Can Mountain Bikers and Hikers Share Trails on Federal Lands?

Travel Blog  •  Joanna Kakissis  •  11.04.08 | 12:01 PM ET

imagePhoto by brimelow via Flickr (Creative Commons).

The National Park Service is considering a regulation change that will allow park managers to open some trails to mountain bikers, and it’s stirring up advocates on both sides of the issue. At least one environmental group, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, says such a change will invite hiker-biker friction and disturb the land. The International Mountain Bicycling Association, on the other hand, supports the change.

The lame duck Mountain Biker-in-Chief, aka President Bush, has also thrown in his support.