Bureau of Land Management study to help determine whether to allow e-bike use on popular mountain bike trails

The Bureau of Land Management is considering allowing class one electric bicycles on designated mountain bike trails in the Crown Mountain recreation area southeast of Carbondale, an area they have historically been prohibited.  

In January 2024, the BLM Colorado River Valley Field Office received a letter from an e-bike interest group asking them to consider authorizing e-bike use on traditional mountain bike trails in the Prince Creek area. Along with that letter, the regional field office has seen other BLM offices undertake studies to determine whether e-bikes should be permitted on trails; one was recently conducted in Moab, a popular mountain biking destination. 

The Roaring Fork Mountain Bike Association previously conducted a survey in March 2024 that included a question on e-bike use. They found that 64% of respondents — 1,314 individuals — expressed an interest in using e-bikes on trails now or in the future.  

In response to the letter and other sources of e-bike interest, the regional field house is planning on undertaking an environmental assessment to decide whether class one e-bikes will be allowed in the Prince Creek mountain bike trail area based on impact. 

Currently, the regional field house manages 570,000 acres across Pitkin, Eagle, Garfield, and Rio Blanco counties. Within those acres, there are 1,632 miles of routes, both trails and roads. Motorized use is permitted on 675 miles of those trails, primarily on double track roads. 

There are 200 miles of routes open for mechanized use, dedicated to mountain bike trails, that the BLM is considering opening to low-power, non-throttle controlled e-bikes. 

Pitkin County commissioners, after hearing the BLM’s intent to conduct this environmental assessment, expressed reservations Tuesday. 

“I know it’s just pedal assist, but 30 miles an hour is pretty damn fast if you’re walking, and there’s something going 30 miles an hour on the same trail with you,” said Commissioner Francie Jacober. “So I’m concerned about it.”

Notably, class one ebikes will only provide pedal assist up to 20 miles an hour and will only exceed that speed under the user’s own power. 

Commissioners Patti Clapper, Greg Poschman, and Jacober all expressed worries about increased trail use and erosion, as well as issues surrounding enforcement. 

Poschman said he believes allowing class one e-bikes would likely cause other classes of e-bikes to use the trail because enforcement is difficult. Jacober also focused on bicycle use effects on elk herds in the area, and mentioned that she thought increased use of trails would exacerbate herd-behavior changes she sees being caused by human traffic in the area.

Jacober and Poschman, however, mentioned they understand the benefit of e-bikes for older individuals looking to ride. 

The BLM Colorado River Valley Field Office will begin conducting surveys of Crown Mountain recreation area users in fall 2025. 

“The rubber will really meet the road later this fall and winter when we have the proposed action and officially start the EA and when we put that out for public scoping,” Alan Czepinsky, BLM recreation planner, said at the Tuesday Pitkin County Commission work session. “That’s when we are going to be taking those public comments.”