Yes, e-Bikes are allowed on just about all federal recreation lands including National Parks, National Forests, National Monuments, Wildlife Refuges, and so on. The only federal recreation lands where e-bikes still have not been addressed are Army Corps of Engineers projects.
Department of the Interior Order 3376
In 2019, the US Department of the Interior issued Order 3376 instructing all four of its land management agencies to amend regulations allowing for use of e-Bikes on their respective lands. This includes the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the US Fish & Wildlife Service.
Bureau of Land Management
The BLM amended its regulations for off-road vehicles by including e-bikes into the definition of an off-road vehicle [43 CFR 8340.0-5(5)], but specifically made an additional rule [43 CFR 8342.2(d)] that says users of e-bikes may be afforded all the rights and privileges of users of non-motorized bicycles…
43 CFR § 8342.2
(d) E-bikes.(1) Authorized officers may allow, as part of a land-use planning or implementation-level decision, e-bikes, or certain classes of e-bikes, whose motorized features are not being used exclusively to propel the e-bike for an extended period of time on roads and trails upon which mechanized, non-motorized use is allowed; and
(2) If the authorized officer allows e-bikes in accordance with this paragraph (d), an e-bike user shall be afforded all the rights and privileges, and be subject to all of the duties, of a user of a non-motorized bicycle.
National Park Service
NPS adopted a regulation [36 CFR 4.30(i)] that specifically allows e-bikes to be ridden in all the same places that non-motorized bicycles are allowed…
36 CFR § 4.30
(i) Electric bicycles.(1) The use of an electric bicycle may be allowed on park roads, parking areas, and administrative roads and trails that are otherwise open to bicycles. The Superintendent will designate the areas open to electric bicycles, or specific classes of electric bicycles, and notify the public pursuant to 36 CFR 1.7.
(2) The use of an electric bicycle is prohibited in locations not designated by the Superintendent under paragraph (i)(1) of this section.
(3) Except where use of motor vehicles by the public is allowed, using the electric motor exclusively to move an electric bicycle for an extended period of time without pedaling is prohibited.
(4) Possessing an electric bicycle in a wilderness area established by Federal statute is prohibited.
(5) A person operating or possessing an electric bicycle is subject to the following sections of this part that apply to bicycles: §§ 4.12, 4.13, 4.20, 4.21, 4.22, 4.23, and 4.30(h)(3)-(5).
(6) Except as specified in this chapter, the use of an electric bicycle is governed by State law, which is adopted and made a part of this section. Any act in violation of State law adopted by this paragraph is prohibited.
(7) Superintendents may limit or restrict or impose conditions on electric bicycle use, or may close any park road, parking area, administrative road, trail, or portion thereof to such electric bicycle use, or terminate such condition, closure, limit or restriction after:(i) Taking into consideration public health and safety, natural and cultural resource protection, and other management activities and objectives; and
(ii) Notifying the public through one or more methods listed in 36 CFR 1.7, including in the superintendent's compendium (or written compilation) of discretionary actions referred to in 36 CFR 1.7(b).
Bureau of Reclamation
The USBR amended its regulations for off-road vehicles [43 CFR 420.5(a)(7)] by including e-bikes into the definition of an off-road vehicle, but specifically made an exception allowing e-bikes to be treated the same as non-motorized bicycles.
43 CFR § 420.5 Definitions.
As used in this part, the term:
(a) Off-road vehicle means any motorized vehicle (including standard automobile) designed for or capable of cross-country travel on or immediately over land, water, sand, snow, ice, marsh, swampland, or natural terrain. The term excludes:(7) Electric bikes as defined by paragraph (h) of this section: While being used on roads and trails upon which mechanized, non-motorized use is allowed, that are not being used in a manner where the motor is being used exclusively to propel the E-bike for an extended period of time, and where the Regional Director has expressly determined, as part of a land-use planning or implementation-level decision, that E-bikes should be treated the same as non-motorized bicycles.
US Fish & Wildlife Service
The FWS amended its regulation [50 CFR 27.31(m)] specifially allowing users of e-bikes to be afforded all the rights and privileges of riders of non-motorized bicycles.
50 CFR § 27.31
Travel in or use of any motorized or other vehicles, including those used on air, water, ice, snow, is prohibited on national wildlife refuges except on designated routes of travel, as indicated by the appropriate traffic control signs or signals and in designated areas posted or delineated on maps by the refuge manager and subject to the following requirements and limitations:
(m) If the refuge manager determines that electric bicycle (also known as e-bike) use is a compatible use on roads or trails, any person using an e-bike where the motor is not used exclusively to propel the rider for an extended period of time shall be afforded all of the rights and privileges, and be subject to all of the duties, of the operators of nonmotorized bicycles on roads and trails. An e-bike is a two- or three-wheeled electric bicycle with fully operable pedals and an electric motor of not more than 750 watts (1 h.p.) that meets the requirements of one of the following three classes:(1) Class 1 e-bike shall mean an electric bicycle equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling, and that ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of 20 miles per hour.
(2) Class 2 e-bike shall mean an electric bicycle equipped with a motor that may be used exclusively to propel the bicycle, and that is not capable of providing assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of 20 miles per hour.
(3) Class 3 e-bike shall mean an electric bicycle equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling, and that ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of 28 miles per hour.
US Forest Service
The US Forest Service, in 2022 issued guidance to its system of national forest and grassland units to study how e-bikes should be further utilized on their respective lands. The USFS currently has a policy of allowing e-bikes on all motorized trails and roads…
Class 1, 2, and 3 e-bikes are allowed on motorized trails and roads on national forests and grasslands. Additionally, several year-round resorts operating under a special use permit have established e-bike use within their permit boundary.
The guidance that was issued tasks each forest and grassland to decide what additional uses and/or prohibitions should be implemented for e-bikes.
Note that the existing USFS policy on does not mention e-bike use on all trails, but just “motorized trails”. As far as we know so far, the USFS has not issued any restrictions of e-bikes on hiking trails or non-motorized bicycle trails.
Read more about this at, “Are e-Bikes Allowed in National Forests?“
Army Corps of Engineers
So far, the Army Corps of Engineers has not addressed the use of e-bikes from a national standpoint, however some individual ACOE districts have enacted policies of their own.
Currently, e-bike use falls into an existing regulation that requires all vehicles to comply with state and local laws…
33 CFR § 327.2 Vehicles
(h) Vehicles shall be operated in accordance with applicable Federal, state and local laws, which shall be regulated by authorized enforcement officials as prescribed in § 327.26.
Because there are still some states that treat e-bikes the same as motorized vehicles, this has lead to campground hosts in those states to stop e-bike riders to check for current licensing and registration.
However, some ACOE districts have already enacted policies that either supercede or add to these requirements. Get the current list of these districts and their policies at, “Are e-Bikes Allowed at Army Corps of Engineers Campgrounds?“
