weekends because they curse at you for being to slow. F OFF! The Landcruiser club STLCA had a hand in creating the new Coalmont OHV near Montegale Tennessee and we can't even access the place because of all the SXS's They destroy the trails and throw beer cans everywhere. It sucks.

Thanks!

I have been to Moab many times, riding dual sport. It is a real gem. Once closures begin, it may never stop. Many other parts of the country are closed. We are all supposed to enjoy public lands, that means everyone.

Is there a possibility of lithium, nickel or cobalt mining in the area?

Being a mountain biker that visits MOAB once a year, I’m not surprised by this at all.

Isn't this all public land?

Lots of stuff still open west of 191 out in the direction of Whitewash. Except for Hey Joe Mine, 10mi Canyon and Dead Cow/The tubes, most moab users couldn't identify most of the closed trails because they're un-named connectors and outlaw trails that don't get much use since most aren't noteworthy or any more scenic then the other nearby connectors that remain open. As a user I hate it also but I also understand unless the OHV community gets their act together in countering SUWA with $, political support and self policing the users we will continue to lose access.

That sucks. We face the same closing threats in Alberta. One day I'll take my 80 to moab.

There's definitely more overlanders than ever before, and it's evident all over the West. Many places are seeing 100-1000% increases in traffic in just the last few years. We may not like it, but this is the consequence of areas being loved, ridden and instagrammed too much. And just because the lifestyle industry has created more traffic does not mean we're entitled to run roughshod over vast swaths of what natural, public spaces are left, just for kicks. And honestly, there was a lot more trails and leeway in Moab for offroading and crawling than in most places. I know it sucks, but we need to step back, look at the big picture, realize why it might be necessary in places and figure out how to make this hobby less of a target I guess

Thank you for this much needed video and information. I rolled into Moab a week after the initial land grab was announced, it’s all anyone was talking about. What I don’t understand is why there is no fight from the BLM. It almost like the Wild West again with people claiming land at will. This is a big area and the most free in the Moab area, I hope the BRC pulls through and the BLM wakes up.

This is exactly what freedumb looks like, freedom without responsibility has consequences.

I wonder if condensing everyone to fewer areas will cause more impact to the open areas ?

I’m sorry but a 7 minute video about them closing trails and the injustice of it then a 5 second sentence about it being up to us to keep the places clean. Some of the trashiest places I’ve been are in the SW. If we can’t keep these areas clean then you are handing people the ammunition they need to close these areas down.

Although this is very upsetting, we all need to do better at leaving no trace and cleaning up after ourselves or this is going to start happening everywhere and not just Moab. How are the local businesses reacting to this? I am sure this will be a major impact on them.

The Federal 30 by 30 land rule. 30% of US land to be controlled by the federal government and restricted from public use. Then Federal 50 by 50 land rule. 50% of US land to be controlled by the federal government and restricted from public use.

WE need to make room for all those new housing developments they have in mind.. The most recent to pop up is Kane Creek

FML, i just retired and finally have time with family and now a close down 😭

Lived in Moab two years has been Covid started. Everything was shut down me and my husband were able to go on all those trails. Most beautiful place as well. Healing place I’ve ever been in the world. Thank you for your doing God bless.

Government is out of control.

The boundary waters in northern Minnesota/ Canada are only allowed 10% of former numbers if people. People cutting trees for illegal fires- garbage on portages and in the water and graffiti ect ect are the reasons. A beautiful area ruined by a few again

A good helpful video.

This title is a bit misleading. All of the Jeep Safari trails remain open currently. The 3 trails they closed are so far out of town that they are a bit irrelevant. I grew up in Moab and off-roaded every week. The trails that were closed are so remote that I've never even been to any of them. All of the famous Moab trails we're used to seeing online and driving are still open. "1/3 of Moab trails" would equate to thousands of miles of off-road trails in the area.

Thank you for a great job on presenting a very serious topic and brining it to our attention. We appreciate all that you do for our community.

Leaving a a little trash, maybe should be no trash, but it’s just an easy excuse to shut down access. I’ve jeeped there a lot and the amount of trash is almost nonexistent. Much more trash near where I live in south west New Mexico.

WOW, not surprised. People mess it up for EVERYONE. I never understood how you visit any beautiful place, as their are many in our world. Visit trash it and leave. I take pride and keeping my surroundings clean , as I ran up and down 191 all 2023 summer as my son worked in Moab UT. I visited every chance I got. This is truly sad. The place you speak of were great places, to view beauty, dodge hotel expense , and to GET the HELL away from people. This is going to hurt tourism for the real campers and bikers Seriously!!!

Off-road vehicles pay for the trails in part by buying OHV $35 stickers. Mountain bikers and hikers do not. I think they should and maybe a little increase of revenue can support the trail system.

Hmmm population getting larger and trail systems getting smaller. Maybe they don't want us to recreate😄, or create😮

You cannot get away from people anymore unless you get out of your car and walk. Just because you can go somewhere in a car does not mean you should.

What is confounding is that the majority of off-roaders who have been doing this for years are as environmental-conscious as any. Since the pandemic though, there's been a wave of off-roader, overlander & National Park tourists that treat the land like it is a ride at Disney World. That is my observation anyway. But, these actions by the BLM seem like a knee-jerk reaction. If access to these lands are limited to hikers, you are in effect banning folks like me from those areas as I am 72 years old with mobility issues.

Nooooo!

Moab resident here, mountain biker, dirt biker, and 4x4 camper. 90% of the closures are justified. The good stuff is still open. But, don’t stop fighting. SUWA would close everything if they could.

Sorry Government but you work for us and this is our land.

It is unfortunate that these closures were deemed necessary. I cannot speak to the question of ecological sensitivity. I can speak to the question of "Leave No Trace." Just a few years back, I was privileged to spend six weeks backpacking and day-hiking in the Southern half of Utah, especially in the Moab area. (Southern Utah holds some of the most impressive, natural beauty I have ever seen.) Where off-road, vehicular traffic was commonplace, there were graffiti; piles of garbage; countless empty beer cans, wine bottles, and whiskey bottles; and human feces on or very near the trails. I got the feeling that the folks who used these ORVs relished the idea of tearing up the trails and leaving behind a disgusting mess. I arrived completely unprepared for the sights I saw and left completely appalled. Where only foot traffic occurred, I found no such evidence---just the occasional footprint. Yes, we packed out our---ahem---solid waste matter. On some trails, we packed out both our solid and liquid waste matter. If we could do it on foot, with backpacks, then the ORV community can do it with their various vehicles. No excuses. The off-road community has had decades to police itself, decades to develop a culture of respect for Nature, and has failed miserably in some areas. _________________________________________________________________________________ I note, emphatically, that it takes only a VERY FEW bad apples to ruin it for everyone. _________________________________________________________________________________ I predict that, so long as the ORV community is willing to tolerate within its ranks the despoilers of our Nation's beauty, the problem of off-road abuse will be met with more closure orders.

I saw this coming, rock crawlers all over U-Tube, black tire marks everywhere, I grew up on a ranch and have used four wheel drive my whole life. But the rock crawling thing is a bunch of crap, stay on established trails and roads.

All this will do is make the other trails more crowded, and then those will get shut down. Also...southern Utah, near "Hole in the Rock" / Kanab, has ENORMOUS amounts of slickrock. Some epic trails could be made out there.

Well I am at Moab a lot but people are getting sick of are state of Utah over run every where I have been wondering how much damage has been being done. I knew this would be coming because there is to many dirt bags out there ruining it. Utah is sick of people coming and ruining are state.

Say it with me: *Fuck side-by-sides.*

Sounds like people aren't following the one group set up in YT to discuss/fight these very things surprises me....(Keeptrailsopen) covered this very topic a month ago.

Well, now that the Chevron Doctrine has been destroyed, I wonder if things will change?

My concern is if and when they did close this down, some yahoo's will just go in there anyway with their vehicles and tear around...which would DEFINETLY make things worse all around... the lonely overlander

I'm glad they closed the trails. Too much destruction going on, and it's what the locals want.

it's the honorable community to call out the abusers that leave trash, and vandalize these areas! if you're out, and you see it, call it out! take video and pics so abusers can be prosecuted and fined!

SXS's are the real problem. They are not able to stay on the trails because of the obstacles, so they go around them.

The feds are also closing back country airstrips. Vote wisely in elections.

Yeah in the end as long as people keep destroying and leaving trash it will continue to be closed… it will only continue.

I am both an off roader and environmentalist, and this is a devastating thing to see. Most people won’t care about what is cut off from them, you’ll have future generations barely seeing this stuff and just not caring. I have a disability and know many others in the same position who use their vehicles to get out because we can’t hike extensively. People rarely think about that, they just say oh hike in. But even if someone was a peak athlete how many people have the time, money and privilege to hike out to access *300 miles of trail.* This is basically cutting off most realistic access to most of these areas for most people. Elitist and disgusting.

Trail closures is a govscam

It's not just the trash. It's people who can't stay on the trail, the infighting between the SXS and off-road crowd, and just a general lack of education and caring about more than one's self. If these videos about closures youtubers are putting out aren't enough to get you to care, get educated, spread then word/fight for the cause, or vote the right people into office, then you better start looking for a new hobby. If you can't be a good steward of the land, maybe cake decorating will be your thing.

They should shut ALL of the trails down.

All the dirt roads west of Route 191 south of I70 all the way to Moab are not closed. I stopped watching this video after it was stated that all the dirt roads are closed.

SUWA SUX

I don’t think anyone with a brain thinks because they purchased a four wheel drive vehicle and dumped an insane amount of money at the vehicle that they feel dragging bumpers down the rock is okay, leaving tire drag marks everywhere is okay, leaving plastic bags with their garbage and human waste in it. Damaging foliage and a massive amount of graffiti. Sadly, because adults in this forum are like a five year old child with too much money to blow and zero respect for the people or things around them, we have to basically slap their hands and tell them they can’t play in the park anymore.

Never been but always dreamed of it if it’s like my home town trails it’s the people that toss beer bottles and cAns garbage etc not that these places are naturally beautiful and pristine I don’t get y people think they can trash it and abuse it I blame bad parents that should have aborted also the side by side epidemic is putting people that should not be off roading out there and then they get drunk and it gets dangerous really a shame

The trails are still open for walking and riding your bike. I am looking forward to floating labyrinth now and being able to hike up ten mile without having to listen to noisy OHVs. This closure to motor vehicles is great news for the desert. And there are still over 700 miles of available trails for motor vehicles.

I will never return if I can't do moto/4x4 activity, this is bullshit, been going here for 20 years since I was a kid.

Free man, free country. FAFO

They're closing it because people suck...

Quite a bit of misinformation in this video starting with the title. 1/3 of Moab Trails have not been closed. The BLM Travel Management Plan for the Labyrinth Rims/Gemni Bridges is 1 of 11 Travel Management Plans that the BLM is required to complete in Eastern and Southeastern Utah by 2025. This Travel Management Plan inventoried about 1,200 miles of routes and there will still be about 800 miles of routes open in this Travel Management Plan. 800 miles is a lot of trails. I doubt anyone has driven all 800 miles that are still open. Everyone is welcome to their opinion on this Travel Management Plan, but in order to make a reasonable argument one way or the other, it is good to get the facts straight. Thanks.

Thats what happens when you have a constant flow of douche bags through an area. Social media hasn't helped either.

Welcome to Europe. 😢 Result is bad for everyone and everything. Even the environment it turns out. But the eco activists are doing it for themselves, not for any environment. Just a bunch of nut jobs.

#agenda2030

Stop ruining the trails. Support the closure. Stay on the road

If you abuse Our Land ! Shut it down . Stop trashing our land .

I love Moab. I have lived close by and spent A LOT of time on many many trails there and have been going since 1996. I agree these trail closures are a bummer. But your video (and the many other posts I have seen being outraged for a couple years now) fails to even entertain is that while it sucks for us that this is what is best for the land that the BLM is supposed to protect and preserve. I rarely hear a mention of it and Moab is getting TRASHED worse every year. It makes you sound completely selfish and self centered. This land was set aside so it would stay as is, not so 12 billion yahoos on OHVs could shit all over it and leave shell casings and TP and all the other garbage. Until it can be controlled and until people become better my guess is yes we will see more, why dont you make a video talking about the real problem and real solutions not just how it affects you.