Moab Field Office is accepting public comment through November 20, 2023 regarding the Mud Springs (Spanish Trail) mountain bike and e-bike trails just south of the town of Moab. The preferred alternative will allow class I e-bikes on the routes and keep 28 dispersed campsites open. Alternative D will allow all classes of e-bikes to be used on the trails. 35 dispersed campsites were inventoried within the project area. The BLM is proposing to keep only a portion of these campsites open. The BLM should be allowing true dispersed camping within the project area. Because the BLM only inventories sites that have been hardened through use, they were likely sites where responsible users practiced “leave no trace” that weren’t inventoried. Allowing a combination of designated dispersed camping and free dispersed camping would accommodate a broader range of recreation users. BRC encourages the BLM to modify alternative D to allow all 35 campsites to remain open and allow for true dispersed camping. Closure is not management.

Because Moab is seeing more and more restrictions to motorized users, the BLM should authorize the proposed trails and e-bike use within the area. There are now over 300 miles of trails that e-bikes can no longer access and e-bikes provide opportunities to persons who otherwise may not be able to mountain bike or hike to areas. Send a comment by entering your information below to let the BLM know you support e-bike use on the Mud Springs Trail System.