Caution Needed Before Creating New Trails for Mountain Bikes

Washington, D.C. - The International Mountain Biking Association today announced that it is working with the National Park Service to study the possibility of creating new trails for mountain bikes in three “pilot” national park sites: Big Bend National Park in Texas; Ft. Dupont in Washington, D.C.; and Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Ohio.

A statement by Ron Tipton, Senior Vice President of the National Parks Conservation Association, follows:

“Biking is a healthy way to explore and enjoy America’s national parks, but like any form of recreation, it needs to be done responsibly and in a manner that does not harm the parks. These pilot studies should carefully evaluate the capacity of existing administrative and public roads and trails to meet the needs of mountain bikes. This way, the inspiring landscapes that attract visitors are well protected.

“Given the Department of the Interior’s unpopular push to revise the Management Policies of the national parks, we’ll be watching this process carefully to ensure that park managers continue to give top priority to the preservation of our national parks.”