A lawsuit challenging the Bureau of Land Management’s recent San Rafael Swell Travel Management Plan was filed on March 6 by the BlueRibbon Coalition, Sage Riders Motorcycle Club and a member of the two groups with legal standing, Paul Wells.
At issue is the BLM’s December 2024 decision to close 665 miles of motorized routes in the 1.15 million-acre management area, which includes recently designated wilderness and the San Rafael Swell Recreation Area.
“Our members submitted thousands of comments in favor of keeping the remaining multiple-use lands open for recreation, but BLM leaders ignored our feedback and ignored the law,” said BlueRibbon Coalition Executive Director Ben Burr.
Wells, a member of both the BlueRibbon Coalition and Sage Riders, provides the lawsuit with critical legal standing as someone directly affected by the closures. Court documents show the new restrictions prevent him from accessing his historic family homestead, the Marsing Ranch, which he planned to visit in spring 2025.
The coalition claims the decision was made by a Washington D.C. political appointee rather than local BLM officials, and seeks a preliminary injunction while litigation proceeds.
The Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA) has defended the closures, arguing they protect important natural and cultural resources.
“The motorized recreation groups filing this lawsuit are bound and determined to make Utah’s remarkable San Rafael Swell nothing more than a playground for off-road vehicles,” said SUWA Staff Attorney Laura Peterson.
While SUWA has its own criticisms of the BLM’s plan, it supports keeping approximately 650 miles of routes closed, describing them as illegally created pathways through fragile environments.
The BLM’s final plan selected Alternative E, which still designates nearly 1,500 miles for motorized use across the area.
