As public lands continue to be popular destinations for outdoor recreation, more Americans are taking advantage of opportunities to ride bikes across these landscapes nationwide. Whether you ride natural surface trails managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Moab, Utah; the paved roads within Shenandoah National Park managed by the National Park Service (NPS); or the many doubletrack roads across U.S. Forest Service land, access to our public lands is vital. Here are five priorities PeopleForBikes is advocating for to strengthen access for biking on public lands: 

Support for the Public Lands in Public Hands Act

Access to trails depends on public lands remaining in public ownership. The sale of public lands (other than through specific scenarios outlined in law) puts access to trails at risk. The Public Lands in Public Hands Act is bipartisan legislation that will prohibit the sale or transfer of public lands managed by the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Forest Service (again, except in cases already outlined in law). PeopleForBikes supports this critical legislation to help protect the places we ride for generations to come.

Inclusion of Active Transportation Bicycle Infrastructure Funding Within the Federal Lands Transportation Program (FLTP)

The FLTP funds highways and bridges on public lands. Unfortunately, the program does not fund enough protected bicycle infrastructure, despite a growing number of people riding to and within public lands. As part of the Surface Transportation Reauthorization — which funds and sets policy for highways, roads, bridges, trails, and transit — we are advocating for legislation that would require the FLTP to invest in bicycle infrastructure. Doing so will improve safety, expand access, and create more opportunities for adventure on public lands.

Modernize Permitting on Public Lands for Bike Riders

For years, guiding and outfitting bike trips on public lands has been burdened by an outdated and inconsistent permitting system. Each land management agency had its own process, making it time consuming and unpredictable to obtain permits. The EXPLORE Act, which was signed into law last year thanks in part to strong advocacy from PeopleForBikes, streamlines this process — making it easier for guides and outfitters to lead bike trips, even those that span multiple agencies or involve different types of bicycles, including e-bikes. The law also directs agencies to identify and catalog long-distance bike trails, expanding opportunities for exploration. These reforms mark a significant step forward in improving access, and PeopleForBikes is working closely with Congress and federal agencies to ensure implementation continues to prioritize cycling.

Recreational Trails Program (RTP)

The Recreational Trails Program builds and maintains trails across the country, which are funded through fuel taxes from off-highway vehicles. However, the fuel taxes collected far exceed the amount of funding made available to RTP, reducing the amount of trail investments that can and should be made each year. PeopleForBikes has long supported the full funding of RTP, which would dedicate the funds brought in from fuel taxes to the program without impacting the Transportation Alternatives Program or other highway programs. This translates to more and better-maintained trails.  

Clarifying E-Bikes Access to Non-Motorized Trails

Among land managers responsible for RTP trails, there is a lack of clarity around policies related to e-bikes on non-motorized trails. PeopleForBikes is leading legislation to clarify in law that e-bikes are permitted to be used on non-motorized trails that are part of the Recreational Trails Program. This ongoing confusion brings some risk to e-bike access, so we are working to include language in the Surface Transportation Reauthorization that would provide clarity and certainty for both cyclists and land managers.   

Ensuring access to public lands for everyone is a core priority for PeopleForBikes, as these lands are essential to the riding experiences we cherish. We encourage you to join us in supporting policies that not only enhance opportunities for biking on public lands but also protect and preserve these treasured places for future generations. For more information on PeopleForBikes' work in this area, please contact Senior Manager of Recreation Policy Rachel Fussell at rachel@peopleforbikes.org.