It is as common as it is sad.
There are lots of people and organizations that do not want people to go offroad. They are well organized, they have allies in power, and they spend time and money on their cause.
What you can do......
1) Don't screw up offroad (leave trash, drive off of established trails, damage the environment, etc.)
2) Join a group (The Blue Ribbon Coalition is probably the best and most effective) that is an ally to your cause, and lobbies on your behalf.
3) Get involved. Many offroad websites have land use forums where you learn about stuff. Write a letter to a politician against a trail closure even if you are not interested at all in that trail (then someone from another state will, hopefully, do the same for the trail near you).
4) Vote smart. Generally, Republicans are more offroad friendly than Democrats. Generally, anti-gun candidates are more hostile to offroading than pro 2nd Ammendment candidates.
The Blue Ribbon Coalition can help a lot by paying attention to how individual politicians have voted in the past.
Remember that you are part owner of public land.
Andrew
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