Maroon Bells to introduce new e-bike fees this summer
River Stingray/The Aspen Times
A new $5 amenity fee will be required of all visitors entering the Maroon Bells Scenic Area on e-bikes this season.
This fee is the same as for visitors who use motorcycles. The additional revenue will go toward the overall management of the area, according to David Boyd, public affairs officer for the White River National Forest.
E-bikes are considered motorized vehicles under U.S. Forest Service policy, a press release confirms, and the fee will not apply to non-motorized bicycles.
“In recent years, the number of visitors using e-bikes along Maroon Creek Road to access the scenic area has sky-rocketed, with more than 8,000 e-bikes entering the scenic area last year, far exceeding the 700 motorcycle entries,” the press release states.
Boyd added that those 8,000 visitors using e-bikes also use the trails and facilities at the Maroon Bells Scenic Area, although their biggest impact is “along Maroon Creek Road, which is shared with cars and busses,” Boyd said. “We stress to e-bikers to ride single file along the right side of the road rather than side-by-side.”
The release confirms that a majority of e-bike riders using Maroon Creek Road are visitors who have rented their e-bike to access the area, which Boyd said is based on the information from the rental shops and on-site observations.
“Recreation fees are a key part of operating and maintaining the Maroon Bells Scenic Area for the benefit of the public,” Acting District Ranger Jennifer Schuller said in the release.
Annual visitation exceeds 200,000 between mid-May and the end of October, according to the release. While e-biking is on option to access the area, most visitors access the Maroon Bells Scenic Area by a shuttle operated by the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority. The shuttle costs $16 per person, and a limited number of $10 vehicle parking spots are available by reservation for visitors arriving before 8 a.m. or after 5 p.m.
“The Maroon Bells Scenic Area is an iconic Colorado destination, and we expect another busy summer and fall,” Boyd said.
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