BLM Orders Closures for La Paz Off-Road Races to Protect Public Safety

Racers, spectators and other users of BLM-administered public land in La Paz County face temporary closures and restricted-use orders whenever off-road organizers stage large events and multi-day races, Bureau of Land Management officials say. The orders are issued specifically to protect public safety during concentrated vehicle activity on public land.

La Paz County has become a regular host for multi-day off-road events that run across terrain managed by the Bureau of Land Management. When those events take place, the BLM often issues temporary closure and restricted-use orders that limit public access to the same public land where organized race courses and support operations are staged. The stated purpose of the orders is to reduce risk to bystanders, event crews and ordinary recreationists.

Those temporary closure and restricted-use orders affect access on BLM-administered roads, tracks and open areas used during races. Organizers stage multi-day races that concentrate vehicles and spectators in limited zones, and BLM managers respond by restricting entry and recreational use of the impacted public land for the duration of the events to protect public safety and reduce conflicts between race operations and day-to-day public use.

The recurring use of temporary orders has policy and operational consequences for La Paz County agencies and for residents who use public land for camping, hunting, riding or day recreation. Clearance of race perimeters through BLM orders changes when and where people can recreate on federal land in La Paz County, and it requires timely public notice so that residents and visitors can plan around closures on the public land they rely on.

As of February 26, 2026, the BLM practice of issuing temporary closure and restricted-use orders during off-road and multi-day races in La Paz County remains the primary federal tool for managing public-safety risk on those public lands. Residents who need access during race periods should consult BLM closure notices and race organizers for the specific boundaries, timing and permitted activities on impacted BLM-administered land. The continued reliance on these orders underscores the tension between large organized off-road events and everyday public access to federal land in La Paz County.