Members of Congress recently stopped an effort to include a provision in legislation that would sell off more than 500,000 acres of public lands in Utah and Nevada. PeopleForBikes strongly supports this successful effort to prevent the sale of public lands led by Rep. Zinke (R-MT) and Rep. Simpson (R-ID).  

Public lands are a cornerstone of the American biking experience — whether it’s mountain biking in Idaho, bikepacking in Vermont, or simply exploring the miles of public roads and trails across the country. Not only are public lands an important venue for outdoor recreation, including bicycling, they also welcome visitors from every part of the country and from all over the world. A recent report from the Trust for Public Land highlights that more people than ever are getting outdoors to bike, hike, fish, paddle, and more across the U.S. In 2024, the National Park Service saw a record-breaking number of visits — nearly 332 million — which is more than the top 10 built tourist attractions combined. Nationwide, 8.8 million people participated in mountain biking last year, using trails and spaces that wouldn’t exist without access to public lands.

PeopleForBikes works with champions in Congress to secure more funding to reduce the maintenance backlog for public lands facilities and advance policies that expand access for bicycling. We strongly support investing in outdoor recreation infrastructure, including trails, to provide safe and quality experiences on public lands nationwide.  

“Public lands are the backbone of America’s outdoor economy and core to the American outdoor experience. These are places where families connect, communities thrive, and millions of people bike, hike, and explore every year,” said PeopleForBikes President and CEO Jenn Dice. “We are proud to stand with leaders in Congress and our partners across the outdoor industry to protect these shared spaces, invest in recreation infrastructure, and ensure that everyone can experience the freedom and joy of biking on America’s public lands.”

This most recent effort to sell off public lands highlights that the outdoor places we cherish are at risk, but the response from members of Congress and stakeholders across the outdoor recreation industry is also a strong reminder of the unified, nationwide effort to keep public lands public.  

PeopleForBikes is excited to continue working with the bipartisan Public Lands Caucus and all of the federal policymakers who are focused on improved policies and expanded funding related to the outdoors.  

For more information, please contact PeopleForBikes Senior Manager of Recreation Policy Rachel Fussell at rachel@peopleforbikes.org.