BLM Utah’s New McCoy Flats Campground Celebrates Freedom 250 with Affordability for America’s Outdoor Enthusiasts

< All Press Releases

BLM Utah's New McCoy Flats Campground Celebrates Freedom 250 with Affordability for America's Outdoor Enthusiasts

Organization:

BLM Office:

Media Contact:

VERNAL, Utah - The Bureau of Land Management is celebrating the nation's 250th birthday and the BLM's 80th anniversary with the grand opening of the Vernal Field Office's McCoy Flats Campground, located approximately seven miles southwest of Vernal by the renowned McCoy Flats Mountain Bike Trail System.

McCoy Flats Campground offers 23 campsites, including three that are walk-in for a more secluded experience, two campsites and both group sites meet accessibility standards, and 10 are built for large RVs. This is a Scan and Pay campground where sites may only be reserved once you are physically on-site, on a first-come, first-serve basis. Group sites cost $35 per night, and all other sites cost $10 per night.

"McCoy Flats is a long-time favorite destination for mountain bikers, and this new site will meet the fastest growing recreation demand in northeast Utah by giving campers an economical place to stay to truly experience everything BLM-managed public lands have to offer," said BLM Utah Acting State Director Christina Price. "Projects like this are exactly what Freedom 250 at BLM is all about - investing in public lands, so more Americans can connect with them safely and enjoy them for generations to come."

Each site has a picnic table, fire ring, and access to a day-use area, with half offering sunshades. There are also vault toilets, large picnic pavilions, bike repair area and tools, and informational kiosks displaying maps. The route to the campground is mostly paved or compacted dirt road, so four-wheel drive vehicles are not required. A unique feature is campers can ride directly onto the 35 miles of interconnecting single-track mountain bike loops without driving or jump on the nearby Butch Cassidy OHV Loop.

This grand opening celebrates America's 250th anniversary by expanding outdoor recreation on BLM-managed public lands. The BLM partnered with the State of Utah through a Utah Outdoor Recreation Grant for the design and construction of the campground. The Foundation for America's Public Lands partnered with the Utah Watershed Restoration Initiative to use Utah Conservation Corps youth crews to do much of the finishing work. This collaboration demonstrates a shared commitment by the BLM, State of Utah, and nonprofit partners to invest in recreation infrastructure. Recreation on BLM-managed public lands in Utah boosts the state's economy by $2.7 billion.

The BLM manages about 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America's public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.