Famous National Park Singletrack Trail Closed to Mountain Biking
For Immediate Release
06-07-02
Contact: Jenn Dice, IMBA advocacy director
303-545-9011
Systemwide Trail Closures Threatened; IMBA Responds
A popular National Park Service singletrack trail recently closed to mountain bikers because of the threat of a lawsuit by a government watchdog group.
The Cactus Forest Trail in Saguaro National Park near Tucson, Arizona closed to bicycle use after more than ten years of successful shared use. It was the first National Park singletrack open to mountain biking. Other trails in National Parks and National Recreation Areas (NRAs) around the U.S. could soon suffer a similar fate and remain closed for months - even years - while environmental assessments of mountain bike use are conducted.
The trail closure was prompted by the threat of a lawsuit from Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER), an organization that monitors federal agency decisions. PEER contends that the National Park Service (NPS) didn't comply with its regulations when it opened the trail to bicycles.
PEER is pressuring the National Park Service to ban bicycle use on the route until stringent decision-making procedures are completed. PEER asked the National Park Service to investigate alleged NPS mountain bike regulation violations at Mammoth Caves National Park (Kentucky), Olympic National Park (Washington), Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area (Pennsylvania-New Jersey), Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona), and Redwood National Park, Santa Monica Mountains and Golden Gate NRAs (California). The status of mountain biking in these NPS-managed areas - and others - is in question. In response, IMBA held several meetings with local, regional and national NPS leaders as well as members of the Arizona congressional delegation. IMBA also engaged the prominent Washington, D.C., law firm Hogan & Hartson to push for immediate administrative relief and evaluate legal remedies if quick action isn't taken to reopen the trail and keep other NPS trails open to mountain biking.
Until PEER began their campaign, mountain biking opportunities were developing at a variety of other National Parks and NPS-managed National Recreation Areas around the country. The threatened lawsuit brought most of these projects to a halt.
PEER is questioning the National Park Service's compliance with 36 Code of Federal Regulations 4.30 - a NPS regulation that was established in 1987. It calls for an elaborate, cumbersome series of actions to precede the opening of any NPS trail to bicycles. IMBA believes the regulation is unfair because it overlooks impact data and treats bicycle use in a categorically more restrictive manner than hiking and horse use.
IMBA views mountain biking as a National Park solution. Bicycling gets people out of their cars, away from congested roads, parking lots and trailheads, and into the fresh air. Mountain biking improves the quality of park visitor experience and counters the societal trend toward obesity.
IMBA is working to quickly reopen the Cactus Forest Trail and maintain access to other existing NPS bicycling paths. We believe these NPS trails can not legally be closed now without a thorough review process that includes public comment and proper rulemaking.
IMBA is determined to maintain and enhance reasonable trail access for mountain bikers in National Park units. We are committed to working with the NPS to improve the process of creating new National Park bicycling opportunities. We are continuing to work toward a long-term Memorandum of Understanding with the National Park Service to support off-road bicycling projects and preserve public land for future generations.
We may soon ask all IMBA members to contact the National Park Service to support our position on this important issue and encourage the agency to treat bicycling fairly and consistently. Please visit http://www.imba.com for the latest information.
