Cyclists Ride Through Grand Canyon, Booted from Parks

Published Date

March 2, 2007

If you're going to do something illegal, you really shouldn't post pictures of it on a web site.
That's what three guys who are riding from Alaska to South America, in the name of environmentalism, did after cruising through Grand Canyon National Park. The only problem, though, was that you're not allowed to ride off-road in the park.
When rangers saw the pictures on the trio's website, Riding the Spine, they tracked them down to Tuscon and busted them. According to a story posted on KVOA TV's web site, the three pleaded guilty last week to conspiracy to illegally bike and camp inside the Grand Canyon, camping inside the Grand Canyon without a backcountry permit, and illegally bicycling on the trails below the rim.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark E. Aspey sentenced them to 48 hours in jail, a $500 penalty to be paid to a search and rescue group, and five years probation. They are banned from national parks during their probation.
As part of their sentence, the trio posted a story on their web site about bicycle rules in the Grand Canyon.

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Submitted by admin on March 2, 2007 - 1:31pm.

Wow, that's wild; those three managed to bike through Yellowstone during the time when it was closed (though according to their blog had not been stopped by rangers from doing so). That was a shock and a half to me. However, other cyclists during the winter season have complained that rangers won't allow bikes into the park through the South Entrance because the bikes have wheels, and that that violates the winter use policy. I think that's amazing; snowmobiles, snowcoaches, skis, but not bicycles. Jim

Submitted by admin on March 2, 2007 - 8:34pm.

Hi, Just a correction. Riding bikes IS allowed in Grand Canyon National Park--just not below the rim. There are several miles of Arizona Trail that are open to mountain bikes on the North Rim and still a part of the park. Bikes are allowed in the canyon, however riding (or pushing them) is not.

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