Park City roads and trails strained by rise in e-motorcycle use, officials say

Captain Chase Pili from the Utah DNR Law Enforcement Division breaks down the key differences between e-motorcycles and e-bikes. Photo:

PARK CITY, Utah – As the snow melts and trail season ramps up, Park City officials say the surge in high-powered electric motorcycles — often misidentified as e-bikes — is causing growing concern for safety, sustainability, and stewardship on trails and roads.

Basin Recreation, which oversees the extensive network of trails in the Snyderville Basin, has seen a significant uptick in the use of e-motorcycles, particularly by teens. Deputies with the Summit County Sheriff’s Office and Park City Police Department have also seen a rise in incidents and complaints regarding e-motorcycles on paved roads and trails. 

The confusion between e-bikes and e-motorcycles has made enforcement and education particularly challenging. While Basin Rec allows class 1 e-bikes on commuter and soft-surface multi-use trails — and on singletrack only for riders over 65 years old or with ADA exceptions — the more powerful e-motorcycles are strictly prohibited on all Basin-managed trails.

“These are motorcycles. It’s no different than an off-highway vehicle,” Basin Rec Ranger Supervisor Aaron Williams said. “They might have a little less power, but that’s the way we’ve got to look at them.”

Neighborhood impacts and enforcement

The Park City Police Department and the Summit County Sheriff’s Office will often patrol areas around town for e-motorcycle activity. When stopping people on bikes that aren’t street-legal, their approach is focused more on education rather than enforcement, according to Senior Public Relations Liaison Sgt. Skyler Talbot with Summit County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies are making consistent efforts to confront reckless riders and educate families, and Talbot says that’s starting to make a visible difference.

Over the past three years, officials have gone into local schools to conduct e-bike and e-motorcycle education. They’ve also made an effort to communicate with local bike shops in the Summit County and Park City area. “We want to make sure we’re all on the same page, so that they’re giving out correct information,” said Talbot. 

As far as enforcement goes, deputies strive to keep encounters at the lowest level, focusing on education. “If we see juveniles out operating these we’re going to stop them and we’re going to talk to them,” said Talbot. “We’re going to identify who they are and keep track of that, and we’re going to call their parents. If we’re dealing with the same juveniles over and over again and they’re not heeding our warning, then it’s going to be a situation where we’re taking more drastic enforcement measures.” 

Trail damage and safety concerns

One of the most tangible impacts of e-motorcycles is the physical damage they cause to trails.

“The power that gets to the ground is vastly more powerful,” Williams said. “So the damage that occurs from that, especially after rain or coming out of the winter season when trails are still wet, causes damage that’s going to last all season.”

Beyond erosion and maintenance issues, Basin Rec also worries about trail safety. High speeds and silent motors mean riders can appear suddenly, catching hikers or mountain bikers off guard.

“You have somebody coming up a trail at a higher rate of speed than anyone would ever expect, and you’re coming down a trail into a turn at the same time — it takes away that reaction time,” Williams said. “Incidents will occur because of that.”

The situation isn’t limited to the backcountry. Areas like those around Willow Creek have seen riders using e-motorcycles to cut across conservation land, prompting Basin Rec to fence off and restore sensitive land.

“That is a conservation area, and it’s under conservation easement, which we’re the stewards for,” Williams said. “We’re not trying to take away any fun, but we do have to take care of these areas.”

A call for awareness

With technology advancing every year, officials are continuously dealing with new, updated e-motorcycle models with increased capacity and speed. 

“We want parents to be educated on what they’re buying and what they’re allowing their kids to be out on,” Sgt Talbot said. “A lot of the parents I’ve spoken with don’t have any idea how fast an e-motorcycle goes.” He noted a crucial aspect to the sheriff office’s education campaign is helping parents know what they’re buying and the laws and classifications for e-bikes and e-motorcycles. 

E-motorcycles must be registered annually as off-highway vehicles, and all riders must complete a state training course to be certified to operate them or any other off-highway vehicle.

In a recent video, the Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation outlined different types of e-bike and e-motorcycle classifications ahead of the summer season. They emphasized that riders over 18 must first complete an adult education course to ride e-motorcycles on OHV trails. There is a separate course available for riders under 18 years of age. If a rider is under 16 years old, they must be supervised by an adult over 18 years old. 

Currently, the only legal area in Summit County where riders can take their e-motorcycles are designated OHV trails. Utah has an estimated 80,000 miles of public trails designated for OHV use, and it is the rider’s responsibility to know where they can legally ride. 

“We are seeing a lot of our youth operating these, which is great,” Captain Chase Pili from the Utah DNR Law Enforcement Division said in the video. “But we want our youth safe while operating on the trail ways, and we want to make sure that they’re enjoying the ride rather than seeing anyone in the hospital.”

For those looking for a full rundown on e-bike laws, usage capabilities on paths around town, and educational videos for children and parents, check out Park City Municipal’s dedicated e-bike page and the Police Department’s e-bike videos on laws and safety.