{"id":47779,"date":"2026-07-01T10:06:50","date_gmt":"2026-07-01T14:06:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/?p=47779"},"modified":"2026-07-01T10:22:23","modified_gmt":"2026-07-01T14:22:23","slug":"maryland-state-trails-now-open-to-pedal-assist-e-bikes-limited-to-20-mph","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/2026\/07\/01\/maryland-state-trails-now-open-to-pedal-assist-e-bikes-limited-to-20-mph\/","title":{"rendered":"Maryland State Trails Open to Pedal-Assist E-Bikes Limited to 20 mph"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"width: 392px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/55240097937_282cbd64ac.jpg\" alt=\"Person riding a bike on a dirt trail in the woods\" width=\"382\" height=\"255\" \/><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Maryland Department of Natural Resources photo<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has approved new regulations to allow some pedal-assist e-bikes on multi-use trails on public lands across the state.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Under the new regulations, Class 1 pedal-assist e-bikes <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u2014<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> those that provide motorized assistance up to 20 miles per hour <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u2014<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> are cleared for use on public lands. The approved regulation was published in the Maryland Register in May and is now in effect.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The change is meant to welcome new user groups to public trails in state parks and boost options for those with mobility issues, while <a href=\"https:\/\/dnr.maryland.gov\/outdoorrec\/Pages\/eBike-Regs.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">maintaining trail safety and environmental protections<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><!--more--><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cWe\u2019re excited to formally welcome e-bikes to public trails throughout Maryland\u2019s state park system and public lands,\u201d said Department of Natural Resources Secretary Josh Kurtz. \u201cThese new regulations will allow more people to respectfully explore the state\u2019s beautiful natural scenery while ensuring their e-bikes travel at safe speeds that enable them to yield to more vulnerable trail users such as hikers, horseback riders, and mountain bikers.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The regulation covers many of the most commonly used electric bikes. E-bikes that provide assistance only when the user is pedaling, and cut out when the rider reaches 20 miles per hour, may be used on trails on state lands. When enjoying the trails, riders must:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ride safely and with respect for those around them.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Follow posted speed limits and right of way.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ride only on trails where e-bikes are permitted.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cOur goal is to provide predictability and consistency in biking regulations across state lands,\u201d said Maryland Office of Outdoor Recreation Director Sandi Olek. \u201cUpdating our regulations to address the demand within a framework forges a clear path forward for e-bikes in Maryland, with safety in mind.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Bicycles that have a motor that operates without pedaling or a motor that provides assistance after the e-bike has reached 20 mph are not allowed on state trails. Those e-bikes are limited to areas that are used by motor vehicles, including roads, parking lots, and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/dnr.maryland.gov\/forests\/pages\/orv\/trails.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">areas that are specially designated for off-road vehicles, dirt bikes, and ATVs<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">E-bike users who operate prohibited e-bikes, violate the speed limit, ride in a reckless manner, cause damage to property or wildlife, or travel in prohibited areas face fines and penalties ranging from $500 on a first offense to up to a year in jail. E-bike riders who are caught operating under the influence of drugs or alcohol must appear in court and potentially face significant fines and other penalties.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Adaptive e-bikes are specialized mobility devices that are used by individuals with physical disabilities or mobility challenges. These are permitted on state lands with the same restrictions as e-bikes that provide motorized assistance up to 20 miles per hour, but are permitted to have motors that do not require pedaling.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Office of Outdoor Recreation adjusted its e-bike regulation proposal in response to public comment. Commenters expressed concern about allowing e-bikes that don\u2019t require pedaling, and allowing e-bikes that provide assistance up to 28 miles per hour given the potential for dangerous conflicts with other, more vulnerable trail users.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Maryland Department of Natural Resources received more than 60 public comments on the proposed regulation. Roughly 87% supported the proposed operational rules.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Opening up some of Maryland\u2019s trails to e-bikes expands the state\u2019s robust mountain biking community and encourages those who enjoy battery-powered support to hit the state\u2019s scenic public trails. Those who do not already have e-bikes may choose to make the switch, further stimulating the biking economy in Maryland. Biking contributed $36.5 million to the state\u2019s economy in 2024 according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, boosting the outdoor recreation economy as a whole.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cAllowing e-bikes would make the trails more inclusive for everyone\u2014older adults, people with health challenges, and those who may not have the endurance for traditional biking,\u201d one commenter wrote. \u201cMaryland\u2019s trails are one of our state\u2019s greatest treasures, and they should be available for all residents to enjoy, regardless of age or ability.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The market research company Circana reports in a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peopleforbikes.org\/news\/electric-bicycle-market-insights-2024\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">blog post on the People for Bikes website<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> that sales of e-bikes have accelerated nationally from 50,000 units in 2017 to more than 500,000 in 2022.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The new regulations will also help those with limited mobility get outside and enjoy Maryland\u2019s public lands, empowering more Marylanders to explore, recreate, and bond with our beautiful natural resources.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cOur well-developed trail system is highly valued by hikers, bikers, equestrians, hunters, and other outdoor enthusiasts across the state,\u201d Olek said. \u201cThe new ebike regulations don&#8217;t change the rules of the road or who has the right of way on the trail. Visitors should still look out for others, familiarize themselves with yielding to more vulnerable trail users, and ride in a safe manner that respects the resource and makes it enjoyable for all.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Cyclists should wave and greet other trail users, yield to pedestrians and equestrians, maintain a safe speed, and be aware of the needs of other users on the trail. The general motto for all Maryland trail users is \u201cSay Hey, Give Way, and Enjoy the Day.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">More information on regulations and the accompanying trail etiquette campaign can be found on <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/dnr.maryland.gov\/outdoorrec\/Pages\/eBike-Regs.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">the DNR e-bike webpage<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has approved new regulations to allow some pedal-assist e-bikes on multi-use trails on public lands across the state. Under the new regulations, Class 1 pedal-assist e-bikes \u2014 those that provide motorized assistance up to 20 miles per hour \u2014 are cleared for use on public lands. The approved regulation<a href=\"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/2026\/07\/01\/maryland-state-trails-now-open-to-pedal-assist-e-bikes-limited-to-20-mph\/\">&nbsp;&nbsp;Read the Rest&#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":146,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[957,4998,12],"tags":[5724,5352,4981,5433,3368],"class_list":["post-47779","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-appnews","category-hiking","category-parks","tag-e-bikes","tag-josh-kurtz","tag-maryland-state-parks","tag-regulations","tag-trails"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47779","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/146"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=47779"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47779\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":47798,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47779\/revisions\/47798"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=47779"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=47779"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=47779"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}