ShareTrails | The Fight for Dispersed Camping Near Moab Continues

In 2022 the BLM released a draft environmental assessment for dispersed camping around Moab, Utah in several special recreation management areas. The BLM just opened up a second round of comments on the draft plan for dispersed camping in the Labyrinth Rims/Gemini Bridges SRMA to address concerns raised in the first round of comment. The BLM has released the EA to provide additional information that was requested during the first comment period. BlueRibbon was adamant that the data being used by available to the public regarding wildfire, user conflicts, dispersed campsites and more be available to the public to provide public comment. Although, all the information we requested was not given in this EA we do appreciate the next round of comments to address the additional information.

356 dispersed campsites were identified within the 120,000 acre area that sits between Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park. You can see where the identified campsites are in the map below. This is one of the most popular areas in the nation for dispersed camping. If the BLM designates all current inventoried dispersed campsites at 356, which is highly unlikely, that still is restricting use into a box rather than managing impacts. This plan is ultimately punishing users who have practiced leave no trace principles and have not left any indication of their campsites. It is feasible that within hundreds of thousands of acres, users can have the camping experience they desire whether that be a remote dispersed campsite or a developed campground. Pets would be required to be on leashes even at the dispersed campsites, fire pans, portable toilets and the restriction of wood gathering are still part of the EA as they were in the first released EA.

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