E-Bikes in Tennessee Parks and Public Lands

1 National Park · 2 National Recreation Areas · 1 National Parkway · 1 National Forest · 1 Regional Park · 1 other place

Under TCA 55-8-306, state agencies may regulate or bar Class 1 and 2 e-bikes on paths and trails, and Class 3 e-bikes are barred from paths unless the managing agency permits them. A Tennessee State Parks e-bike rule was not confirmed from an agency source; one secondary source reports e-bikes are barred from park trails.

Places checked

7

All bike routes

0

Some trails or sections

4

Roads or paved paths only

2

Not confirmed

1

State parks rule

Varies by park

Places

Where E-Bikes May Ride in Tennessee

Classes are the US e-bike classes the land manager allows. Each name links to the park or forest's own page.

Tennessee parks and public lands
Place	Type	E-bike access	Classes	Surface	Rides	Notes
Great Smoky Mountains National Park NPS	National Park	Varies by section	Class 2-Jan	Mixed	Cades Cove Loop Road, Gatlinburg Trail, Oconaluftee River Trail	Class 1 and 2 only, 20 mph limit; roads plus the Gatlinburg, Oconaluftee River and lower Deep Creek trails.
Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area NPS	National Recreation Area	Roads and paved paths only	Class 3-Jan	Mixed	Multi-use trails, Park roads	E-bikes are barred from mountain bike trails such as Grand Gap Loop; allowed on multi-use trails, roads and parking lots.
Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area USFS	National Recreation Area	Varies by section	Class 3-Jan	Mixed	Canal Loop Trail, Woodlands Trace road, Fort Henry Trails	Class 1 allowed on bike trails under a 2026 notice; all classes on roads.
Natchez Trace Parkway NPS	National Parkway	Roads and paved paths only	Class 3-Jan	Paved	Natchez Trace Parkway road, Chisha Foka Multi-Use Trail	Compendium sets no e-bike restriction, so the 2020 NPS rule allows them where bikes go.
Cherokee National Forest USFS	National Forest	Designated trails only	Class 3-Jan	Mixed	Tellico OHV trails, Forest roads on the MVUM	E-bikes limited to motorized roads and trails; Tanasi and other non-motorized trails are closed to them.
Shelby Farms Park Shelby Farms Park Conservancy	Regional Park	Not confirmed	-	Mixed	Shelby Farms Greenline, Tour de Wolf, Woodland Trails
Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park NPS	Other	Designated trails only	Class 3-Jan	Mixed	Chickamauga Battlefield roads, Jackson Gap Trail, Upper Truck Trail Road	Public roads plus listed administrative roads and trails at Chickamauga and Lookout Mountain.

Record

Sources

Places: Park, forest and agency pages, linked from each name
E-bike rules: Agency e-bike policy pages and regulations for each place
State parks rule: Tennessee law page
Last verified: Q4 2026