The BLM in Moab will allow eMTBs on many of the best trails beginning March 1, 2026

The BLM announces over 200 miles of Moab singletrack will open to Class 1 e-bikes starting March 1, 2026, expanding access for riders.
By Jeff Barber
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A winding dirt path leads through a desert landscape, surrounded by sparse vegetation, low shrubs, and rocky formations under a cloudy sky.
File photo: Greg Heil.

Yesterday the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Moab Field office announced that more than 200 miles of singletrack will officially open to Class 1 e-bike access beginning on March 1, 2026. Previously, the majority of these mountain bike trails did not allow motorized vehicles of any type.

In an official release, Moab Field Office Manager Dave Pals said, “Opening trails to Class 1 e-bike users will expand recreational opportunities and experiences, while allowing users to disperse across the landscape, minimizing impacts.”

Class 1 e-bikes offer pedal assistance at speeds up to 20mph. Non-motorized trails in Moab will remain closed to class 2 and 3 e-bikes.

Several mountain bike trails in Moab — notably the Slickrock trail — already allow motorized vehicle access, which includes both gas-powered and electric vehicles. Moab is a popular destination not only for mountain bikers but also off-highway vehicle enthusiasts.

An environmental assessment found that allowing e-bikes on the trails in question would not create a significant environmental impact. Following the announcement, only a few mountain bike trails on BLM-managed land in the Moab area — Lower Porcupine Singletrack (LPS), Eagle Eye (part of the Raptor Route), Porcupine Rim Singletrack, Fisher Mesa, and Hidden Valley — will remain closed to e-bikes. Because the popular Whole Enchilada trail includes Porcupine Rim Singletrack, electric mountain bikes will remain barred from riding the full route. Similarly, some, but not all, of the Raptor Route will remain off-limits to eMTBs.

The full list of trails that will open to e-bikes on March 1, 2026, includes:

  • 7-Up Mountain Bike Trail  
  • Amasa Back Mountain Bike Trail System  
  • Athena Mountain Bike Trail  
  • Baby Steps Mountain Bike Trail  
  • Gemini Bridges Area Mountain Bike Trail System   
  • Gold Bar Rim Mountain Bike Trail  
  • Horsethief Mountain Bike Trail System  
  • Hunter Canyon Rim Mountain Bike Trail  
  • Jackson Mountain Bike Trail  
  • Klondike Bluffs Mountain Bike Trail System  
  • Klonzo Mountain Bike Trail System  
  • Kokopelli Mountain Bike Trail – 1.7 miles of non-motorized singletrack trail  
  • Moab Brands Mountain Bike Trail System  
  • Navajo Rocks Mountain Bike Trail System   
  • Pipe Dream Mountain Bike Trail  
  • Portal Mountain Bike Trail  
  • Raptor Route Mountain Bike Trails: Hawks Glide, Falcon Flow, Kestrel Run  
Map showing designated mountain bike trails, including areas where e-bikes are allowed, with elevations marked. The background is primarily yellow, representing terrain features, and a blue section highlights specific trail areas, including the Kokopelli Singletrack along the Colorado River.
A 1.7-mile non-motorized section of Kokopelli’s trail that will open to eMTBs.

Singletracks wrote about proposed Moab e-bike access last year. In November, the Grand County Commission sent a letter to the BLM urging a cautious approach to opening non-motorized trails to e-bikes. In the end, the BLM ended up approving all of the proposed trails, with the possible exception of a section of Kokopelli’s trail. Initial documents suggested allowing eMTBs on a 3-mile section of non-motorized trail along Kokopelli’s, and yesterday’s announcement shows that a shorter, 1.7-mile segment has been approved.

 
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