For five years, I have annually reported illegal motorized traffic on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) public lands to the Grand Junction BLM Office in Colorado.  The illegal (non-designated) BLM route originates on private property in Garfield County, Colorado.   I tried the patient / professional route for four years, annually emailing trail camera photos of the illegal use (Email 2021-23, Email 2025-26 ), and I even met with the Grand Junction BLM office in 2025.   Now I am sharing my experience in the hope that shining a light on things will help fix the lack of law enforcement action by the BLM when the trespass violation comes from an adjoining private landowner.  Here is a 2025 video showing a section of the route.

With the BLM’s well-documented passion for shutting down historic motorized roads on public lands, I have found my experience with this illegal route unexpected to say the least.  Since 2021, I have annually supplied trail cam pictures of ATV/UTV violations to the BLM Ranger and various Grand Junction BLM staff.  I have onX mapped the entire route for the BLM and provided landowner contact information.  Before publishing this article, I submitted a FOIA request regarding the illegal route just to confirm the BLM has not even mailed a notification letter to the landowner.  It was confirmed; they have no record of doing anything regarding the illegal route after 5 years of complaints.

The illegal motorized route in question comes off private property, along County Road 204 near DeBeque, Colorado.   This article’s cover photo is a picture of a nearby sign “Report illegal ATV Use -BLM, CPW, BHA”, the sign is still up today, across the road from the violation—- what a joke.   In this case, I have documented efforts of reporting the illegal route use to all three organizations –BLM, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), and Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (BHA).   CPW indicated they could not help; it was a BLM matter (CPW is correct).   BHA was a waste of time and did nothing.  My experience with the BHA is that they really love it when the BLM closes historic motorized routes on our federal lands, so I thought they would be helpful- not so much.   The BLM at times has responded (slowly at best), and one time they told me to report the issue to the Colorado Highway Patrol.  Can you imagine reporting that someone built an illegal road on BLM land and the BLM says, “call the state”.   I have let the BLM know that the State Law Enforcement Officers (LEO’s) cannot legally do anything with a non-designated route on federal land.   Shouldn’t they know the law?

Let’s review the rule of law regarding this route on BLM land.  Below, you will see that this type of illegal non-designated / unmapped route/road, per Colorado Revised Statute (CRS) 33-14.5-108 – state and local police can do nothing regarding this federal law/rule violation.

(CRS) 33-14.5-108 (3) (a) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (d) of this subsection (3), it is unlawful for a person to operate a motor vehicle on any federal public land, trail, or road unless the federal public land, trail, or road is signed or otherwise authorized for such use. A peace officer shall not enforce this paragraph (a) within an administrative unit of federal public land until the controlling land management agency identifies whether a route is available for motorized travel by maps, route markers, or signs that are available to the public and provide information to determine whether the route is authorized.

Federal Law / Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Rule regarding non-designated routes built on federal land —- the BLM operates under the principle that non-designated routes are closed to motorized use once a Travel Management Plan (TMP) has been completed and published.  This policy stems from 43 CFR § 8342.1, which requires the authorized officer to designate all public lands as either “open,” “limited,” or “closed” to off-road vehicles (ORVs).

“Closed Unless Designated Open” Policy: Once a TMP or Resource Management Plan (RMP) that designates routes is finalized and maps are made available to the public, any route not shown on the official BLM map is considered closed to public motorized or mechanized travel.   There are hundreds of non-designated roads in Colorado (from private lands onto federal lands) in use today.

Based on CRS 33-14.5-108 the CPW and local/state law enforcement can do nothing when it comes to an illegal, unmarked non-designated trail built on federal land.  This is 100% a BLM legal matter.  State law says that for CPW or a state LEO to enforce a Federal Law / Route Violation, the route must be mapped and designated (with a carsonite sign posted), and the map must be readily available to the public.   The illegal route in question does not have a carsonite sign, nor is it mapped on any BLM map.

In this case, the public must hike on foot to this area, but the adjoining private landowner/s have built their own (illegal) motorized route through our BLM federal land.  The illegal route drives through a huge swath of BLM lands, then it illegally accesses a BLM Admin Route (all BLM Admin Routes are closed to the general public for motorized use) and then the trespassers often drive through other private property at the top of the mountain owned by Island Mountain Farm LLC.   In the past, hunting with my son, we have hiked in for 2 hours (before daylight) only to have these ATV users coming off the Private property to ruin our hunt by driving through all the BLM.

• ***Admin Route, Side Note***** The Colorado BLM quit topo mapping BLM Admin Routes in Colorado.   There are about 1100 miles of two-track Admin Routes in just the GJ BLM TMP alone.  Why did the Colorado BLM stop providing the public with topo maps showing Admin Routes that are open to the public for foot and horse travel?  My guess is they don’t like discussing the adjoining private landowner/outfitter user lease agreements associated with them.  The public must walk, but often the adjoining private landowners and outfitters get to drive trucks on Admin Routes.   Here is a link to an outdated 2015 map (example) in the Grand Junction TMP – you can see 90% of the motorized routes in Zone G are now Admin Routes– all closed to the public in 2015 and recently renamed.  You must understand BLM Google Earth map layering to find Admin routes in Colorado.  You can see the safety concerns associated with hiding these routes from the public. In the event of an emergency, the public should know of these Admin routes on their public lands.   Additionally, the state will not be able to enforce law violators on Admin Routes since the BLM quit mapping them.  Here an example of the BLM road lease to a private landowner.

The BLM “Rules” declare all unmapped non-designated motorized routes on BLM public lands are closed.   If you have experienced this type of selective enforcement bias from the BLM, please reach out to me through www.publiclandjurisdiction.com.   I have a good line of communication with Congressman Jeff Hurds’ office and will be glad to accumulate more data nationally.   Currently the BLM says they are understaffed but that was not the case until recently, this issue has been in place for 5 years.  After all, how hard is it to contact a landowner and put up a small carsonite sign.

In closing, I have been active with public land and outdoor issues in Colorado since 2010.  As a backcountry hunter and public land access activist, I often find myself fighting for the rule of law on our federal lands.   If you’re fighting for the rule of law on public lands that means at times you are working to protect historic (RS 2477) roads from closure or (like in this case) working to close illegal routes built by someone (usually an adjoining landowner).  Over time and with much research, I can say that my perception of our federal land management agencies has changed significantly over the past 16 years.   If you go to my website www.publiclandjurisdiction.com you can see my research/projects on federal lands and within big game hunting in Colorado.   It’s not all the BLMs fault, but there is no excuse for selective law enforcement and ignoring laws based on who the perpetrator is.   I have been reporting illegal activity on federal lands from private landowners since 2010 and I can tell you that private landowners are treated much more favorably than the general public.    When Joe Public clears a “closed” road or opens a gate on BLM land and gets caught, it’s front-page news, and the BLM wants to make an example of them by calling them anti-government and taking them to federal court for jail time (just ask David Justice in Colorado).  Over the years, I have reported the following trespass situations on BLM lands to the BLM office in Grand Junction, and most of my filings have either been ignored or the violators were never publicly disclosed.

1. Mini Bulldozer building a motorized trail on BLM land in the Grand Junction Travel Mgt District.
2. Adjoining landowner outbuildings and cabins built on BLM land in the Grand Junction Travel Mgt District..
3. Adjoining landowner intentionally ruining a youth big game hunt in the Grand Junction Travel Mgt District.
4. BLM land used as a storage lot by an adjoining private landowner in the Grand Junction Travel Mgt District.
5. Illegal gates and private land signs– blocking access to federal public lands in the Grand Junction Travel Mgt District. (most signs/gates  were removed, but no tickets)
6. Adjoining private guest ranch/outfitter building and mowing trails for horse rides and clients hunting on BLM land in the Grand Junction Travel Mgt District.
7. Adjoining landowners leaving hunting tree stands up all year on BLM land.

The BLM seems fully staffed with administrators who love closing historical public land motorized roads each time they do a Travel Management Plan (TMP).  My experience has been when the BLM executes a TMP they close about 40%- 60% of historic motorized access in an area.  In 2015/16, the Grand Junction BLM closed over 2,100 miles of motorized routes, which was 62% of the historic motorized access closed within the GJ Travel Management District.   Most were in place before Oct 21, 1976, and met the definition of an RS 2477 right-of-way.  I was just hearing how the BLM office in Mojave Valley, AZ is closing 10,000 miles of routes in 2026, so the BLM is still at it.   Closure is not management, but closing illegal non-designated BLM routes that are only accessible by private landowners should be considered good management.

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“The person who agrees with you 80 percent of the time is an 80 percent friend and not a 20 percent enemy”–Ronald Reagan

Background-  I have been involved with protecting “legal” public access to our federal public lands since 2012 in Western Colorado (mainly in Mesa and Garfield County).  Reporting of illegal private land signs, locked gates, and illegal ATV routes on BLM lands by private landowners. I had a meeting with the local Grand Junction BLM Office yesterday to discuss illegal ATV routes coming off private land onto public lands.  We also discussed why the local BLM office no longer provides public land topo maps that show our 1036 miles of “Admin Routes” in the area (Colorado is the only state that quit topo mapping these historical BLM routes open for foot and horse).  In 2015, I presented PLAA legal research to the Garfield County Commissioners. Based on the efforts of three GOAT County Commissioners, the route was determined to be an RS 2477 (federal law) right-of-way and a prescriptive easement (state law).  Judge Jackson’s ruling reopened over 50,000 acres of our public lands.  These are just a few things I have worked on over the years, but they give you a sense of where I am coming from.  If you research this website, you will see I also research jurisdiction on our federal lands; few understand this topic.  Did you know the BLM and USFS are illegally assimilating state laws- it’s on the website, I helped get my County Commissioners and all 64 County Sheriffs in Colorado to issue a letter on the overreach last year.

“Law often runs contrary to our modern expectations”–Judge R. Brooke Jackson

The Public Land and Community Growth Fix

First, you have to put yourself in the community’s shoes.  I live in a community that is comprised of 72% federal land (Mesa County, Colorado), and the largest private land owners are the conservation trusts (22% of private land is in a perpetual conservation trust).  If you want to understand both sides of perpetual conservation easements, please read this in-depth study from former Congressman Scott McInnis, who was also a recent Mesa County Commissioner.

The Problem: Before the passage of FLPMA by Congress on October 21, 1976, the plan was to dispose of public lands and homestead the western states like the rest of the country had been settled.  Well, that changed, and Congress decided to retain federal lands, which I am glad they did.  However, I also recognize the challenges that it provides for the states and counties that host our federal lands.  In the past 49 years, communities landlocked by federal lands have continued to grow, and they lack taxable land compared to the Midwest and Eastern States.  PILT helps, but it’s not the same.   So, tax funding for the communities surrounded by federal lands must also be considered.  Believe me, Mesa County lacks funding for schools, and our public school system is well below average in performance.   Each time we need a new school, the School Board begs the community for a tax increase. You will not see the federal land agencies chipping in for new schools, even though they occupy 72% of the county.  You’re also not going to see nonresident hunters and visitors chipping in, even though they are part owners of 72% of Mesa County.  Mesa County has the 4th highest tax rate in the State of Colorado, but out of 64 counties, our median income ranks 32nd.  Mesa County is growing, and our median income is $20k per year below the state average, but we are choking on local and state taxes.   That being said, Grand Junction is not “landlocked” at this time, but it will be in 10-20 years, and we must be allowed to plan for our future. Limited development land will mean even higher prices, and the houses I used to buy for $120k in 2006 are now over $400k.

The Not One Acre Fix: How do we sell public lands to the communities landlocked by federal lands and not lose one acre of our treasured public lands?   It’s actually kind of obvious.   The BLM is buying private ranches in the western states. Since 1990, the BLM has increased by over 100,000 acres in Colorado.   Wait, I thought the Republicans were selling all the federal lands- LOL quit listening to the Green Decoy groups.   See the articles below the federal government is buying up some western states.  Also, please note that when the BLM is buying private ranches, they are acquiring lands that are generally much more appealing for recreation and hunting than the desert scrub around towns like Grand Junction, CO.   That desert scrub still has value for my motorized friends and hikers, but if we are not losing one acre in the end, I think it’s a fair compromise.  Housing growth on our federal lands should be as slow as possible, but enough to aid in affordable home ownership (not low-income).

These are a few examples of how the BLM is growing in some states.  I have also witnessed the USFS buying ranches in Colorado.   “The Fix” is simple: when the federal agencies buy private land and increase the public land acreage in a western state or county, the gain should spark an equal sale of federal lands for the communities that lack housing and are landlocked by BLM and perpetual conservation easements.  

If we can serve our growing western communities landlocked by federal land and not lose one acre of public lands, while ultimately acquiring “better” federal public lands for recreation, it’s a win-win.   I know it’s not this easy, but the foundation to fix this problem is here.

Last note: no public lands more than 1-2 miles from a community should be considered.  Keep your hands off our checkerboard BLM lands, our public land hunting brothers from Wyoming just got us legal access on those corner crossings.  Any public lands sold for housing must have a perpetual housing development requirement.  The last thing we want is more wealthy ranchers adding more land to their 10k-acre ranches so they can close more public land access down by closing historic rights of way.    Sorry, I am a little biased since I see many more adjoining private landowner violations on our public lands than I do from the general public.

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