RIDE ON Designated Routes in California

RIDE ON Designated Routes in California is a statewide campaign that has united land management agencies to educate outdoor recreationists who use motorized vehicles on California's public lands in accordance with the Travel Management Rule (TMR).

The campaign, created by Tread Lightly!, unites the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and California State Parks together in an effort to spread a consistent message throughout the state.

Electric Bicycles (E-bikes)

E-bikes are classified as motorized bicycles under the TMR. E-bikes may be ridden on designated motorized routes shown on Motor Vehicle Use Maps (MVUMs), including on National Forest System (NFS) roads open to all vehicles; NFS trails open to all vehicles; NFS trails open to vehicles 50 inches or less; NFS trails open to motorcycles only; and NFS trails open to e-bikes as a special designation.

The Forest Service is monitoring new technologies, visitor access and safety, social and sustainability issues, and natural resource effects associated with e-bike use on NFS roads and NFS trails. We will use the information obtained from monitoring to reassess and, if needed, adjust guidance for designating the use of e-bikes on NFS roads and NFS trails.

Trails open to bicycles may be considered for e-bike use in the future. Those trails would be analyzed in a NEPA process with public comment to determine if specific trails would allow for e-bikes to be designated as a special vehicle class. If trails are selected to manage for e-bike use, those trails would be shown on the Forest's MVUM as designed for e-bike use. More information about motorized bikes or e-bikes.