Western New York Mountain Bicycling Association :: Home

When completed, the North Country Trail will be a 4,000+ miles National Scenic Trail stretching from New York to North Dakota. In Western New York, the NCT follows the route of the Finger Lakes Trail.

The National Park Service (NPS) is charged with overall administration of the trail. It is responsible for ensuring the trail is acquired, protected, developed, maintained, and operated in accordance with the National Trails System Act and the comprehensive management plan for the trail. To accomplish this, the NPS works with various other government agencies, non-profit organizations, and volunteers. Chief among the organizations is the North Country Trail Association (NCTA).

So, while the entire trail is open to hiking, only portions are open to other non-motorized uses including mountain biking. The NCTA position is that bicycling on this trail is "best accomodated" on some hardened surfaces (e.g. paved rail-trails), whereas riding on singletrack is "inadvisable at best." In the long term, they want mountain bikes banned from all NCT singletrack.

In light of this position, there is no guarantee that portions of this trail will remain open to cyclists. It is imperative that cyclists always follow the Rules of the Trail; volunteer to help build and maintain the trail; and consider joining trail advocacy organizations such as the WNYMBA.

The North Country Trail designed for hiking, not biking
Trails designed for hiking and biking are essentially identical. Both use the same design standards set forth by groups like the Forest Service, AMC, and IMBA. The only significant differences are (1) mountain bike trail designs need to consider transitions between open-and-flowing and tight-and-technical sections; and (2) switchbacks are often problematic for hiking trails because foot traffic cuts the corners.

Mountain bikers want access to the entire North Country Trail.
No. Groups like WNYMBA are not asking for sections of the NCT on private land in New York to be opened to bicycles. If Individual landowners allow access to bicycles, however, this would be welcome.

Congress modelled the North Country Trail after the Appalachian Trail, which is hiking-only.
Among all trails created by the National Trails System Act, only the Appalachian Trail is restricted to be "administered primarily as a footpath." Other National Scenic Trails are open to more than foot travel, including the Pacific Crest Trail (equestrians) and Contintental Divide Trail (mountain biking, equestrians.) The Act states that "National scenic trails... will be extended trails so located as to provide for maximum outdoor recreation potential and for the conservation and enjoyment of the nationally significant scenic, historic, natural, or cultural qualities of the areas through which such trails may pass."

Congress never envisioned mountain biking on trails when passing the National Trails System Act in 1980.
They may not have and we'll likely never know. However, the current Act states that "potential trail uses allowed on designated components of the national trails system may include, but are not limited to, the following: bicycling, cross-country skiing, day hiking, equestrian activities, jogging or similar fitness activities, trail biking, overnight and long-distance backpacking, snowmobiling, and surface water and underwater activities."

The NCT was built by hikers so it should only be open to hikers

"The policy of the North Country Trail Association is that bicycling is best accommodated as a use on the North Country National Scenic Trail on rail-trail segments and on other short segments of hardened surface (1) specifically designed for wheeled vehicles, where the bikes would not damage natural or trail resources; (2) that are previously established multiple use trails that become part of the North Country Trail route; (3) where bicycles could be physically restricted to the designated section; and (4) where bicycle use would not adversely affect the recreational experience of hikers. We realize these conditions generally are not found on the typical single-track forested and rural segments of the North Country Trail and we believe bicycle use on such segments is inadvisable at best."

It should also be noted that the NCTA does recognize the need for expanded mountain bike trail access in the vicinity of, but not on, the North Country Trail. The NCTA has also stated that they do not want to displace mountain bikers from the North Country Trail through closures until both user groups agree sufficient alternative trail opportunities exist nearby.