E-bikes already are allowed on some pathways in some national parks. Should E-scooters, Segways, and hoverboards also be allowed?/Rebecca Latson file

Should national parks be open to visitors moving about on E-scooters, hoverboards, or Segways? the National Park Service is considering a rule that would allow park superintendents to make that decision.

The Park Service long has viewed Segways as suitable for moving about national parks. Back in 2007 Segway tours were allowed at Antietam National Battlefield in Maryland for disabled visitors.

While then-Park Service Director Mary Bomar asked park superintendents to "establish their own interim policies and practices regarding the use of Segways by people with disabilities," now the agency is looking more broadly, proposing a rule that would "determine where and how micromobility devices, such as e-scooters, hoverboards, and Segways, may be operated in national parks across the country."

The rule, which is open for public comments through March 17, "would clarify that superintendents have the authority to manage the use of powered micromobility devices in park areas where they are appropriate, including on sidewalks and gravel/paved paths."

Currently, the Park Service classifies micromobility devices "in the same category as cars, meaning that powered micromobility devices are subject to rules about where they may be operated that were intended for heavier and larger conventional motor vehicles."

The proposed rule was scheduled to be published Thursday (January 16) on the Federal Register. To find it and comment, go to the Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov and search for “1024-AE79” and then follow the instructions for submitting comments.

Last September rangers in Glacier National Park reportedly cited a visitor for riding a hoverboard on Swiftcurrent Lake, which is off-limits for motorized craft. They also warned him for failing to obtain an aquatic invasive species inspection.