Mojave Desert Trails Closed for Tortoise Protection
Some off-roading routes on Bureau of Land Management land in California's Mojave Desert have been closed by federal court order to protect endangered desert tortoise habitats. The decision resulted from a long legal dispute between environmentalists and the BLM, sparking resistance from local recreationists and small businesses. The closures will impact hikers and off-roaders who frequent the area's trails.
- The legal challenge stems from the Bureau of Land Management's 2019 West Mojave Route Network Project, which approved nearly 6,000 miles of routes for off-road vehicles. A lawsuit was filed in 2021 by environmental groups including the Center for Biological Diversity and the Sierra Club, arguing the plan failed to protect vulnerable species. - In January 2026, Senior U.S. District Judge Susan Illston ordered the closure of about 2,200 miles of these routes, finding the BLM had violated the Endangered Species Act and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act. The BLM has until 2029 to formulate a new route plan that complies with environmental laws. - The Mojave desert tortoise was federally listed as a threatened species in 1990. Due to continued population decline, the California Fish and Game Commission officially upgraded its status to endangered in the state in 2024. - Some monitored desert tortoise populations have plummeted by as much as 96% since the 1970s. Off-road vehicles are cited as a significant threat because they can collapse the tortoises' burrows, where the animals spend up to 98% of their lives. - The court order affects routes within 1 million acres of designated critical habitat in the Western Mojave, including areas near Barstow and Ridgecrest. The BLM must clearly mark closed areas with signs and fencing. - While the ruling closes thousands of miles of trails, roughly 3,800 miles of designated routes outside of the critical habitat remain open to off-roaders, in addition to approximately 271,700 acres of "open areas" where driving is permitted. - Along with the desert tortoise, the court's decision also aims to protect the Lane Mountain milkvetch, an endangered desert plant also found within the critical habitat areas. - Recreation advocacy groups, such as the Blue Ribbon Coalition, have called the ruling an overreach and are petitioning the Department of Justice to appeal the decision. The BLM had until April 18, 2026, to file an appeal.
