Chapter 1: An Introduction to Wilderness

Bicycling and Wilderness: A Mountain Biker's Guide to Wilderness Advocacy

The 1964 Wilderness Act is of the noblest legislative acts in history. Most bicyclists believe the Wilderness Act is well intended and wholly support the notion that wild areas should be protected from construction of roads and development. Like others, we value a healthy natural environment and enjoy recreating in these areas as opposed to those with substantial human impact.

That said, Wilderness preservation has perplexed bicyclists since 1984, when the United States Forest Service prohibited this form of non-motorized recreation from all designated Wilderness areas. Often we have difficulty understanding why hiking and horseback riding are permitted in Wilderness, but bicycling is not. Though bicyclists share the environmental ethic of many Wilderness advocates, should we support federal Wilderness designations that ban bicycling, or should we promote a diversity of land protections as alternatives to Wilderness?

This guide explores a number of options for protecting nature and bicycle access. It is intended to assist the bicycle advocate in understanding and becoming involved in a Wilderness campaign. It should be noted, however, that we do not discuss the option of allowing bicycles in designated Wilderness. While IMBA questions the blanket prohibition, we have not worked to revise interpretations that ban bicycles from Wilderness. IMBA's efforts have instead focused on maintaining access to significant bicycle routes when new Wilderness is under consideration.

One final word of advice: Don't feel overwhelmed by Wilderness politics or rushed to complete your strategy overnight. Wilderness proposals often take years to get off the ground and navigate through the various stakeholder groups - all of which must occur before new Wilderness arrives as a bill on Capitol Hill. Nothing to do with Wilderness happens quickly, so take your time formulating the best position possible. This document is intended to guide you though every step of the way.