Bike access on sections of National Scenic Trails

I would like to take a moment to dispel the confusion expressed by some members of the mountain biking community regarding recent actions taken by American Hiking Society (AHS) to protect the hiking experience on congressionally designated National Scenic Trails and sections of these trails where mountain bikes are currently prohibited. As we noted in our original post, AHS is not opposed to mountain biking and, in fact, has demonstrated over the past decade a genuine willingness to work alongside the mountain biking community to promote and protect trails and the outdoor recreation experience.

That being said, while there are many areas where we agree and on which we can and do work together, there will at times be areas where we disagree. One such area where we may disagree is that AHS believes that trails that allow hikers to explore the outdoors without competing with bicyclists are in some instances entirely appropriate. While many trails are designed and built to be shared, AHS believes that National Scenic Trails, and/or sections of these trails, where mountain bikes are currently prohibited should remain closed to bicycles.

On such trails, we invite mountain bikers to secure their bikes at the trailhead and enjoy a nice hike.

Gregory Miller, President, American Hiking Society