Conservation groups applaud new rule to protect Glen Canyon’s most delicate areas

WASHINGTON – The National Park Service has published a final rule and amended record of decision that better protects the ecological integrity and visitor experience of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (NRA), limiting off-highway vehicles (OHVs) and street-legal all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) in the park’s most delicate areas.

This comes after the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) and the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA) successfully settled and dismissed their lawsuits against the National Park Service (NPS) over off-road vehicle management in Glen Canyon NRA.

“As someone who has experienced the stillness of Glen Canyon’s sandstone cliffs and the rare backcountry solitude there, I know firsthand the sanctuary it offers for both visitors and wildlife. Now, with a revised rule from the National Park Service, those natural soundscapes will be better protected for generations to come,” said Erika Pollard, Southwest campaign director for the National Parks Conservation Association. “This rule doesn’t just help protect the experience of breathtaking landscapes and dark skies that define Glen Canyon; it also equips the Park Service to tackle the challenges of climate change on fragile shorelines as Lake Powell fluctuates. By preserving the park’s pristine wilderness qualities and limiting off-road vehicles, this rule is an important step toward maintaining an unparalleled visitor experience, not only in Glen Canyon but beyond to Canyonlands National Park and surrounding landscapes.”

“We’re pleased the revised rule governing off-road vehicle use in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (NRA) restores much-needed balance to land-based recreation in the Orange Cliffs Special Management Unit, designated Lake Powell shoreline access areas, and remote areas throughout the NRA,” said Hanna Larsen, Staff Attorney for the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance. “As lake levels fluctuate, these changes will help minimize user conflict and illegal cross-country motorized use, reduce the spread of invasive species, and safeguard some of Glen Canyon’s wildest places.”

Additional information

Spanning southern Utah and northern Arizona, Glen Canyon NRA is cherished for its dramatic redrock landscapes, deep canyons and tall mesas, and the quiet solitude it offers as one of the nation’s most remote recreation areas. In 2021, an NPS rule expanded motorized vehicle use, ignoring the significant impacts widespread use would have on the NRA’s vegetation, wildlife, and stunningly quiet landscape. Of particular concern was the Park Service’s new authorization of OHV and street-legal ATV use in the remote and ecologically sensitive Orange Cliffs area that borders Canyonlands National Park.

After years of litigation, in April 2024, NPCA, SUWA, and NPS successfully reached a settlement agreement. The settlement agreement required NPS to propose a draft rule, which has now been finalized.

The final rule includes additional provisions to balance motorized vehicle use with other values, such as restricting use on certain park roads and expanding the quiet hours in an area where OHV use is permitted. It also reflects a commitment to responsible stewardship of natural landscapes and the park visitor experience at Glen Canyon NRA and underscores the important role of the Park Service in protecting America’s national parks. Water-based recreation on Lake Powell is not affected by this rule.

Glen Canyon NRA is also known for its nearly 1,000 miles of meandering shoreline with steep sandstone cliffs and narrow inlets. Recognizing the growing challenges posed by climate change, the rule empowers the Park Service to take proactive measures to protect Glen Canyon’s shoreline areas. With fluctuating water levels posing increasing management challenges, the Park Service will have the authority to restrict OHV and street-legal ATV access to shoreline areas as needed, protecting vulnerable natural resources.

The greater Glen Canyon landscape is sacred to a number of Tribal Nations and encompasses several world-renowned protected areas, including Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bears Ears National Monuments, and Capitol Reef and Canyonlands National Parks.

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About the National Parks Conservation Association: Since 1919, the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association has been the leading voice in safeguarding our national parks. NPCA and its more than 1.6 million members and supporters work together to protect and preserve our nation’s most iconic and inspirational places for future generations. For more information, visit www.npca.org.

About the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance: The Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance is a nonprofit organization with members and supporters from around the country dedicated to protecting America’s redrock wilderness. From offices in Moab, Salt Lake City, and Washington, DC, our team of professionals defends the redrock, organizes support for America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act, and stewards this world-renowned landscape. Learn more at www.suwa.org.