Trump Rescinds 50-Year-Old Restrictions on Off-Road Vehicles on Federal Lands

Jun 1, 2026

By Officialwebsite

Trump Rescinds 50-Year-Old Restrictions on Off-Road Vehicles on Federal Lands

What Happened
Background of the Executive Orders
Potential Impact on National Parks
Reactions From Conservation Groups
WOLFBOX Take: More Access, More Eyes on Riders
Gear for Rock-Country Access
FAQ
Sources

What Happened

President Donald Trump on May 29, 2026, signed an executive order rescinding two decades-old directives that restricted off-road vehicle (ORV) use on federal lands. The move eliminates Executive Order 11644, signed by President Richard Nixon in 1972, and Executive Order 11989, signed by President Jimmy Carter in 1977.

Background of the Executive Orders

Nixon's EO 11644 established strict criteria for off-road vehicle use on federal lands, requiring agencies to minimize environmental impact by designating specific trails and areas. Carter's EO 11989 went further, authorizing federal land managers to immediately close areas to off-road driving if they determined it was causing ecological damage. Together, the orders applied to ATVs, dirt bikes, snowmobiles, and other vehicles designed for unpaved surfaces.

Potential Impact on National Parks

The rescission could lift prohibitions on off-road vehicle use in most national parks. Under the Nixon-era order, the National Park Service had been required to designate specific trails where ORV use would not adversely affect natural, aesthetic, or scenic values — resulting in broad prohibitions. The White House called the orders "outdated and burdensome," arguing that modern satellite and tracking technologies can now detect vehicle intrusion in sensitive ecosystems, making blanket restrictions unnecessary.

Reactions From Conservation Groups

Environmental groups strongly criticized the move. Kate Groetzinger of the Center for Western Priorities accused the administration of burying the order on a Friday evening. Steve Bloch, legal director at the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, warned the repeal could degrade streams, displace wildlife, and damage the red rock landscapes of Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. The order is the latest in a series of Trump administration actions to expand recreation, energy development, and logging on public lands.

WOLFBOX Take: More Access Comes With More Eyes on Riders

This order is bigger than a trail map. Rescinding the Nixon- and Carter-era rules could, for the first time, crack open parts of national parks — including the red-rock country around Arches and Canyonlands — to off-road vehicles. The White House's own argument is telling: it says blanket bans are unnecessary because “modern satellite and tracking technologies” can now detect intrusion into sensitive areas. Translation for riders: the terrain may open up, but you're being watched, and with conservation groups promising a fight, the future of that access depends on the off-road community riding like it.

The places in question — slickrock, ledges, red-rock shelves — are also some of the most technical terrain in the country, where knowing exactly where your tires and undercarriage sit matters more than horsepower.

Gear for Rock-Country Access

See the line over your hood. On slickrock and ledges, the obstacle that stops you is the one you can't see from the driver's seat. The 3-channel WOLFBOX G900TriPro (Bumper Version) adds a low, waterproof bumper camera that puts the ground-level view — the rock edge, the drop-off, your tire placement — right on your mirror.
Ride like someone's watching — because they are. With tracking tech and watchdog groups scrutinizing every new mile of access, a GPS-enabled WOLFBOX mirror dash cam logs your route with location and time, so you can show you stayed on legal, designated terrain if it's ever in question.

FAQ

What did Trump's May 29, 2026 executive order do?

It rescinded two long-standing directives governing off-road vehicle use on federal lands: Executive Order 11644 (Nixon, 1972) and Executive Order 11989 (Carter, 1977), which required agencies to designate specific ORV trails and allowed managers to close areas causing ecological damage.

Could national parks open to off-road vehicles?

Potentially. The rescission could lift prohibitions that kept ORVs out of most national parks under the Nixon-era rule; actual access depends on agency implementation and likely legal challenges.

Why did conservation groups object?

Groups including the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance warned the repeal could degrade streams, displace wildlife and damage red-rock landscapes such as Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, and criticized how the order was released.

How can off-roaders show they're using new access responsibly?

Stay on legal, designated terrain and keep a record: a GPS-enabled dash cam logs your route with location and timestamps, which helps demonstrate responsible, on-trail use as access expands under scrutiny.