In addition, the EA analyzes other permitted, non-competitive motorized use of Jeep Safari routes, said BLM Recreation Planner Katie Stevens. Private use of the routes is not included in the analysis, officials said in a news release.
Stevens said this week that the EA examines 630 miles of existing backcountry trails that were included in the previous Jeep Safari permit, as well as 153 miles of additional existing trails that have been requested for inclusion in the new permit.
“They’ve asked for some new [existing] routes, mainly because they wanted some easier routes,” Stevens said. “The motivation is to find some easier routes for beginners.”
Those additional routes include sections of class D roads and class B roads that serve mainly as connectors to backcountry trails, as well as a section in the Cameo Cliffs area, .4 miles in Hell’s Revenge and areas known as the Escalator and Hell’s Gate in Hell’s Revenge. A small section near Chicken Corners and a .9-mile addition to Wipeout Hill are also requested, she said.
The EA does not cover three popular Jeep Safari trails that are located in San Juan County – Hole in the Rock, Hotel Rock and Arch Canyon. Stevens said the BLM’s Monticello Field Office will deal with those areas.
The document is available online at www.blm.gov/utah/moab, at the Moab Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management, 82 E. Dogwood Ave., or by calling 435-259-2100.
The comment period for the environmental assessment is open through Nov. 30. Comments may be sent by mail to the BLM Moab Field Office or by email to BLM_UT_MB_Comments@blm.gov.