You are here

NPCA, PEER Voice Concerns Over Proposed Mountain Bike Rule Change In National Parks

Share

Would a rule change allowing greater mountain bike access in national parks lead to more of these scenes? NPS photo.

Mountain bike accessibility in national parks could expand exponentially under a rule change proposed by the Bush administration, according to the National Parks Conservation Association.

While the current regulation largely restricts mountain bike use to designated trails in developed areas, NPCA officials said the pending regulation would, if approved, allow superintendents to "designate bicycle routes on:

1. existing trails within developed areas;

2. existing trails within undeveloped areas; and

3. new trails within developed areas."

"Under the proposal, if any trail designations within these three areas were considered controversial or would significantly alter public use patterns, then the superintendent would be expected to issue a special regulation," the parks advocacy group said in comments on the proposed rule change."

The comments came near the end of the public comment period on the proposed rule change. Also opposing it was Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, the Association of National Park Rangers, the Tamalpais Conservation Club, the Bay Area Trails Preservation Council, Wilderness Watch, Wild Wilderness, the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance, and Grand Canyon Wildlands Council.

In its comments, the NPCA said the proposed changes would increase "the risk for local stakeholder groups to unfairly influence local park decision making" because a park superintendent in many cases would have the final say on opening trails. The current rule-making process requires National Park Service officials at the regional and national levels to review any proposed changes.

Additionally, NPCA said that while "a special regulation issued in the Federal Register would still be necessary for uses of, or activities of a, 'highly controversial nature' or that would result in 'a significant alteration in the public use pattern,' it is unclear what conditions would need to be met.

"Guidelines are needed to both assist the public in making this claim and assist superintendents in supporting their decision," the group continued. "We believe the Federal Register should not be used as a notification tool, as this proposal would do, but rather as a public involvement tool."

NPCA also believes any rule change should include language specifically prohibiting bicycles not only in officially designated wilderness areas but also in areas proposed for wilderness designation by the Park Service as well as areas currently managed as “potential Wilderness.”

NPCA officials also voiced their opinion that while national parks exist for the public's enjoyment, not all forms of recreation are appropriate for the national parks.

"We understand that some bicyclists, especially mountain bikers, would like to have increased access to the parks. However, the national parks do not have to sustain all recreation; that is why we have various other federal, state, local, and private recreation providers to share the demand, and to provide for those types of recreation that generally do not belong in the national parks, or that must be carefully limited," the group said.

"The 1916 NPS Organic Act, emphasizing conservation for future generations, is substantially different from the organic laws of the Bureau of Land Management, the US Forest Service, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the Army Corps of Engineers, or any other federal agency. The NPS mission is also different from that of state park agencies, or of county or city park agencies. Together, these agencies provide for many forms of public recreation, including single-track mountain bike opportunities—but not all forms of recreation are appropriate in national parks."

Meanwhile, the other groups also urged Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to withdraw the proposed rule change, saying it was "a late lame-duck Bush administration plan to carve mountain bike trails across the backcountry of the national park system."

In announcing their opposition, the coalition pulled from an "action alert" the International Mountain Bicycling Association sent to its members, asking them to file comments in favor of the rule change. In that action alert, PEER officials said, IMBA described what is at stake this way: "…over 170 forests and grasslands administered by the NPS [National Park Service] and a potential 130,000 miles of trails, the move is a mouthwatering prospect for cyclists."

Among the concerns raised by the coalition are:

* Increased User Conflict. Introducing mountain bikes on backcountry trails will drive off hikers, horseback riders and other users, as fast moving bikers, sometimes in large groups, whiz down narrow paths;

* Introduction of Extreme (BMX) Mountain Biking Trails. The wording of the proposed rule appears to endorse, for the first time, construction of trails designed specifically for high-speed, bicycle motor-cross (BMX) racing, to the practical exclusion of other uses; and,

* Aggravation of Maintenance Backlog. High volume biking on backcountry trails will multiply the demand on the Park Service for erosion control to keep unpaved trails functional. The agency already reports a $9 billion backlog in maintenance projects.

"While we endorse the use of bicycles through the developed areas of park units like the C&O Canal in D.C., these proposed rule are designed to facilitate mountain bicycles in undeveloped park areas - the backcountry, far from paved park roads," commented PEER board member Frank Buono, a former NPS manager. "This rule could not only negatively change the backcountry experience for park visitors, but would allow a non-conforming use in proposed and recommended wilderness."

Jeff Ruch, PEER's executive director, added that, "This mountain bike rule is a classic example of special interest influence over management of our national parks. There is no shortage of other venues for mountain bikes that would justify opening up the last, best places within our national parks."

Comments

We have the same problem here with the equestrians. We have done over 3000 hours of trail maintenance since 2000. Most of it is to clear brush, because we live in Florida where everything grows so fast, but also to repair the extensive damage caused by the equestrians. And like every where else, they don't pitch in to help maintain the trails they destroy on a weekly basis. If it wasn't for the local mountain bike group, our trails would be closed to all because we are the only ones who maintain the trails. We encounter hikers, cross country runners, equestrians and families using the trails and all but the equestrians thank us when they see us busting our tails on foot cutting back thorns, bushes, and smoothing out the trenches dug out by the equestrians. The equestrians have 2 major equestrian parks and other places to ride at so why they choose to ride on a trail that is not designed for them with tons of snakes to boot is beyond me.
To conclude we now have permission to build inside of a State park, sustainable single track where none currently exist. We are in there blazing miles of single track not just for mountain bikers to use but for everyone to use. this is going to create miles of trails for people to hike on and enjoy the state forest and they are happy because now they can advertise these new trails for potential hikers and campers and draw more people to the state park, equestrians included. But do you see any one else out there helping? no. Just us mean old mountain bikers who also tend to be hikers, campers, and equestrians (or in my case my daughter is an equestrian so I know, intimately, what goes on in their world).
so in the current economic conditions, I say it is in the best interest of the parks to open up access to mountain bikers to create revenue because we pay more than entry fees; mountain bikers tend to do a lot of road trips to places we can ride. Our group does a road trip every month to places other than where we live. so we bring money for fuel, hotels, restaurants and other things.
So please share the trails. we are not there to destroy but to use responsibly. I'm sure the majority of equestrians don't intend to do what they do but are truly ignorant of what they do (I hope-no one can be that mean could they?) and I think that is setting in because now the local equestrian group has contacted us and they want to help do trail maintenance so it's a start. we can coexist. so let's start and see where it goes.


I am an equestrian and I have to agree that the damage that horses do to trails is severe. The hooves just tear up trails. Though I do clear brush. I have ridden for years on private land and the only trails that are created are by esquestrians. Some hunters use the trails in the fall but no one else because most people do not know they exist. I have only ridden in Gettysburg NPS and not in any other park due to the drive considerations. I do not like towing a trailer up mountain roads as that wears out transmissions and brakes fast.

However I have ridden on trails that bikes and motor trail bikes use and the surface left by the bikes is great. It creates a level path that is very firm. Nice to walk or ride a horse on. I have found bikers to be courteous and we get off the trail for them and vice versa.

So I can only guess the animus toward mountain bikers is because hikers and esquestrians do not want to share the trails. I think that more recreational use of parks is better for Americans as it increases revenues. The enviros seem to want to prevent most recreational use of parks from snow mobile and mountain bikes and any new device that gets popular.


"Birth right to pedal in wilderness," Zebulon? And "ecotrailnazis"?

"Enviros", RAH?

Equestrians are "ignorant of what they do," Losdog?

"Most hikers and equestrians simply dislike mountain bikers," Scott G?

I sense a trend here...there's certainly a lot of animosity out there, whether it's spouted by pro-hiker or pro-biker or pro-equestrian. If this were California, there'd probably be a call for a support group;-)


All of this is terribly confusing, Kurt. Just when I got used to being called a "bunny-loving tree-hugger" or an "unresconstructed hippy-dippy ecofreak," now I have to know whether I am an "environmental wacko," an "econazi," or perhaps just a plain old "enviro."


I was active in the push to get Wilderness Areas in the early 1970's and considered myself a conservationist and enviromentalist. But since then the extreme positions of the enviromentalist have left me behind. So I still consider myself a conservationist but not an enviromenatlist. So yes " enviro" is short for the extreme anti human slant of "enviros" that want to eliminate the human part of parks and other activities.

So gulity as charged. But I blame my own preferred method of horseback riding for trail damage rather than bikes or human hikers.

I think a solution is a mix of multiuse trails and specific use trails to handle all the methods of travel on trails in parks and forests. Wilderness areas are restricted as to the use due to fragile conditions.


Maybe living in the west, where public lands that are open to hundreds of miles of rideable trails are open to all is gives me skewed viewpoint... but aren't there enough places where people can mountain bike?


Enough?
Well lets take Washington state, in fact lets narrow it down to the Wenatchee National Forest alone.
Here they will find 2,500 miles of trail to play on with their toy.


The Wilderness is closed to bikes not for any kind of logical reason, but simply because the ultra enviros managed to get the administration to close it. There is no inherent reason why bikes can't be used in wilderness other than the Sierra Club hates biking. Simple as that.

It's a matter of time, but hikers are aging and the kids are biking. Guess what will happen in the next 20-30 years when bikers are the majority? It'll be too late for me but not for my kids. In the meantime, there is always night riding. :)

On a separate note, I took my kids for a hike last week in Muir woods. I was quite amused to see that the vast majority of the visitors were sticking to the paved trails by the creek (nice, flat and covered with asphalt). So much for enjoying the great outdoors, I guess. :)


Add comment

CAPTCHA

This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Image CAPTCHA
Enter the characters shown in the image.

The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.