Protiva acknowledged that some of his past protest decisions have been “knee-jerk retaliations.”

“I was obnoxious and overreaching, I admit that,” he said about blocking the trail.

At the same time, though, he said history has shown that on many issues he fought for, from integration in schools to increased government extraction fees on tribal land, his stance was legitimized.

“I have spent my life making kooky assertions that in time have proved to be prudent,” Protiva said in court.

In August, it was endangered Mexican spotted owls that motivated Protiva to take his two horses and two mules up Little Elden Trail and refuse to move for the start of a downhill mountain bike race. The race was organized by the Mountain Bike Association of Arizona and was permitted by the Forest Service.

Protiva had situated himself on a blind corner with no way to avoid him, so if a rider was coming down the trail at speed, their only option would have been to hit Protiva, his horses, or ride down into a ravine, Jon Shouse, race director, said in August. Protiva eventually moved when he found out a law enforcement officer had arrived on scene.