[Geysers] Mountain Bikes on Nat'l Park trails

[Eric Hatfield]

I agree that bikes should not be allowed in the backcountry.

I think that bikes in Yellowstone should be allowed on paths that were recently roads (which are many, and make for boring and dusty drudgery rather than wilderness hikes.)  The road in the upper basin, the (old) road to Osprey Falls, the road behind Midway that continues to Ojo Caliente (though I'm not sure this allows bikes, in fact I think it doesn't, though it should.)

On the other hand, you shouldn't be able to bike to Spray, or Artist Paint Pot, or Shoshone.  We all know how well the average tourist mob obeys the rules on foot (entire bus loads at once occasionally walking into the runoff at Excelsior.)  Imagine that same bus load with their rented bikes up White Creek, or just the average couple of slightly more adventurous than average tourists riding up to peer into Skeleton Pool.......

Bikes can be handled well, but definitely have an increased impact over travel on foot--no reasonable counterargument.  They will also increase access to the backcountry.  This has pluses and minuses.  But from the point of view of preservation of the features, its all minuses.

I would like to be able to ride a bike halfway back to Glen Africa (on a closed road), but know I don't want to see one on Minute Man's cone.


      
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