The superintendent of Acadia National Park is considering stricter controls on e-bikes following a skyrocketing surge in the motorized bikes on the park’s historic carriage roads and a flood of complaints from locals and tourists alike.
Two ebike riders cruise the carriage roads in Acadia National Park in this 2025 photo. The heavy-duty frames and fat tires are features of e-bikes often used in the park. The park superintendent is concerned the heavy bikes in general are eroding the carriage roads.
Critics argue that fast-moving groups on rented e-bikes are shattering the peace of the carriage roads and endangering other users, including horseback riders, hikers, runners, and traditional bicyclists. While most agree that e-bikes expand mobility and access for visitors who struggle with standard bicycles, many riders reportedly violate basic rules and trail etiquette.
“In our experience, so many of the e-bikers we encounter pay no attention to road etiquette or safety,” said Robin Miller Johnson, 69, a retired registered nurse from Waterville, Maine, who rides a regular bike and hikes the park during her annual two-week vacations. “They stop in the middle of trails and intersections to check maps, ride four abreast, and weave all over the road, making it tough for walkers and other riders.”