Trump Rescinds 50-Year-Old Executive Orders Restricting Off-Road Vehicles on Federal Lands
President Trump signed an executive order on May 29, 2026, that rescinds two decades-old directives governing off-road vehicle use on federal public lands. The move could expand access for ATV, UTV, dirt bike, and side-by-side riders on lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service, and other federal agencies. But actual changes to where riders can go will depend on future agency rulemaking, not the order itself.
What the Order Actually Does
The executive order rescinds Executive Order 11644, signed by President Nixon in 1972, and Executive Order 11989, signed by President Carter in 1977. Those two orders set the policy framework that federal agencies have used to manage off-road vehicle access for roughly 50 years. They established criteria focused on minimizing environmental impacts, protecting wildlife habitat, and reducing conflicts between vehicle users and other public land visitors. By removing those foundational directives, the Trump administration is telling agencies to go back and review regulations built on them. The White House described the old rules as creating “unnecessary and counterproductive restrictions on access to federal lands.” The administration argues that modern technology and existing federal laws already give agencies the tools they need to manage public lands without those old directives.
What It Means for Riders Right Now
This order does not open any specific trails tomorrow. It sets the stage for agencies to revise their regulations, but those revisions take time. Each agency will need to go through its own review and rulemaking process. Public comment periods are part of that process. Changes to specific land management plans are not immediate. What the order does do is signal a clear policy direction. Federal land managers now have explicit White House backing to expand off-road vehicle access where they determine it to be appropriate. That is a different environment than what existed before the order.
BLM Lands in the West
The BLM manages a large footprint of public land across the West. In Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota alone, the agency manages roughly 8.3 million acres of surface land and 47.1 million acres of federal mineral estate. BLM lands have historically been more accessible to off-road vehicles than national parks, but specific route designations vary widely by management area. Under the new direction, BLM districts may revisit their travel management plans with an eye toward expanding designated routes rather than restricting them. Whether that happens, and how quickly, depends on each district’s priorities and available resources.
National Parks Are a Different Story
The executive order could also affect off-road vehicle rules in national parks, where restrictions have historically been much tighter. The Salt Lake Tribune reported that the order could lift prohibitions on off-road vehicle use in most national parks. That is a significant potential change for riders who have long been locked out of some of the country’s most scenic terrain. Again, specific park-by-park changes will require the National Park Service to revise individual management plans. That is not a quick process, but it is now a process that has political support at the top.
Supporters and Critics
Supporters of the order say it will restore reasonable recreational access to lands that belong to all Americans. Off-road riders, ranchers, and rural communities have long argued that federal access rules have become too restrictive and are not keeping pace with modern land use realities. Critics, including conservation and wildlife groups, have raised concerns about the potential impact on sensitive habitat, water quality, and non-motorized users who rely on quiet, undisturbed public lands. Those concerns will be part of the public comment process as agencies move forward with rulemaking. For the off-road community, the key is to stay engaged as agencies begin their reviews. Submit comments. Work with local clubs and advocacy organizations. The rules that come out of this process will reflect who shows up.