SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (ABC4) – The Utah Attorney General’s Office has filed a petition to stop the Bureau of Land Management’s travel implementation plan for the Labyrinth Rims/Gemini Bridges Area north of Canyonlands National Park. 

The AG has asked the Department of the Interior to consider the petition on the grounds the BLM’s Sept. 28 decision fails to balance the recreation and transportation uses while protecting natural resources.

The BLM’s plan closes down 317 miles of motorized trails while allegedly ignoring public rights-of-way.

“The BLM’s plan to close trails in this treasured region is completely unacceptable,” Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said. “These are historic routes that the public has used for generations, and we won’t tolerate this kind of blatant federal overreach.”

Utah AG Sean Reyes has expressed the use of the popular area needs to have preservation efforts in place but is asking for more consideration to strike the balance for Utahns to be able to enjoy their public lands.

“The BLM’s idea of balancing public land use shuts down access to hundreds of miles of roads and trails in the Labyrinth Rims area,” Reyes said. “This is one of the most popular areas for outdoor recreation in the state, and it attracts people from around the world. We understand the desire and appreciate efforts to preserve these precious lands, but we are asking for a more collaborative, less drastic plan moving forward.”