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Electric Bicycles (E-bikes)
Electric Bicycles (E-bikes)

​Rules for Electric Bicycles​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Here’s what you should know about using electrical-assisted bicycles or “e-bikes”​on lands managed by Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW).

​What’s considered an e-bike? 

An e-bike is a vehicle with:

  • two or three wheels
  • fully operable pedals
  • an electric motor not exceeding 750 watts of power 

All e-bikes must meet the conditions for 1 of the 3 designated e-bike classes:

Class 1 E-bike

​Equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling and that ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches a speed of 20 miles per hour.

Class 2 E-bike

Equipped with a motor that provides assistance regardless of whether the rider is pedaling but ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches a speed of 20 miles per hour.

Class 3 E-bike

Equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling and that ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches a speed of 28 miles per hour.​

Do I need to register my e-bike with CPW?

CPW does not consider e-bikes Off Highway Vehicles (OHVs) and e-bikes do not require an OHV registration or other permit for use on CPW managed public lands.​

Where can I ride my e-bike?

E-bike use on CPW Lands

Class 1 and 2 e-bikes are allowed the same access as road bikes and mountain bikes, while class 3 e-bikes are only to be allowed on roadways and in designated bike lanes.​

​E-bike use on State Park Lands

  • Class 1 and 2 e-bikes are allowed on roadways and designated bike lanes and on multi-use trails and other areas (e.g.,campgrounds) that are open to non-motorized biking.
  • Class 3 e-bikes are only allowed on designated roadways and designated bike lanes.

E-bike use on State Wildlife Areas

  • In State Wildlife Areas, e-bikes are allowed on designated roads and within designated camping or parking areas where motorized vehicles are allowed.
  • They are prohibited in all other areas.
  • Visitors to State Wildlife Areas are required to possess a proper and valid hunting or fishing license.
  • SWA/STL Access FAQ

E-bike use on State Trust Lands

​Public access on State Trust Lands is restricted to hunting, fishing and watchable wildlife activity. E-bikes are only allowed for use on designated roads when being used for these activities. Visitors to State Trust Lands are required to possess a proper and valid hunting or fishing license.

E-bike use on other Public Lands

Regulations and classifications vary between different land management agencies. Users should contact individual land agencies - including the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and United States Forest Service (USFS), counties, and local municipalities - to determine where they are permitted to ride e-bikes on public lands.

Who can I contact about more e-bike questions?

​Please email the trails program any additional questions you might have at dnr_trails@state.co.us.

​E-bikes may be further included or excluded in specific areas through CPW’s regulatory process if reasonable justification is demonstrated.​

Individual parks will evaluate recreation use patterns in relation to trail connections to adjacent non-CPW owned lands and coordinate e-bike management with the land management agency. Every effort will be made to standardize e-bike use regulations on connecting trail systems.