The Bureau of Land Management Moab Field Office has initiated a scoping period to explore whether some of the 190 miles of non-motorized trails in the area should be opened to class 1 e-bikes.
“We want any and all feedback,” said Keri Nelson, outdoor recreation planner at the Moab Field Office.
She added that includes “what trails would make sense for e-bikes, any concerns that people have, whether it’s social or impacts to the trails, historical information or other information that would help us take a hard look at how appropriate it is for these e-bikes to be on our trails.”
The scoping period, which runs from Oct. 1 to Nov. 1, serves as a preliminary stage to an environmental assessment that will determine the future of e-bike access on these trails.
Currently, e-bikes are allowed on motorized BLM trails under the Moab Field Office, but usually not on non-motorized trails alongside other mountain bikes, except in special cases through the Rehabilitation Act.
That allows people with disabilities to request a “reasonable modification” so they can use their e-bike on BLM’s non-motorized trails.
Beyond requests through that avenue, Nelson said they also have received demand from individuals and local businesses for increased e-bike access to trails in the Moab area in recent years.
“Unfortunately, there’s very little opportunity for them to bike our world famous trails,” Nelson said.
Currently, she added, the main opportunities for quality, lengthy single-track trails for e-bikes in the region are in Dead Horse Point State Park or on BLM’s Slick Rock National Recreation Trail, which is motorized.
“This is going to be a very high topic of interest for people, and [people will have] a lot of varying and very strong opinions,” Nelson said. “We want to make sure that whatever we do is being informed by the public that is hopefully somewhat balanced.”
The scoping period is just for class 1 e-bikes. One of three classes, they are “equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling, and that ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of 20 mph,” according to the BLM.
Across the country, e-bike sales have grown quickly in recent years, with U.S. sales topping $1.3 billion in 2022, according to PBS. Their popularity has risen due to increased accessibility, convenience and their reputation as an eco-friendly alternative to cars.
Greg Sheehan, the BLM Utah state director, said he expects crafting policies that keep up with the evolution of e-bikes will be a challenge for the agency in the future.
“We’re just trying to learn our way through,” Sheehan said. “And Moab is sort of the center of that universe probably for BLM, quite honestly.”
The scoping period is the first step in the National Environmental Policy Act process, which includes public input and an environmental assessment. Following the conclusion of the scoping period, the BLM will develop alternative proposals, which will undergo further public comment and analysis of environmental impacts, before a final decision is made by the field manager. Nelson estimated that the entire process shouldn’t take longer than a year.
“This is a unique opportunity for us to take advantage of hearing what the public has to say and helping form alternatives — we want to make sure that whatever we end up doing or deciding that it’s well informed,” Nelson said.
Trail users and interested parties are encouraged to submit their comments to the project planning page by Nov. 1, with all input helping shape the future of e-bike access on the area’s trails.
Tribune reporter Julie Jag contributed to this report.
