IMBA Partnership with NPS: Summer 2006 Report

The International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) is pleased to report on the continued progress of our partnership with the National Park Service (NPS). This eNewsletter is meant to keep you abreast of the latest developments as we work with parks to promote responsible mountain bicycling.

In this issue:

19 New Miles of Singletrack Trails Opened at Big South Fork
Upcoming IMBA NPS Visits - You're Invited!
Resources from IMBA's World Mountain Bike Conference
Special Regulations Process to Open Trails to Bicycles
Forty-Six NPS Units with Mountain Bicycling
Post IMBA's "Rules of the Trail" at Your Park
National Park Service Report Examines Trail Impacts and Solutions
Request IMBA Volunteer Services

19 New Miles of Singletrack Trails Opened at Big South Fork
Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area on the Kentucky/Tennessee border just announced opening an additional 19 miles of singletrack trails to mountain bicycles at the park. These trails wind to beautiful views of the river valley and waterfalls and complement the 15 miles of narrow trails already open to mountain bicycles.  Read more in the Knoxville News Sentinel story.

Upcoming IMBA NPS Visits - You're Invited
Aug. 17 - 20, Beatrice, Nebraska, Homestead National Monument. NPS Contact: Laura Stresemann
Aug. 24 - 27, St. Paul, Minnesota, Mississippi National River and Recreation Area. NPS Contact: Susan Overson
Aug. 25 - 27, Hawai'i, Volcanoes National Park. NPS Contact: Mardie Lane
Oct 26 - 29, Kentucky, Mammoth Caves National Park. IMBA Contact: Brett Miller, Larry Johnson

Resources from IMBA's World Mountain Bike Conference
More than 400 land managers, advocates and trailbuilders gathered for the bi-annual IMBA Summit in Whistler, British Columbia.  Resources from this historic event are now available online.

Special Regulations Process to Open Trails to Bicycles
As most NPS units know, opening a narrow dirt trail (singletrack) to mountain bicycles requires going through Washington, D.C. and the special regulations process.  Opening a dirt road to bicycles that is either open to administrative vehicles or to the public does not.  To start the special regulations process for trails open to bicycles, email NPS Regulations Program Manager Jerry Case or contact him by phone at 202-208-4206.

Forty-Six NPS Units with Mountain Bicycling
Mountain bicycling is an existing use at dozens of NPS units coast-to-coast. Be sure to click on IMBA's draft lists of NPS units that allow bicycles on dirt roads and paths and dirt trails. If you know of any edits or additions, please send them to IMBA Policy Analyst Drew Vankat.

Post IMBA's "Rules of the Trail" at Your Park
IMBA's Rules of the Trail are known worldwide and posted at thousands of trailheads. NPS units should consider posting  these widely known mountain bike trail etiquette standards at trail kiosks or along the route. Check out this example (108kb PDF file) from Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area.

National Park Service Report Examines Trail Impacts and Solutions
New research conducted by recreation ecology expert Dr. Jeffrey Marion at Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area provides additional information on trail user impact and mitigation. His data, collected from hiking, biking, horse, ATV and shared-use trails, supports the sustainable trail construction and maintenance techniques IMBA has championed for years.

Request IMBA Volunteer Services
The Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crews meet with NPS staff to discuss opportunities for mountain biking, unite trail user groups around park trail systems and conduct volunteer trailwork sessions. We customize our visits for the needs of your park and you can apply for a visit online.  This year our Crews are visiting a dozen national parks as part of the first year of our partnership agreement.  To read about previous events visit IMBA's NPS Resource Page. 

For More Information
IMBA has 550 affiliated clubs and 60 affiliated trail patrols across the country. Chances are good that there is a group near you and can be a great volunteer resource.

We hope this email is of assistance as you learn more about mountain bicycling and its potential benefits for your park. Please do not hesitate to contact Jenn Dice, IMBA's government affairs director, if you have any questions or ideas to improve our partnership. In addition, IMBA regularly updates our NPS-specific website with trail resources, news stories and how IMBA can better serve NPS unit.