bikes in wilderness areas?

**Lynx** · 10-03-2005, 12:15 AM

i remember reading recently that bikes are not allowed in wilderness areas. is this still true?

today as i was hiking back down from red pine lake i came across this guy in full-on xc cycling gear with shoes that suck to walk in, let alone hike to red pine in, carrying his bike up the trail. so either he's something of a masochist or he was planning to ride back down. hmm....

**half-fast** · 10-03-2005, 07:22 AM

true in new york

**wintermittent** · 10-03-2005, 08:24 AM

True. A 1984 addition to the 1964 Wilderness Act specifically prohibits bikes in federally-managed Wilderness areas.

For lots of good info on mountain bikes and Wilderness, peruse IMBA's Wilderness Resources.

**dogwonder** · 10-03-2005, 06:25 PM

True statement...wilderness designated areas do not allow any mechanized transportation, primitive modes only. Which means on foot or horseback (go figure). There are a couple places where they are trying to do wilderness like preservation but allow bicycles, I forget what they are called. The struglle goes on.

**ZGnzo** · 10-03-2005, 08:28 PM

some people love their bikes so much they have to carry them everywhere they go. After riding up 7,000 vertical feet of pavement to the parking lot at the top of Mt. Evans last year, some guy tried to make me feel guilty for not carrying my bike the last few hundred yards up the dirt trail...

**Clack** · 10-04-2005, 10:04 AM

I think it's only illegal if you get caught.

If a bear shits in the woods and no one's there, are there still berries in it? hmmm

**assgasorgrass** · 10-04-2005, 12:12 PM

Originally Posted by Clack

If a bear shits in the woods and no one's there, are there still berries in it? hmmm

Yes, especially if it's purple.

**powderdave** · 10-04-2005, 07:42 PM

So many times I have thought about how much I would love to ride in areas of vast wilderness. I cannot hike much following a major accident, but I can ride all day. So this thought has occurred to me frequently.

However, if those of us who value wilderness (and I'm guessing most on this site do) want to see the protections maintained, we must do our part. Abuse by cyclists can only dilute our argument and open the door to other, more damaging, users.

Respect the remaining wilds, there are endless challenges out there for us two-wheelers.

**Greydon Clark** · 10-05-2005, 01:12 PM

Off the top of my head, the US Forest Service manages about 180 million acres of land, of that, 30 million are Widlerness. I think all ya’ll can find something to ride on the remaining 150 million acres.

**dogwonder** · 10-08-2005, 03:15 PM

Originally Posted by powderdave

So many times I have thought about how much I would love to ride in areas of vast wilderness. I cannot hike much following a major accident, but I can ride all day. So this thought has occurred to me frequently.

However, if those of us who value wilderness (and I'm guessing most on this site do) want to see the protections maintained, we must do our part. Abuse by cyclists can only dilute our argument and open the door to other, more damaging, users.

Respect the remaining wilds, there are endless challenges out there for us two-wheelers.

I agree that we should certainly respect the wilderness. I still scratch my head on why horses are allowed in the wilderness though. Not exactly a "leave no trace" mode of transporation. I don't think it's a problem since horseback riding still is a fairly low participation sport. But it's never made a lot of sense to me.

**powderdave** · 10-08-2005, 03:21 PM

I totally agree. Nothing like pounding down some trail, stirring up horseshit dust, knowing you are inhaling dry turd fumes.

**schuss** · 10-08-2005, 05:48 PM

Originally Posted by dogwonder

I agree that we should certainly respect the wilderness. I still scratch my head on why horses are allowed in the wilderness though. Not exactly a "leave no trace" mode of transporation. I don't think it's a problem since horseback riding still is a fairly low participation sport. But it's never made a lot of sense to me.

Agreed. Horseback riders ruined a number of trails in my area and caused their closure. They blamed it on mountain bikers.

**Telenater** · 10-08-2005, 10:56 PM

Originally Posted by dogwonder

I agree that we should certainly respect the wilderness. I still scratch my head on why horses are allowed in the wilderness though. Not exactly a "leave no trace" mode of transporation. I don't think it's a problem since horseback riding still is a fairly low participation sport. But it's never made a lot of sense to me.

Because equestrians put their money behind their talk in much larger quantities than mountain bike riders do and because they've got history on their side.