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Presenter hails project to link “Whole Enchilada” mountain-bike route to Moab pathway
Summary
A presenter at a trail kickoff said a project will close a short road gap so riders on the internationally known “Whole Enchilada” can use a continuous, non-motorized pathway into Moab; the route draws about 24,000 riders a year and supports local tourism.
A presenter at a project kickoff described work to close a short but hazardous road section that currently interrupts access from the "Whole Enchilada" mountain-bike route into Moab’s non-motorized pathway, saying the change will improve safety and connectivity for thousands of riders.
The presenter said the “Whole Enchilada,” known internationally for red-rock mountain biking, draws about 24,000 riders annually and supports an industry in Moab that depends on the trail system. "This project will link that gap," the presenter said, adding that the connection will let people "go where they want, when they want and do it safely."
The speaker recounted a decades-long personal history with the route, saying, "For over 46 years I've been riding down here and riding down that trail and then having to ride back on this road to get to town to get where I parked my vehicle. It was always kind of sketchy." That anecdote was used to underline safety concerns for riders, especially families with children.
Framing the local project within a larger effort, the presenter said Governor Cox has led an initiative to connect trails built by cities and counties into a single active-transportation network across the state. The presenter described the Moab link as "the start of a big idea" to make Utah a leading active-transportation state.
Organizers said families and repeat visitors will benefit from a smoother, off-road transition back into town, reducing the need to mix with motor traffic on the short road section. Locals who use the trail and visiting riders were described as "really excited" about the completion.
The presenter characterized the opening of the pathway as the beginning of broader connectivity efforts rather than a final, standalone project. No formal vote, contract details, construction timeline, or funding breakdown were discussed in the remarks.
