Unanimous vote restricts Class 2 and 3 e-bikes in Butterfield, Yellow Fork canyons; parks and cities may follow
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Overview
Updated 1 hour agoSalt Lake County's two southwestern canyons now close their dirt trails to the fastest e-bikes. The county council voted unanimously to ban Class 2 and Class 3 e-bikes, which reach 20 and 28 mph, from natural-surface trails and parks in areas outside city limits.
The restriction lands hardest on Butterfield and Yellow Fork canyons, where trails are almost entirely dirt. Sponsor Suzanne Harrison calls it a first step toward safer trails. She plans to carry the same rules into regional parks and, later, city trail systems.
Why it matters
If the ban spreads to parks and cities, riders of faster e-bikes lose trail access across Salt Lake County's metro area.
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People Involved
Organizations Involved
Governing body for Salt Lake County's unincorporated areas, where the new e-bike restriction takes effect.
State office that explains where e-bikes may ride on Utah public lands and defines Class 1, 2, and 3 e-bikes.
Statewide cycling advocacy nonprofit that the council says it heard from ahead of the e-bike vote.
Timeline
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Ban reported; councilor outlines expansion
Today StatementSuzanne Harrison says next steps include extending rules to regional parks and starting talks with cities on matching ordinances.
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Salt Lake County Council passes e-bike restriction
RegulationCouncil votes unanimously to ban Class 2 and 3 e-bikes from natural trails and parks in unincorporated areas, effective immediately.
Historical Context
3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.
US Interior e-bike order (2019)
Secretary David Bernhardt signed an order directing federal land managers to treat e-bikes as non-motorized vehicles, opening many national parks and Bureau of Land Management trails to pedal-assist bikes.
More federal trails opened to e-bikes, especially Class 1 pedal-assist models.
Created a definitional split: federal lands trended toward allowing e-bikes while local agencies set their own, often stricter, rules.
It explains why Utah e-bike policy is a patchwork, with federal land managers opening trails even as Salt Lake County closes its own.
BLM Moab opens trails to Class 1 e-bikes (2025)
The BLM Moab Field Office announced it would open many mountain bike trails to Class 1 e-bikes starting in March 2026, a rare federal expansion of access.
Designated Moab trails now allow Class 1 pedal-assist e-bikes.
Shows the opposite policy direction from Salt Lake County, which restricts the faster e-bike classes.
Highlights how widely e-bike access rules differ even within a single state.
Mountain biking's early access fight (1980s-1990s)
When mountain bikes emerged, trail managers debated whether the new mechanized bikes belonged on hiking and equestrian trails. Some trails closed to bikes while others opened with formal designations.
Trails were designated by use type, with many singletrack routes opened to mountain bikes.
Established the trail-designation system today's e-bike debates inherit.
Parallels the current question of whether a new bike technology belongs on existing trails and who gets to decide.
