For local land managers considering expanding access on trails and grasslands, the US Forest Service has issued e-bike guidance. Despite the fact that electric bicycles are still categorized as motor vehicles by the Forest Service, land managers can now reclassify routes from non-motorized to motorized to allow access.
Jenn Dice, president and CEO of PeopleForBikes, believes that allowing e-bike users access to National Forest System trails is a huge step. "While we will continue to advocate for the United States Forest Service to reclassify Class 1 e-bikes as non-motorized, we prefer to encourage local land managers to embrace this guideline, resulting in more accessible, egalitarian, and varied e-bike riding on our public lands," he stated.
"National forests and grasslands are a place for all people to recreate, relax and refresh," said Forest Service Chief Randy Moore. "The additional guidance will help our district rangers and forest supervisors better serve their communities with a policy that allows managers to make locally based decisions to address e-bike use. This growing recreational activity is another opportunity to responsibly share the experience of the outdoors with other recreationists."
The Forest Service currently allows people to use electric bicycles on 38% of the trails managed by the Forest Service, which includes over 60,000 miles of motorized trails and thousands of miles of motorized roads.
In addition, the Forest Service has introduced the widely used three-layer classification of e-bikes, establishing the standard for designating Class 1, 2 and 3 e-bikes on National Forest System trails, roads and lands, ensuring consistency with other land management agencies and making the policy easier to understand.
The Forest Service manages nearly 160,000 miles of trails in 42 states and Puerto Rico for a variety of activities, including mountain biking, horseback riding, snowmobile, cross-country skiing, hiking and backpacking. The agency manages all access rights under its multifunctional tasks. Clear guidance will support local decision makers as they consider expanding access opportunities for emerging e-bike users, the company said.
