Emery County trails group previews busy season: rallies, revived jamboree and grant applications
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Summary
Committee members reported a likely sellout for the Green River Rally, described plans to revive the fall Swell Retreat/jamboree, and confirmed county applications for OHVR and RTP grants to stand up a seasonal trail signing crew.
Organizers and county staff told the Emery County Trails Committee on March 3 that several events and grant applications are shaping up for the 2026 season.
Presenter (S13) said the Green River Rally is growing and expects a strong response after a planned announcement; organizers estimated current registrations could approach the permit cap. Staff (S4) described plans to revive a combined Swell Retreat/jamboree in late September with both desert and mountain route options and said they are working with the BLM on permitting and on whether to amend existing OHV permits for some routes.
The travel office (S4) also briefed the committee on grants: an OHV Recreation (OHVR) application was submitted and the Recreational Trails Program (RTP) is open for additional applications. Staff said they applied for both an OHVR grant and an RTP grant to create a county signing crew — two seasonals who would re-sign trail systems during the summer — and that they are beginning the hiring process in anticipation of award notifications.
Staff (S4) cautioned the committee about a state proposal that would eliminate the restaurant tax, a small sales tax that funds the travel office. S4 said the travel office brought in roughly $100,000 (about $115,000 last year and about $129,000 the year before) and that losing that revenue stream could reduce discretionary support for museums, pool bonds and local trails programming.
Why it matters: The combination of more large events, active permitting with federal land managers and new trail crew capacity could increase ridership and visitor spending — benefits the travel office said it aims to capture by encouraging event visitors to stay in local lodging and use local businesses.
What’s next: Organizers will continue permitting work with the BLM; staff will proceed with the grant application process and early hiring steps for the signing crew in hopes of starting seasonal work this summer.