NEWS RELEASES
National Parks Get Onboard With Promoting Bike Travel
Editor's Note: This news item was retrieved and first published through Adventure Cycling Association's website.
MISSOULA, Mont. – The Adventure Cycling Association reports on National parks around the country promoting biking to address congestion and provide new ways to travel to and experience parks. Adventure Cycling Association inspires and empowers people to travel by bicycle. Bicycling proves to be a low-impact and low-stress way that national parks are encouraging visitors to travel and experience parks, particularly in shoulder seasons. Visitation has increased 19 percent over the last six years while budgets and staffing to manage these transportation challenges have decreased.
According to the Outdoor Industry Association, about 46 million Americans participate in biking as an outdoor recreation activity, and last year the National Park Service (NPS) reported 331 million recreation visits. “The boom in bike travel, events, mountain and fat biking, and even electric bikes, combined with park visitation setting new records each year, is causing the NPS to look at the role bikes can play in providing new and exciting ways to experience parks,” said Saara Snow, parks liaison for Adventure Cycling Association.Some parks are also looking at improving bike infrastructure to encourage more people of different ages and skill levels to bike. Bike Your Park Day, an annual event encouraging people to bike in nearby parks and public lands, has also gained recognition and participation among national parks. Organized by Adventure Cycling each year on the last Saturday in September, about 10,000 people participate from all 50 states.
To read the full press release by Adventure Cycling Association on continued efforts, click here.