The Biking on Long Distance Trails (BOLT) Act was signed into law on January 4, 2025, after more than a decade of advocacy from the mountain biking and bikepacking communities. The first core deliverable of the BOLT Act is that federal land management agencies must develop a list of at least 10 existing and 10 potential long-distance bike trails of no less than 80 miles.
Following the passage of the BOLT Act, Bikepacking Roots, IMBA, and PeopleForBikes joined forces as national cycling and trails organizations alongside regional and local partners to form the BOLT Coalition. The coalition’s goals are to ensure bicyclist and trail steward voices are heard in the BOLT trail prioritization process and to support federal agencies as they prepare a required report to Congress.
After a year of work Bikepacking Roots led the BOLT Coalition to publish Long Live Long Trails, a report by the Biking on Long Distance Trails (BOLT) Coalition last month. The Coalition’s intent in publishing the BOLT report was to broadly survey and analyze the trails across public lands that meet the criteria for BOLT recognition as existing or potential trails.
We compiled 20 existing trails covering 5,232 miles in 12 states on USFS, BLM, and NPS managed lands and 13 potential trails currently covering 5,077 miles with a potential to cover over 6,200 miles when completed in 10 states on USFS, BLM, and DoD managed lands. The data put forth on these trails represents the collective expertise of the leading experts on long distance bike trails and many of the trail organizations that steward these trails.
As part of the official agency-led process for public input for implementation of the BOLT Act, the Department of the Interior and USDA have opened a 30-day window seeking trail nominations for BOLT recognition.
While Bikepacking Roots is not advocating for any specific trail, we will be submitting a nomination for each trail in the report as we believe all 20 existing trails and 13 potential trails are excellent candidates for BOLT recognition. As a dedicated bikepacker and adventure cyclist, you’re encouraged to advocate for the trails you wish to see gain BOLT recognition. The ultimate decision will not come down to a vote, but hearing from the community will be helpful in strengthening the trail submissions!
The best way to support our work and use your voice as a member of the bikepacking community is to submit a comment with the Long Live Long Trails BOLT report referenced and attached as a list of trails you’d like to see considered, and of course if there are specific trails, reference those!
The BLM’s National Biking on Long Distance Trails Act Nomination Tool invites trail nominations where you may nominate a trail you believe should be considered for BOLT recognition.
“The following criteria will be used in final trail selection and should be considered when making a nomination:
- The trail must be at least 80 miles long and publicly accessible.
- A majority of the trail is on federally managed land
- For existing trail nominations, trails should make use of existing designated or otherwise officially available roads and trails.
- The trail is primarily on dirt/natural surface (short connector routes on pavement or improved roads may be acceptable).
- The trail is or could be open to bicycle use and is not located within designated Wilderness areas.
- The trail avoids conflicts with other trail uses, specifically other bicycling, hiking, horseback riding or pack and saddle stock uses; and purposes for which a trail was established under the National Trails System Act, if applicable.
- Careful consideration of potential impacts on Native American tribes and tribal landscapes will be given during trail selection.
- Ideally, partner organizations or volunteer groups are identified to assist with trail development and/or maintenance.
Nominations will be accepted July 2 – August 3, 2026”
We are pleased to be seeing the agencies moving forward with BOLT implementation and this is an exciting opportunity for bikepackers to have a voice in the process of identifying how long-distance trails are recognized in the future!
Bikepacking Roots will continue to engage with BLM and USFS as the official trail recognition process takes shape and will share updates as the federal report to Congress moves forward.
