The ongoing march of e-bike trail legalization through the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) bureaucracy might be slow, but it’s definitely not slowing down. On the heels (but definitely not hot on the heels) of Moab’s BLM office legalizing over 200 miles of singletrack for e-bikes, a BLM office in Western Colorado wants to do the exact same thing.
The Colorado River Valley Field Office (CRVFO) is proposing to open all of its 220 miles of singletrack mountain bike trails to Class 1 e-bikes “to enhance the singletrack mountain bike trail opportunities for e-bike users,” according to a news release on BLM.gov. Currently, only 18 miles of the 220 are open to e-bikes.
The CRVFO manages many of Western Colorado’s most famous MTB trails
The CRVFO “manages the BLM mountain bike trail systems in cooperation with local government land managers, including the City of Glenwood Springs, City of Rifle, Eagle County, Pitkin County Open Space, Town of Carbondale, Town of Eagle, Town of Gypsum, and Town of New Castle,” according to the BLM. This broad swath of Western Colorado is home to numerous popular mountain bike trail systems that draw riders from across the country.
Carbondale is home to some of the area’s most iconic trails. Red Hill Recreation Area is a classic network filled with rocky cross-country trails, accessible from the outskirts of town. The Prince Creek and Crown trail system boasts extensive singletrack with epic views, ripping downhills, and lengthy machine-built flow trails.
Eagle County is another mountain biking hotspot, with over 100 miles of singletrack across the BLM and town open space. Iconic lines like Boneyard, Dirt Surfer, Pool-Ice Rink, Haymaker, World’s Greatest, and so many more could now be opened to legal e-bike access.
The New Castle trails have seen a flurry of recent trail building activity, and the area now boasts over 40 miles of singletrack, including extensive purpose-built trails. Similarly, the Grand Hogback Trail System north of Rifle is one of the newest builds in the region, but it is currently the only BLM network open to Class 1 e-bikes in the region.
Of course, the other communities, like Glenwood Springs, also boast plenty of additional trails. To say the region is rich with singletrack is an understatement!
A public comment period is now open
“In January 2024, local mountain bike groups asked us to consider allowing Class 1 e‑bikes on mountain bike trails within the field office,” said CRVFO Field Manager Lisa Dawson. “We followed up with surveys, public meetings, and visitor use monitoring. The feedback showed there was enough interest for us to move forward with an environmental assessment.”
The CRVFO is currently entering a scoping period to determine which of these 220 miles of trails are suitable for e-bike access. It begins with a 30-day public comment period, which opened on Monday, February 23, 2026, and will run through Wednesday, March 25, 2026. Mountain bikers who wish to comment can visit the official NEPA page and click the “Participate Now” button.
In addition, the BLM will host two public meetings. The first meeting is scheduled for 4-6pm on March 11 in the Town of Eagle, and the second will be held from 4-6pm on March 18 in the town of Silt.
“We know more people are riding e-bikes on natural trails, and when it makes sense, we work to improve access so everyone can enjoy our great trail systems,” said BLM Colorado Outdoor Recreation Planner Alan Czepinski. “We encourage people to share their ideas, concerns, or suggestions about this proposal. Your input helps us make informed decisions.”
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