by Matt Konkle
Managing Editor
Jeep enthusiasts and off-road adventurers who regularly explore Utah’s red rock backcountry should take note: the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is reassessing motorized vehicle route designations within the Labyrinth/Gemini Bridges Travel Management Area near Moab. This review could potentially open — or permanently close — certain routes currently marked as limited or closed to off-highway vehicle (OHV) use.
The BLM recently opened a public comment period running through October 24, and are specifically requesting additional information on:
- The purpose and need of OHV-limited and OHV-closed routes.
- Resource considerations such as environmental, cultural, or recreational impacts.
In 2023, the BLM finalized the Labyrinth/Gemini Bridges Travel Management Plan (TMP). Under that plan, roughly 700 miles of routes were designated open to OHV travel, about 100 miles were marked as limited to OHV and around 300 miles were closed to OHVs entirely.
Now, as part of the reassessment process, the agency is revisiting those designations to determine whether some of the closed or limited-use trails should be re-designated as open to OHVs.
For Jeepers, overlanders, and trail riders, this is a critical opportunity to have a voice in how some of Moab’s most famous routes are managed.
While all 2023 designations remain in effect during the reassessment, any changes the BLM adopts would directly impact access to portions of Moab’s legendary trail system. Areas like Labyrinth Canyon and Gemini Bridges aren’t just scenic, they’re deeply woven into the fabric of Jeep culture, home to countless adventures, club trips and annual off-road events like the Easter Jeep Safari.
The BLM’s reassessment is also in line with July’s Executive Order 14313, which emphasizes revisiting land-use decisions to balance recreation with conservation. That means both access advocates and conservation groups will be voicing their opinions during the process.
Public input is vital to this process. If you’ve run these trails, attended Jeep events in Moab, or rely on them for recreation, your experience can help shape future access.
Comments can be submitted through the BLM’s ePlanning online portal under Labyrinth/Gemini Bridges Travel Management Plan (with an interactive map of routes under review), or through standard mail to: Labyrinth/Gemini Bridges TMP, 82 Dogwood Avenue, Moab, UT 84532.
Once the comment period ends, the BLM will review all feedback before deciding whether to amend the 2023 TMP. Until then, all current designations remain in place. For now, Jeep owners should continue following the existing open/limited/closed designations, but keep tabs on this situation, as changes could reshape the future of off-roading in Moab.
