From iconic national parks to local trailheads, federal public lands are essential places for millions of people to experience the joy of bicycling, whether it’s a first ride on a paved path, a family camping trip with e-bikes in tow, or a backcountry mountain bike adventure. In order to grow participation and protect access, we must engage at all levels of government.

This is why PeopleForBikes continues to build and execute a focused federal and state recreation strategy. Our priorities include modernizing policy, defending and expanding access for e-bikes and traditional bikes, strengthening infrastructure investment, and ensuring recreation remains a recognized and valued use of our public lands.

Harmonizing E-Bike Policy Across Federal Lands

Electric bicycles continue to be the largest source of growth for the bicycle industry, and this rapid growth can cause some growing pains for land managers and decision-makers at all levels. Currently, there is a patchwork of policies governing federal lands for Class 1 pedal-assist e-bikes, creating confusion for riders, land managers, and businesses in nearby communities. PeopleForBikes is actively working to harmonize policy across these agencies.

Recent work includes encouraging the harmonization of Class 1 e-bike policies with the Department of the Interior (DOI), which oversees the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Fish and Wildlife Service, and others. We believe the best-case scenario is to align DOI policies with those of the U.S. Forest Service, so riders encounter clear, consistent rules across federal lands. This harmonization is essential as land managers and riders deserve clarity on where they can ride, along with policies that reflect how modern bikes function and how people recreate today.

In Congress, we also support efforts to formally codify Class 1 e-bike access on federal lands so these policies are easily understandable and sustainable.

Trails and Infrastructure Investment Through the EXPLORE Act and Legacy Restoration Fund

If these access wins come to fruition, they will be even more meaningful with the proper investment. The bipartisan America the Beautiful Act looks to reauthorize the Legacy Restoration Fund (LRF), a critical source of federal dollars that would direct up to $1.9 billion annually toward deferred maintenance on public lands — repairing trails, bridges, roads, and visitor facilities. These investments directly sustain outdoor recreation experiences, making sure the trails we bike on and the gateway economies that depend on them can be enjoyed for years to come.

PeopleForBikes supports LRF renewal efforts to ensure that maintenance backlogs continue to be addressed and that safe, fun places to ride on our public lands continue to be available to people nationwide. We have worked with our partners at the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable to support the bill and engage with members of Congress members for immediate action.

SUPPORT THE AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL ACT

At the same time, implementation of the EXPLORE Act — particularly provisions related to long-distance biking opportunities and coordination across agencies — presents an opportunity to better integrate recreation planning, designation, and public engagement. PeopleForBikes is actively participating in the BOLT Act Coalition, along with our partners at IMBA, Bikepacking Roots, and others, to host agency discussions and meetings to ensure that bike access and trail connectivity are considered as these programs take shape.

Defending Public Lands and Access

As we look ahead, we anticipate continued debates around public lands disposal, management rules, and agency authority.

PeopleForBikes supports keeping public lands in public hands. Efforts that would accelerate large-scale sell-offs or weaken oversight mechanisms threaten long-term recreation access and economic stability for gateway communities. We are engaged with partners like IMBA and ORR to monitor these efforts closely and will step into leadership roles where appropriate. Our engagement with champions in Congress helped defeat the latest efforts, and we will continue to engage on this issue.

Similarly, we support maintaining the U.S. Forest Service Travel Management Rule, which provides a structured framework for designating motorized and non-motorized routes. Rather than dismantling the rule, we support targeted, practical improvements that reflect today’s recreation landscape while preserving areas for non-motorized experiences.

Across these debates, our approach is deliberate: protect access, protect clarity, and protect the long-term sustainability of recreation.

Ensuring Recreation is a Top-Tier Issue

Federal lands policy increasingly intersects with extractive industries, energy development, staffing constraints, concession reform, and fee structures. Recreation can easily become a secondary priority if not actively championed.

PeopleForBikes continues to monitor policies that could affect access, staffing reductions that slow reviews for use designations and trail maintenance, and fee increases that may influence access. Our goal is to ensure outdoor recreation remains visible, valued, and integrated into federal decision-making.

PeopleForBikes' recreation strategy must reflect the current complexity of our communities, our partners, and the policymakers making these decisions. We are seeking durable, bipartisan policy that expands opportunity, reduces confusion, strengthens infrastructure, grows cycling participation, and secures outdoor recreation’s role in being essential to the well-being of communities and people nationwide.