Forest Service Rules on E-Bike Routes

The Bitterroot National Forest, along with the rest of the Northern Region of the Forest Service, has declared e-bikes as motorized vehicles. That means they are not allowed on non-motorized roads and trails in the forest. The bikes look like regular bicycles, but have small motors that can assist the ride on hills. The folks at Valley Bicycles in Hamilton said the models have been increasingly popular for riders with physical restrictions and older bike riders.

Tod McKay of the Bitterroot National Forest suggests that e-bike riders get the most recent Bitterroot National Forest Motor Vehicle Use Map to see the roads and trails they can use. Riders should use caution and watch for larger motorized vehicles on those roads and trails. The Northern Region of the U.S. Forest Service includes nine National Forests in Montana and Idaho and National Grasslands in North and South Dakota.