Electric Motorcycles & Mountain Bikes (E-Bikes)
It’s an exciting time for electric motorcycles and mountain bikes! The idea of exploring on a motorcycle without impacting others by the sound of a traditional combustion engine or being able to cover far more ground on a electric mountain bike is a wonderful opportunity! If you have not ridden one, check out the e-bike rental companies below – rent one and go out and experience what an electric mountain bike or motorcycle can offer! Before you take out an electric bike out however, be sure to know your range and where you can legally ride them.
All classes of electric mountain bikes and motorcycles (also known as E-bikes) are considered a motorized vehicle and only allowed on designated motorized trails on U.S. National Forest lands. However, Jug Mountain Ranch, Brundage Mountain Resort, Ponderosa State Park & Tamarack Resort allow Class-1 e-bikes to be operated on designated trails within their boundaries.
Where to Ride Them
Motorized Trail Maps
Utilize the Idaho Parks & Rec. online interactive trail map to easily view designated trails in our area where you can ride a e-bike. Visit the official Payette NFS motor vehicle use maps for downloadable / printable PDF maps.
Mountain Bike Parks
These are great places to take your class 1 e-bike! Both Brundage Resort and Tamarack Resort offer lift served mountain biking while Jug Mountain Ranch offers shuttling.
How to Get One
E-Bike Rentals & Sales
For electric mountain bike or electric motorcycle rentals and/or sales, visit the following vendors. CM Backcountry offers Motorcycle E-bikes while Apex, Gravity Sports and McCall Sports offer Peddle Assist E-Bikes for rent or sale.
A word from the Payette National Forest Service regarding E-bikes:
“Bicycles assisted by an electric motor— commonly called e-bikes— are an increasingly popular way to enjoy the outdoors. With summer recreation season underway, we’d like to remind riders that e-bikes remain classified as “motorized vehicles” under the USDA Forest Service’s Travel Management Rule. As such, they must operate on the same routes designated for other motor vehicles. This includes all classes of e-bikes, including pedal-assist only (class 1).
Popular trail systems like Bear Basin and the new Brundage to Bear Basin trail near McCall are designated non-motorized, and e-bikes are not allowed in these areas.
Operating an e-bike on closed roads, behind locked gates, or on trails designated for non-motorized use, is illegal and subject to punishment, including fines. Roads and trails may have seasonal designations and may also be subject to temporary, emergency closures; visitors must also comply with such restrictions.
There are approximately 2,150 miles of trails on the Payette National Forest, which includes approximately 919 miles of motorized trails, meaning nearly 42% of trails on the Payette are open to e-bikes.”
