National Park Service reaffirms e-bike rule and gives individual parks freedom to regulate use

SALT LAKE CITY — The National Park Service has decided not to issue an overarching rule regarding the use of electric bikes in its parks, but rather to let individual parks decide on a case-by-case basis.

The federal agency announced its decision in a brief document on Friday, finding that e-bikes would have “no significant impact” in national parks, reaffirming a rule it first issued nearly four years ago.

“If managed properly, the use of e-bikes can provide more fun and healthy recreational opportunities for national park visitors and promote active transportation,” the park administration said in a statement.

National Park Service officials under the Trump administration initially ruled in December 2020 that e-bikes would be allowed anywhere regular bicycles were allowed, but that decision was challenged in court by an environmental group.

A judge in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia found in 2022 that the original rule was inconsistent with the National Environmental Policy Act and ordered the agency to conduct an environmental impact assessment.

That led to a review of the plan last year with an open comment period that ended this month, with the agency – this time under the Biden administration – essentially adopting the same rule.

Park rangers are allowed to allow e-bikes wherever they see fit, such as on park roads, parking lots and administrative roads and trails where traditional bicycles are also allowed, park service officials said. The rule does not allow e-bikes in protected wilderness areas, where bicycles are also prohibited.

“When deciding whether and where to allow e-bikes in the park, park rangers must consider public health and safety, protection of natural and cultural resources, and other management activities and objectives,” officials said in a statement.

How are e-bikes used in Utah's Mighty 5?

All five national parks in Utah have passed their own e-bike regulations in recent years while the litigation has been going on. According to each park's website, all five parks generally allow e-bikes where traditional bicycles are allowed. However, there are some differences in the wording depending on the park.

• Bows: E-bikes are allowed on all paved and unpaved roads in the park. They are not allowed off-road.
• Bryce Canyon: Bicycles and e-bikes are permitted on park roads and shared paths. They are not permitted on any other areas of the park.
• Canyonlands: Bicycles and e-bikes are only permitted on public roads and parking lots in the park.
• Capitol Reef: Bicycles and e-bikes are allowed on all designated roads, campgrounds and paved overlooks. They are not allowed on closed roads, in riverbeds, on trails – including those between campgrounds and roads – or in other off-road locations.
• Zion: Class 1 pedal-assist e-bikes—bikes that only assist the rider while pedaling and stop assisting above 20 mph—are allowed in the same areas as regular bikes. Both are allowed on the Pa'rus Trail, a multi-use trail in the park, and on all roads in the park. However, e-bikes are not allowed on the park's shuttle buses, and bikes are not allowed through the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel.

National parks in other states may have different rules, so it's best to check park rules before you go or contact the park.