State Public Lands official seeks county support to reopen Sears Canyon Road; commission agrees to pursue resolution

Clay Crozier of the Utah Division of State Public Lands asked the Daggett County Commission on Feb. 10 to consider a resolution supporting reopening Sears Canyon Road, a historic route that Crozier said was omitted from the Bureau of Land Management's travel maps and closed under the 2008 BLM resource management plan.

Crozier told commissioners that Dinosaur North, the BLM travel-management planning area between Dinosaur National Monument and the Wyoming-Utah state line, will be the next travel-management planning focus and that the current federal administration's recreation priorities could favor reopening historic motorized routes. "Sears Canyon is a very historic route," Crozier said, noting it had been used for local events in the past and that changes in enforcement led to its closure. Crozier added he would prepare a short, single-paragraph resolution for the county to consider and said he would send it to county staff for scheduling.

Commissioners said they generally support pursuing reopening as part of the BLM travel-management process. Commissioner Matthew H. Gwynn noted the road "has been used" historically and that county records and local use provide a footing for seeking reopening. Commissioner Trevor A. Lee and other commissioners asked Crozier to coordinate with neighboring counties; Crozier indicated he would work with Zuni County and county staff to prepare the draft resolution.

Crozier and commissioners also discussed possible conflicts with BLM-designated natural areas and nonprofit groups that had raised concerns when the route came to the BLM's attention. Crozier said the road's present condition may limit access to smaller off-highway vehicles or ATVs but that reopening via the BLM travel-management process could restore broader access.

No formal county resolution was adopted at the meeting. Crozier agreed to prepare the short resolution and send it to county staff (Vicky Tanner was named as a staff contact) for placement on a future agenda. Commissioners indicated they would vote on the resolution after staff and Crozier finalize the language and coordinate with neighboring jurisdictions where appropriate.