Park Service Release Guidebook for More Biking in National Parks

By Charles Pekow –
The National Park Service (NPS) is eager to work with communities and activists on improving bicycling in and around national parks. NPS just released the National Park Service Active Transportation Guidebook: A Resource on Supporting Walking & Bicycling for National Parks & their Partners (https://www.nps.gov/subjects/transportation/bikeped.htm).
NPS developed the guide with the Federal Highway Administration. The book describes itself as “a resource for national park units and their partners to both identify and prioritize bicycle and pedestrian transportation needs .” It adds that other federal land agencies can find it useful.
The guide covers everything from the planning process to safety, bikeshare, and rentals, sponsoring activities such as rides, and getting park employees interested in cycling. It shows how to work with partners and improve access to parks as well as cycling within them.
Bicycle advocates might cite it as a useful tool and contact local federal land managers about it, now that the NPS headquarters has shown that it expects them to improve and expand cycling on federal recreational land.