BOULDER, Colo. — Starting July 1, e-bikes will be allowed on some trails within the City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) system.
About 39 miles of multi-use OSMP trails will be available to e-bike riders.
OSMP gathered community input throughout the summer of 2022 about allowing e-bikes on specific trails in Boulder. More than 2,330 responses were submitted via an online questionnaire. Staff also completed surveys out in the field by talking with 431 people over a nine-week period. Those findings are below.
The main concerns raised from these surveys were e-bike speed, negative impacts to trail conditions and user conflict between activities on the trails.
Using this information, in early June, Boulder City Council approved an ordinance that would allow class 1 and 2 e-bikes on some of the city's open space trails. Those bikes are already allowed on multi-use paved paths within Boulder.
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These types of e-bikes have a motor that can help when a rider is pedaling, but both stop providing assistance if the bike reaches 20 mph.
Below is a map of the trails e-bikes will be allowed to use starting July 1. A page on the Boulder OSMP website also lists the available trails.
E-bike riders should know what trails they are allowed to ride on before heading out the door. OSMP is also reminding everybody on the trails to be courteous to others, communicate well and share the trail. Bikes always yield to hikers and horses.
In an effort to let e-bike riders easily learn which trails are available to them, Boulder OSMP will post the below signs at intersections and trailheads.
The City of Boulder also plans to roll out its e-bike voucher program starting in July with a second round to follow later this year. Many other cities, including Denver and Durango, also have rebates and voucher programs. Colorado as a whole will offer e-bike rebates this summer.
Cities have turned to e-bikes as a method to reach their climate goals.
E-bikes have continued to skyrocket in popularity, especially since the pandemic.
In 2019, the U.S. Department of Interior began discussing allowing e-bikes at national parks — today, e-bikes are welcome anywhere vehicles are allowed in Rocky Mountain National Park, as well as many other national parks. Colorado state parks allow them on most trails, but U.S. National Forests mostly do not.
This patchwork, coupled with the differing opinions from the public on e-bikes, has led to some debates on where they should and shouldn’t be allowed.
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