Trails committee backs county letter asking BLM to designate Mountain Dew Trail open to all vehicles

The Emery County Trails Committee voted March 3 to support sending a single county letter from the commissioners asking the U.S. Bureau of Land Management to formally designate the Mountain Dew Trail open to all vehicles.

Committee member (S5) made the motion, which members seconded and approved by voice vote. Agency official (S7), speaking about the BLM’s records, said the route “has never been designated” in the agency’s resource management plan and that formal designation is required for the BLM to treat it as an open route.

Staff (S4) said a draft letter already exists and that commissioners plan to send one county-level letter; committee members recommended the letter include a GPS track so BLM staff can see the precise alignment to be designated. Committee members volunteered to collect and deliver GPS files and to perform a field assessment next month before the message is forwarded to the commission.

Why it matters: Without formal designation in the BLM travel management documents, the route is effectively considered closed in certain OHV-limited areas. Committee members argued designation will reduce motorized traffic on adjacent roads by giving riders an off-road alternative and help public-safety management near the Buckhorn Reservoir camping area.

What’s next: The committee’s endorsement will accompany the commissioners’ letter; staff and volunteers will provide GPS files and a short route description to the commission for transmission to the BLM. The letter will request that the BLM formally mark the route as open to all vehicles and clarify the appropriate travel-management category.