Newly released documents reveal that the White House was briefed on recreational opportunities within the Bears Ears National Monument a month before President Donald Trump signed proclamations to shrink the area, contradicting the president's claims that recreation in the monument was virtually impossible. The documents, obtained by The New York Times, show that officials had detailed information regarding motorized and hiking access prior to the July 2026 boundary modifications.
Contradicting Presidential Claims
During the proclamation signing event in the Oval Office last month, President Trump claimed that the previous monument boundaries prevented outdoor activities, stating, "You can't go hunting, you can't go fishing, you can't do anything, you can virtually not even walk on it." Interior Deputy Secretary Kate MacGregor concurred with the president's assessment during the event.
However, documents reviewed by The New York Times show that Redge Johnson, the director of Utah's Public Lands Policy Coordinating Office, sent a memo to Sam Crofts, a senior adviser at the Interior Department, in June. The memo detailed the history, geology, and recreational opportunities of Bears Ears, specifically noting that the Peavine Corridor is open to off-road vehicles for motorized access and that backpackers frequently use Rig Canyon as a junction point for massive wilderness loops.
State Officials Support Reductions
The boundary modifications, which were implemented in July 2026, reduced the size of the Bears Ears National Monument to approximately 121,000 acres. The Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument was similarly reduced to approximately 182,000 acres.
In a press release from July 13, 2026, the State of Utah applauded the modifications, stating the reduced scale allows agencies to better provide management, preservation, and public access. Governor Spencer J. Cox said the action allows agencies to direct limited resources toward caring for specific sites rather than millions of surrounding acres.
Conservation Groups Vow Litigation
The decision to shrink the monuments has faced sharp criticism from conservation groups. The Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA) released a statement on July 13, 2026, calling the actions "reckless and unlawful" and taken at the behest of Utah politicians.
SUWA Executive Director Scott Braden argued that the reductions were an attempt to dismantle the public lands system. The organization has pledged to challenge the decision in federal court, noting that previous efforts by Utah Senator Mike Lee and Representative Celeste Maloy to undo the management plan via the Congressional Review Act failed in June 2026.
Tribal and Federal Management
The management of Bears Ears National Monument is a collaborative effort involving the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service. This includes the Bears Ears Commission, which represents five Tribal Nations: the Navajo Nation, the Hopi Tribe, the Pueblo of Zuni, the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, and the Ute Indian Tribe.
While the monument's size has fluctuated under different administrations, the Bureau of Land Management continues to manage the land to protect sacred, ancestral homelands while allowing for appropriate uses of the culturally significant landscape.
Management and Scale Debates
The scale of the original monument designations was a primary point of contention for Utah officials. Previously, the two monuments together encompassed approximately 3.2 million acres.
State officials argued that the original scale created significant management challenges that harmed cultural and scientific resources. Attorney General Derek Brown stated that Utah has fought to enforce Antiquities Act limits on monument size to ensure the law is applied faithfully and to provide certainty for Utahns regarding the lands they call home.
Ongoing Protections
Despite the reductions, lands not included within the modified monument boundaries remain protected under existing federal and state laws. These laws are intended to safeguard cultural sites, wildlife habitats, and sensitive landscapes throughout the region.
Resource Stewardship
The Bureau of Land Management continues to provide guidance for the stewardship of these lands. The monument remains a significant area for rock art sites, pueblo homes, and various recreational activities including hiking, fishing, and camping.
