A Recent Experience When Riding on Federal Land

[6zfshdb]

I rode a trail on Federal land in Pennsylvania yesterday and saw a sign I have never seen before. It was posted at every trailhead sometime this season.



The picture next to "No Motorized Bikes" looks more like a gas powered dirt bike than a bicycle. Somewhat encouraged, I rode the trail anyway. I encountered a park ranger during my ride and struck up a brief conversation. He looked at the bike but made no comment. I certainly didn't tell him it was an ebike. It's fairly stealthy though, especially with the panniers, so I don't know if he recognized or considered it a motorized bike.



I ride this trail a couple of times each season and, due to the questionable nature of the sign, will continue to do so until told otherwise.

 

[Mr. Coffee]

I'd guess that as long as you are reasonable and discreet in that particular situation you should be fine. But I would check the Park's website and press releases every now and then because if e-bikes become an issue for that park there will likely be press releases or verbiage on their website clarifying their legality.

My other guess is that if you outright asked the park rangers the answer would be "no."

My additional other guess is that if you were cited (unlikely) you could argue to a magistrate that since class I and class II electric bikes are regulated as bicycles under federal law, you reasonably thought they were allowed on this trail. I Am Not A Lawyer (thank you very much) so I can't tell you if that is a good argument or it would be successful.

 

[Mr. Coffee]

A couple of other thoughts...

This looks like it was at Delaware Water Gap, which is administered by the National Park Service (you can tell because of the arrowhead and buffalo on the logo).

One important thing to understand about the NPS is that each park, to some extent, is governed as an independent fiefdom. In each park they have enormous discretion on what rules and regulations to impose to protect the resources within the park. Interestingly, in theory at least (and under the legislation that authorizes the NPS) park superintendents have the power to regulate activities outside the park if those activities adversely impact resources within the park. In practice, this has very rarely been done.

Another important thing to understand is that in spite of the previous paragraph, the Parks are by nature conservative and it is rare and unlikely that one park will get very far ahead of any other Park.

The final thing to understand is that the NPS is actually a quite popular agency with the public and they jealously guard their public image.

What this means, I think, is that when NPS people think about the e-bike issue at all they probably are waiting to see which way the wind blows before they make up their mind on whether they should be allowed or not.

 

[6zfshdb]

A couple of other thoughts...

This looks like it was at Delaware Water Gap, which is administered by the National Park Service (you can tell because of the arrowhead and buffalo on the logo).

One important thing to understand about the NPS is that each park, to some extent, is governed as an independent fiefdom. In each park they have enormous discretion on what rules and regulations to impose to protect the resources within the park. Interestingly, in theory at least (and under the legislation that authorizes the NPS) park superintendents have the power to regulate activities outside the park if those activities adversely impact resources within the park. In practice, this has very rarely been done.

Another important thing to understand is that in spite of the previous paragraph, the Parks are by nature conservative and it is rare and unlikely that one park will get very far ahead of any other Park.

The final thing to understand is that the NPS is actually a quite popular agency with the public and they jealously guard their public image.

What this means, I think, is that when NPS people think about the e-bike issue at all they probably are waiting to see which way the wind blows before they make up their mind on whether they should be allowed or not.

Good insight. Thanks!

Yes, it was the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. I'm about to post some pics in the "Show Us Where You Ride Your Ebikes" thread.

 

[harryS]

The Acacia (Maine) NPS superintendent has banned ebikes specificially on certain trails per their website. I believe they are the unpaved ones.