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Trail ambassadors, state park staffing and e-bike openings highlighted at MTC meeting
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Summary
Steward Moab outlined Trail Ambassador staffing and grant applications; Utahraptor State Park reported reduced seasonal staffing and a volunteer-credit day-pass policy; committee members noted BLM plans to open many local mountain-bike trails to Class 1 e-bikes.
At the Feb. 12 meeting of the Grand County Motorized Trails Committee, several stakeholders reported on staffing, volunteer programs and access changes that affect trail users.
Anna Sprout of Steward Moab said Trail Ambassadors will begin March 1 with a smaller paid staff; volunteers must complete a two-hour training and commit about four hours per season, accompanied by paid staff. Steward Moab plans to apply for a $250,000 OHV education grant (covering 28 months) and a $35,000 OHV tourism grant to support a second season of the Back of Beyond podcast.
Ben Carswell, representing Utahraptor State Park, said park operations will shift to four seasonal staff in 2026, down from 10 in 2025. He detailed the park’s pass policy, saying "4 hours volunteer work will get you a day pass," and clarified there will be no Utahraptor-specific annual pass; state parks’ annual passes cost $125.
Reid Bakken reported that many local Bureau of Land Management mountain-bike trails will soon be open to Class 1 e-bikes, a change he described as "exciting." Carson Trader of the Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation noted his crew will not be available for official work until May. Observers John Marshall and Tyler Welch introduced themselves and expressed interest in future MTC participation.
The committee thanked volunteers and partner organizations for recent trail work and encouraged preregistration for the Moab Guide Summit and support for Steward Moab’s fundraising and grant efforts.