BLM reconsiders off-highway routes in Central Utah’s San Rafael country

The Bureau of Land Management has put 246 miles of Central Utah motorized routes back under review, a move that could change how riders string together San Rafael Swell and San Rafael Desert loops, campsite access and backcountry day rides. The agency is looking at whether some routes now closed to OHVs should reopen or shift to limited use, while existing designations stay in place for now.

The review covers about 226 miles in the San Rafael Swell and about 20 miles in the San Rafael Desert. The BLM says the current route designations remain valid during the reassessment, and any changes would come later through new decisions amending the travel plans. The public comment window closes June 8, 2026, and the agency is asking people to use specific route numbers or segment IDs when possible. An updated May 1 map shows the routes being reconsidered alongside the current designations.

That matters on the ground because the San Rafael country is not just one big open playground. The Swell travel plan, completed in 2024, set about 1,355 miles open to OHVs, 141 miles limited and 665 miles closed. In the Desert, the plan completed in 2020 and amended in 2022 designated about 600 miles open, 47 limited and 534 closed. A reroute or reopening on paper can be the difference between a clean through-trip, a legal loop and a dead end that forces riders to backtrack miles over rough country.

The Swell spans more than 1.1 million acres in Emery County and about 44,000 acres in Sevier County, with red-rock canyons, dispersed camping and archaeological resources spread across the landscape. The BLM said the Swell plan was built after more than 6,000 public and stakeholder comments, underscoring how much attention these route maps already draw. For DIY 4x4 trips, dirt bike runs and guided OHV customers, the practical move now is simple: check the current map before assuming a favorite connector, spur or loop will still be available this summer or fall.

Reaction has already split along familiar lines. The Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance says the reassessment would expand motorized use into places that need stronger protection, while off-road advocates see a possible access win and are pushing supporters to comment in favor of reopening. For riders, the only certainty is that the route picture in San Rafael country is still in motion until the June 8 deadline passes and the BLM makes its next decision.