ORV Damage -- Before and After

In 1999, ATVs ("4-wheelers") had recently pioneered this pointless and destructive bypass (though fragile cryptobiotic soil crusts) off of the Pritchett Canyon trail... (scroll down for next photo)
... By 2001, full-sized vehicles were using this "play area" as well. Most of the vegetation has been eroded away at this point. This pattern of rapidly expanding ORV damage is repeated in hundreds of locations near Moab. Click here for another pair of before and after photos.