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Home / Mountain Bike Trails / Advocacy

Would You Be Willing to Pay a Fee to Ride Your Local Trails?

Trail building and maintenance aren't free; both cost time and/or money.

By Jeff Barber
September 10, 2023

27 comments

Singletracks may receive compensation for purchases made through any affiliate links in this article.

Mountain bike trail building and maintenance can be funded in a number of ways including grants, donations, and trail use fees. While few local trails require a trail use fee, we want to know how much you’d be willing to pay per ride to ensure that your local trails are maintained.

Tell us why you answered the way you did in the comments below.

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Jeff Barber

Jeff Barber has been mountain biking since 1992 and has tested hundreds of mountain bikes and components. He is the co-founder of Singletracks and serves as Editor in Chief. Contact him at [email protected].

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27 Comments

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Strattoa Washington // 2021
Sep 10, 2023

Here in the Portland Or, SW Washington region, all legit trail systems either require a daily/annual parking pass or annual membership. Ranges from $5/day to $35/year. Four different systems, four different passes as well. Some of it goes directly to the trail orgs, others to BLM or the state. Still pretty cheap compared to lift tickets or track days, and if we all want maintained/built trails and parking lots, that isn't free.

4 reply

Called2RideMTB Maryland // 2017
Sep 10, 2023

I "pay" to use my local trails by working with the park management team to clear trails, help with erosion control, re-route trails, and support their events for all users. I, and several others, have built a community of volunteers that do this. If we had to pay, that work would likely stop, and the staffing in our county is too under-manned to do the job.

3 reply

thebadpixel Delaware // 2022
Sep 11, 2023

I am also a local volunteer. For a certain number of hours, we get a free pass for the following year. As a volunteer, I also get access to specials like sanctioned night rides in the winter months. I'd still volunteer if I had to pay $50 a year to use the trails though. Equipment maintenance and materials aren't cheap and without volunteers there would be no trails for anyone.

3 reply

Sunspot Colorado // 2019
Sep 11, 2023

I have done trail maintenance with out local sled club, ATV/dirtbike club and mountain bike club for the past 30 years. I kinda over do it but it is worth it to be involved with multiple groups for the community and common good of the trail scene. Advocacy for trail system access is through both state, federal and local as well as private property owners that we work with for access. It pays dividends!

1 reply

Called2RideMTB Maryland // 2017
Sep 11, 2023

I cannot answer for anyone else, but all of our local trails are multi-use. Hikers, Trail-runners, equestrians, and Mountain bikers. Every time the idea of a fee for the park comes up, it is for the mountain bikers. The same group that park superintendents come to bat for saying that we are the ones who support and maintain the trails. When we do, we solicit help from the other groups. Most of them come out to help sometime or another, but we have been the organizing group and made the biggest impact on the trail system (per the park managers). So if the fee is not for all trail users, and only those who are doing the maintenance, I am not interested. I am glad to pay a fee OR do a lot of sweat equity, but not both. Especially when I live in a state that promises the fees go back to the parks but never seems to make it there (again per the park managers).

2 reply

swanker New York // 2020
Sep 14, 2023

Hard to answer without knowing how the money is used. The more I see significant maintenance and improvement efforts, the more I'd pay. So, if nothing change compared to now? Less than $5 per ride. I'll continue to do DIY maintenance. Major projects, maintenance, and new facilities built and maintained? $50+ per year.

2 reply

swanker New York // 2020
Sep 14, 2023

Less than $5/year. Won't let me edit my comment.

0 reply

Bontrager fan 1972 New South Wales // 2023
Sep 11, 2023

I am from Australia and I recommend a year pass for a given park that relies on an alliance or volunteer group with some kind of grant or funding for it's upkeep . If riders can afford expensive bicycles , then a $100 per year online subscription would be deemed appropriate . Ebike riders would pay $150 per year as they have more power and have been known to cause more erosion/damage than non - powered ones .

2 reply

enduroexpert78 Virginia // 2019
Sep 10, 2023

I'm in my prime earning potential years so I pay an annual membership for my local IMBA-sponsored trail advocacy group and volunteer for trail maintenance 2-3 per year. Yes, I admit I spend less time volunteering than I had previously, so I would happily increase the pay-to-play costs to offset my lack of time.

2 reply

bikematt Maryland // 2014
Sep 14, 2023

Only when every road and trail have a fee. Fuel use taxes do not cover the cost of damage to the environment and health let alone the cost of the roads. I am not charged a sidewalk fee, or and walk along the creek fee. Is the purpose to get things used less and make people less healthy? So, when any trail or area charges fees and I have any kind of option I go elsewhere. I did trail work at a local place that charged a fee, I have never gone back to ride the trails I helped build, just does not make sense.

1 reply

Sunspot Colorado // 2019
Sep 10, 2023

Only if that is assessed on every user for any purpose that they are on said trail.
Each user pays regardless of the transportation in use, including riding a pair of Nikes!!

1 reply

arbitrarymixture California // 2023
Sep 10, 2023

This is a foregone conclusion in California. After cutting funding to state parks in the early 2000s, they now force visitors to pay a 5 dollar use fee, plus a parking fee. It's annoying, but the trails are always in great shape.

1 reply

Sunspot Colorado // 2019
Sep 11, 2023

At least there is something to show for those 5dollarses!! Many times, a fee system goes into effect and the maintenance is left not done and dilapidating facilities are resultant.

Fortunately, you are in a place that lives up to handling the task.

1 reply

lonewalker New South Wales // 2023
Sep 18, 2023

ZERO. I pay taxes. The govt can fund thus, instead of security spy cameras in highways

1 reply

astralzombie Minnesota // 2021
Sep 14, 2023

Here in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area, most of the trails are in city/county/state parks so they are already paid for by our taxes. We also do State parks license plates which count towards an annual park pass for State parks and we donate monthly to our local IMBA chapter. We haven’t really seen any “pay to ride” schemes come up here, hoping it stays that way.

0 reply

Bham MTB Alabama // 2019
Sep 14, 2023

I already do. My local trail is inside a State Park which has an entrance fee. Anybody that rides there pays to enter. Plus, I pay local club dues which aren't much but it is something. Of course that's non-mandatory and plenty of people ride without joining.

0 reply

Rob Davis 3 Arkansas // 2013
Sep 12, 2023

I pay am annual membership to my local IMBA chapter and volunteer to help with trail maintenance

0 reply

Black-Man West Virginia // 2011
Sep 14, 2023

I pay yearly membership fee to my local IMBA group, as well as donate equipment to my local NICA club for kids who can't afford bikes and equipment. These orgs both do trail maintenance.
Paying a fee to the state/fed?!? The money goes to running the bureaucracy.

0 reply

MTBrestores New York // 2023
Sep 11, 2023

If you're riding a $3k bike an average of twice per week for 6 years. That works out to $5/ride just on the cost of the bike (even ignoring all maintenance and transport). I would gladly pay $5/ride (and do donate about that much) to help keep trails in good shape.

Like another commenter. I have more money than time so I'd rather donate and spend what little free time I have riding than building/maintaining trails.

Those using lift service pay way more than that.

0 reply

moctav Texas // 2014
Sep 10, 2023

Many of the trails I ride are in parks managed by the county or state, so there's an entrance fee. Trail systems in city parks are free to access as there's no entrance fee. There are also a couple of trail systems on private property that charge an entrance fee.

The trail systems on city, county, and state parks are maintained by volunteers. The private property trails are maintained by a mix of volunteers and professionals.

0 reply

kenprice195 Louisiana // 2021
Feb 8, 2024

My local trail is short and on KNF land. I end up doing half of the maintenance on it. So no I wouldn’t pay for that one unless they begin the new segment additions and show a proposed plan to build it.
Other trails near me are mainly kept up by riders. Much longer trails, so I may pay a minimal fee but would pay more if KNF would build more vault toilets and changing stations/facilities

0 reply

Growlinbear Oregon // 2016
Sep 15, 2023

Not willing to pay,but I do at several locations near me,because I have no choice. Each place is county, blm,state,national forest,lakes and pge land paying all the fees for each one is becoming to much I think it would be better to have a pass that covers all locations.The part that bothers me is every agency will adopt the fee programs for extra revenue,when most of the trails are volunteers and donations .Our national forest has a $5 parking fee at the trailheads,they still use volunteers to maintain trails.Since this program started 20 years ago I have not seen any improvements in our trails or parking access.The forest service supervisor told me most of the fees go to the supervision office and very little to the trails. I wonder how far this could go once it takes hold every where! It is a risky possible abuse of fees from some or all the agencies ! I had a forest service person ask me if I would like to volunteer,because they it Is hard find any one since the trail fees.People think the fee pays for the workers to maintain trails. Mtb trails could get less volunteers and donations.The area I ride near me has a fee
And I find that most people that ride there think it pays for the trails. It only covers the bathrooms and a paved parking lot .I prefer donations and volunteers it is our public lands ! We can not let agencies abuse this!

0 reply

randaline 2009
Sep 12, 2023

That's what we pay locally. Seems fair and they do a great job of using volunteers and workdays.

0 reply

RetiredVTUPSer 2014
Oct 24, 2023

Trails don't magically appear or maintain themselves. Someone usually volunteers have to maintain the trails. Bikers in general have to stop being so cheap and pay back to a system they love and ride even if it's once/year they ride a particular area. Pay back should be both in sweat equity and cash. Sweat equity should be at least a day/month during riding season so they can understand why rolling grade dips/grade reversals are being put in vs fall line trails that are impossible to maintain. I am involved heavily with our local organization building and maintaining trails as a volunteer.

0 reply

kenprice195 Louisiana // 2021
Sep 10, 2023

We have almost no trails. Plus we do most of our own maintenance. (Trails are proposed, & marked, but never built) I would play a little more for the nice trail that’s 30 minutes from me, only if the NF would actually do maintenance and improvements.

0 reply

neuregel North Carolina // 2023
Sep 12, 2023

We live in Pisgah Forrest. I dont want to sound cheap but we all know mtbing is ridiculously expensive, even more expensive when you mix in road biking and or gravel. Between my wife and i, we own 3 mtb and two road. All expensive. My wife just bought a super expensive Yeti. I absolutely dont mind supporting trails on top of that, We each have expensive bike racks and gear. Over the past few years ive become a pseudo bike mechanic setting up a shop in the shed to cut cost on repairs. I get it. But man, tough question.

0 reply

lonewalker New South Wales // 2023
Feb 8, 2024

We shouldn't pay to use the land. Is the money going to native americans? Where's the money going? This is all just profiteering and pushing some agenda.

-1 reply

Tagged: advocacy, survey, trail use fees, trails

First published September 10, 2023 @ 3:56:00