By agency
Interior Agencies Share One Rule, the Forest Service Has Its Own
The Interior Department agencies follow one framework. The Forest Service follows its own travel-management rules.
| Agency | Lands | E-bikes treated as | Where they may ride | Regulation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Park Service | National parks, monuments, seashores | Not motor vehicles | Where bicycles are allowed, if the superintendent permits | 36 CFR 1.4, 4.30 |
| Fish and Wildlife Service | National wildlife refuges | Not motor vehicles | Where bicycles are allowed, if the refuge manager permits | 50 CFR 27.31 |
| Bureau of Land Management | Public lands, mostly in the West | Not off-road vehicles | Where bicycles are allowed, if the authorized officer permits | 43 CFR 8340.0-5 |
| Bureau of Reclamation | Reservoirs and project lands | Not off-road vehicles | Where bicycles are allowed, if the manager permits | 43 CFR part 420 |
| Forest Service | National forests and grasslands | Motor vehicles | Motorized roads and trails, or non-motorized trails specifically designated for e-bikes | Forest Service Manual 7700 |
Interior agencies
Secretarial Order 3376 Put E-Bikes With Bicycles
In August 2019, Interior Secretarial Order 3376 told the National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management and Bureau of Reclamation to define e-bikes the way the Consumer Product Safety Act does and to exclude them from motor-vehicle and off-road-vehicle rules. Each agency wrote that into its regulations. Classes 1, 2 and 3 are all covered, but the local manager decides which roads and trails open to them, and Class 2 riders may not use the throttle alone for long stretches in national parks.
A 2022 federal court ruling, PEER v. National Park Service, found the park rule skipped required environmental review but left it in place. The Park Service completed a programmatic environmental assessment in August 2024.
Forest Service
National Forests Treat E-Bikes as Motor Vehicles
The Forest Service is part of the Agriculture Department and was not covered by Order 3376. Its 2022 travel-management directives classify e-bikes as motor vehicles. They may use roads and trails open to motor vehicles. A non-motorized trail can open to e-bikes only after the forest designates it, with environmental review. Each forest publishes its designations on a motor vehicle use map.
E-scooters and other devices
National Parks Added a Separate Rule for E-Scooters in 2026
An August 2026 National Park Service rule created a category of powered micromobility devices, covering stand-up e-scooters, self-balancing devices and similar vehicles. They are barred unless a superintendent designates an area for them. A September 2026 proposal would also reduce the environmental review needed to open park roads and trails to e-bikes.
State parks
State Parks Set Their Own Rules
Federal rules stop at federal land. State park systems write their own, and they range widely: Texas state parks still keep e-bikes off trails. Each state page covers its own park system.
Record
Sources
- Summary
- Congressional Research Service, Electric Bicycles (E-Bikes) on Federal Lands, IF12459, updated September 2026
- Interior order
- Secretarial Order 3376, August 2019
- Court ruling
- PEER v. National Park Service, 605 F. Supp. 3d 28 (D.D.C. 2022)
- Forest Service
- Forest Service Manual 7700 and 7710, 2022
- Last verified
- Q4 2026