Law & Order

Off-Road Vehicle Management Plan Released for Glen Canyon National Recreation Area

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The U.S. National Park Service (NPS) has issued a draft Off-Road Vehicle (ORV) Management Plan for the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. The recreation area includes more than 1.25 million acres surrounding Lake Powell in Arizona and Utah. The draft plan includes five alternatives for managing off-highway vehicles both on and off the road. They range from a “no action” alternative (to continue the existing ORV management policies) to “restricted access” (to limit motorized vehicle use to existing part roads).  

The National Park Service has recommended “Alternative E.” It would permit ORV use on park roads, designated off-road routes and along certain shoreline areas, but prohibit such use in areas where natural or cultural resources may be at risk. Some existing routes and areas would be closed. Signage and route markings would be improved, and a permit system would be implemented to make visitors aware of the managed routes and to recover costs associated with maintaining the routes. 

Obtain a copy of the plan or provide comments. For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org