On May 29, 2026, President Trump reversed two long-standing executive orders that had previously restricted the use of off-road vehicles on public lands. This decision potentially allows such vehicles in many national parks.
The first executive order was enacted by President Richard Nixon in 1972. It set stringent guidelines for the use of off-road vehicles on federal lands to reduce environmental harm. The second, signed by President Jimmy Carter in 1977, empowered the government to halt off-road driving immediately if it caused ecological damage.
These regulations affected various vehicles capable of traversing unpaved terrains such as dirt, sand, gravel, mud, rocks, and snow. This encompassed all-terrain vehicles, dirt bikes, and snowmobiles.
The White House described both orders as “outdated and burdensome.” It emphasized that they were implemented before the development of modern technologies, which now aid in identifying off-road vehicle paths in fragile ecosystems.
The fact sheet highlighted President Trump’s belief that Americans should access and enjoy public lands without facing restrictive and obsolete regulations.
This action is the latest in a series of Trump administration steps favoring public lands’ use for recreation, oil and gas drilling, logging, and mining. This contrasts with the Biden administration’s emphasis on conservation and renewable energy development on public lands.
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