You’re sketching out a Lake Michigan ride for next summer, and the headlines say national parks may open up to e-bikes. It’s tempting to start eyeing new trails at Sleeping Bear Dunes. Hold off. Nothing has changed there, and the rule behind those headlines is only a proposal.
What the Park Service proposed
On August 31, 2026, the National Park Service announced a draft rule for bikes and e-bikes on park roads, parking areas and trails. The goal is one simple, consistent starting point across the system, with fewer procedural reviews along the way. Jessica Bowron, who holds the NPS Director’s delegated authority, pitched it as an easier, more uniform way to get into the parks.
The Federal Register notice is titled Bicycle Use in Park Areas and was published September 1, 2026. It carries a 60-day comment period.
Two details matter for riders:
- Superintendents could skip a written determination when a bike’s impact on an administrative road or trail is minor.
- Routes with no built surface (the list includes gravel, asphalt, concrete, wood, soil cement and resin) would still need their own rulemaking before bikes could use them.
Parks also keep their management discretion. The draft doesn’t throw every trail open.
Where you can ride at Sleeping Bear today
The lakeshore’s rule is simple: e-bikes can go wherever regular bicycles can, and nowhere else. Park staff say there are no current projects to widen e-bike access there. The nationwide proposal wouldn’t change that on its own.
| Route | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail | 22 miles from Empire to Bohemian Road, mostly asphalt, with 3 miles of crushed gravel through the Port Oneida Rural Historic District |
| Peterson Road | About 3 miles of gravel near Platte River Campground |
| Shauger Hill Road | A 6-mile wooded loop near Empire |
| Aral Road and Hillis Road | Unpaved roads south of Empire, reached by Esch Road |
The Heritage Trail is the park’s only designated bicycle trail. Hiking trails, dunes and beaches are closed to bikes, and the park says mountain biking isn’t offered. The park asks everyone to keep speeds safe (especially on e-bikes), stay right, call out when passing, ride single file around others and wear a helmet.
How NPS defines an e-bike
Under the rules that took effect December 2, 2020, an e-bike needs working pedals, two or three wheels and a motor of no more than 750 watts. Class 1 is pedal-assist up to 20 mph. Class 2 can move without pedaling and also stops helping at 20 mph. Class 3 is pedal-assist up to 28 mph. Superintendents can restrict or set conditions on e-bikes, and wilderness areas are off limits. If your bike’s class label confuses you, our rundown of e-bike classes covers it.
How to comment
The deadline is listed as 11:59 p.m. Eastern on November 2, 2026. Check the notice for the exact cutoff before you leave it to the last night.
- Go to regulations.gov and search for RIN 1024-AE97.
- Open the Dockets tab and click the rule’s title.
- Choose Open for Comments, then the Comment button.
Paper comments go to the NPS Division of Regulations, 7206 National Seashore Lane, Berlin, MD 21811.
My read
This isn’t a Sleeping Bear story yet. It’s a paperwork story with real trail consequences down the road. Parks now spend effort documenting each e-bike decision. A baseline rule could make routine access, like a service road or parking lot connector, much quicker to approve.
The pushback is real, though. The National Parks Conservation Association’s Kati Schmidt called the idea concerning on its face. Elaine Leslie, a wildlife biologist and former superintendent, argued it could raise safety risks and disturb wildlife. I’d take both seriously. Speed differences between e-bikes and walkers are the practical worry on shared paths.
It also fits a pattern of rules being tuned park by park. Our guide to e-bike rules at Acadia shows how different two parks can look, and a state-level move like California’s SB 1167 shows why definitions matter.
If I were booking a trip now, I’d plan around the routes above. The paved Heritage Trail suits a comfortable beach cruiser e-bike. Gravel roads like Peterson and Shauger Hill want wider tires and a bike you’re happy to see dusty. I’d confirm conditions and any closures on the park’s bicycling page before I left. And if I cared about access, I’d submit a comment with specifics about how I ride.
Still unknown
- Whether the rule is finalized as written, changed or dropped after comments close.
- Whether Sleeping Bear would open any new road or trail under it.
- How superintendents would use their discretion on shared paths.
Right now the rules for riders at Sleeping Bear Dunes are the ones in effect. This rule is announced, not available.
Photo: Lighthouse, National Register of Historic Places in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore by Markdh92, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped.
