As of July 1, e-bikes are allowed on any park roads and any trails where standard bicycles are allowed, unless expressly prohibited, according to the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. The rules previously allowed e-bikes only on trails eight feet or wider.
E-bike riders are also now allowed to ride on any wet sand section of ocean beach, except where they are specifically prohibited, such as in snowy plover nesting areas. E-bikes are not allowed to be operated on any dry sand or dune areas, the parks department said.
Some parks have carved out stricter e-bike restrictions of their own, which is allowed under the new rule. Elijah Bristow State Park has banned e-bikes on all trails, while Willamette Mission, Clyde Holliday and Emigrant Springs state parks have restricted e-bike use on some of their trails.
The new rules apply to class 1, 2 and 3 electric assisted bicycles as defined by the Oregon State Legislature, park officials said. Anything not included in those classifications is considered a motor vehicle and is not allowed on any state park trails.
“We ask that all riders ride responsibly, stay on designated trails and yield to others at Oregon State Parks and the ocean shore,” Aaron Raines, park manager at Stub Stewart State Park, said in a news release Tuesday. “Please keep operating speeds low as people might not be aware that riders are approaching. These are multi-use pathways where they will share the trail with many other users.”
The e-bike rule was one of two new rule changes that took effect July 1, along with a new surcharge for out-of-state park visitors.
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