The Bureau of Land Management is investigating a potential new recreational resource for Moffat County. With the help of a grant that could be given to the local Little Snake office, the county public lands could see funding for a new trail team to look after them.

According to a letter of support from the Moffat County Tourism Association, although the county is full of recreational spaces that benefit the community, more help is still needed to manage it. Large-scale visitor preparation is not where it needs to be, the letter from MCTA reads.

“The Bureau of Land Management, in addition to providing public access to our visitors, is a strong supporter of our community,” the letter read. “This collaboration with various recreation stakeholders and other major users of public lands helps our region to develop our offer of emerging visitors. This in turn helped us improve our tourism profile and led to the enhancement of our mission to become a true community ready for visitors. Support from the local BLM has been and will continue to be important in the future.

Specifically, the Little Snake Field Office is applying for an Off-Road Vehicle Maintenance Grant from Colorado Parks and Wildlife to fund labor for two seasonal positions, crew equipment, signage and the materials needed to complete the formalized work plan. If the office gets the grant, plans could include a two-person team that will work from mid-May to the end of November 2022.

OHV grants are distributed by CPW to deal with resource impacts due to increased visits to Colorado, with repairs and improvements to existing trails.

Specifically, if awarded, this grant will go to aid efforts in the Southern Sand Wash Basin region, implement Travel Management Zone 2, monitor usage from ORVs during the hunting season in Routt, Moffat and Rio Blanco counties, to resource rehabilitation projects focused on protecting wilderness designations, sage grouse and big game habitats, and building relationships with partners such as CPW, the United States Forest Service, the State Land Board, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the National Park Services.

“The construction and maintenance of trails proposed by the local Little Snake office can make a real difference to our community,” the letter continued. “The vast land here will help Moffat County market itself as a viable place to do business, extremely important to our community at this time. Superior land management is an important factor in maintaining our community profile, which invites strong investment in business and outdoor recreation.