US Forest Service Clarifies Mountain Biking as Non-motorized Activity

The US Forest Service has officially clarified that mountain biking is a non-motorized activity, and has included this description in the Forest Service Handbook and Manual—a move that could pave the way for mountain bikers to gain the same rights to some trails as those enjoyed by hikers and equestrians.

This action is the much-anticipated follow-up to the internal memo distributed at an IMBA summit last June by Jim Bedwell, the Forest Service Director for Recreation, Heritage and Volunteers. The memo initially clarified the nature of mountain biking as “a non-motorized use of the National Forest Systems trail, along with hiking and horseback riding.” It then went on to state that, as a non-motorized use, “in planning and policy, a distinction between mountain biking and motorized uses…should be made.”

When this initial announcement was made, Bedwell explained that letters such as the memo are often a prelude to official policy revisions, but he cautioned that they do not constitute “official” precedent. However, by including the distinction between mountain biking and motorized transportation in their handbook, this could enable local jurisdictions to open trails to mountain biking that are already open to hikers and horseback riders.

So what does this mean to the average mountain biker?

There are 175 forests and grasslands administered by the National Forest Service, and those areas contain more than 130,000 miles of trails. And the Forest Service Handbook and Manual is the main blueprint for how agency programs such as trail use and trail building are administered. By including this classification of mountain biking as a non-motorized use of Forest Service assets, a standardized recognition that mountain biking is a legitimate recreational use of Forest Service trails has been outlined.

While this does not open up all Forest Service trails to mountain biking, as decisions regarding bicycle access will remain at the local level. But it’s a step closer to local jurisdictions granting mountain bike access to trails that are currently closed, as evidenced by statements that bicycling is “a potentially suitable use on all trail classes,” and that “the environmental impacts of bicycling are similar to hiking and less than other uses.”