E-Bike Rules: Monterey County Parks
Monterey County Code § 14.12.060.I provides that "electric bicycles are prohibited from all County park dirt trails, unless authorized by the Director." An updated ordinance to allow Classes 1, 2 and 3 on dirt trails was reported as under consideration, but no record of adoption was found — so the prohibition should be treated as current and the amendment as pending. The citation comes from Bicycling Monterey, a secondary compilation; the county's Municode pages could not be read.
The § 14.12.060.I citation comes from Bicycling Monterey, a well-maintained but secondary compilation; Monterey County's Municode pages could not be read. Verify the section directly. The reported amendment allowing all three classes on dirt trails could not be confirmed as adopted, so the prohibition is treated as current here.
The rules, line by line
| Subject | Rule | Authority |
|---|---|---|
| County park dirt trails | "Electric bicycles are prohibited from all County park dirt trails, unless authorized by the Director." | Monterey County Code § 14.12.060.ICitation unconfirmed |
| Pending amendment | An updated ordinance to allow Classes 1, 2 and 3 on dirt trails was reported as under consideration. Status as of September 2026 unconfirmed — no record of adoption was found. Treat the prohibition as current. | no citation locatedCitation unconfirmed |
A prohibition with a discretionary door
§ 14.12.060.I bans e-bikes from all county park dirt trails "unless authorized by the
Director."
That structure — flat prohibition plus a named official's discretion — appears in several California park rules, and it has a consistent drawback for riders: the code tells you the answer is no, and the real answer lives in an authorization you cannot look up.
The comparable provisions: Santa Cruz County's Ch. 9.54 lets the Parks Director grant
exceptions to its park-trail prohibition; Sacramento County's § 9.36.065 prohibits Class 3 and
motorized bicycles on park roads and trails except where designated, absent a Director's permit;
EBRPD's § 409.8 closes narrow trails to all bicycles "except those areas specifically designated
from time to time by the Board."
In each case, reading the code in full still leaves a rider unable to say which trails are open.
If the amendment passes, Monterey County becomes an outlier
The reported amendment would allow Classes 1, 2 and 3 on county park dirt trails. If adopted, that would make Monterey County one of the most permissive e-bike trail regimes in California — because almost nobody permits Class 3 on dirt:
| Agency | Class 3 on unpaved trails |
|---|---|
| Monterey County (if amended) | Would be permitted |
| Palo Alto open space (unverified) | Reportedly permitted |
| Santa Clara County Parks | Prohibited |
| EBRPD | Prohibited districtwide |
| Midpeninsula | Prohibited |
| Sonoma County Regional Parks | Not permitted |
| California State Parks | Not allowed on trails |
| USFS Lake Tahoe Basin | Banned |
| Orange County Parks | Prohibited; unpaved trails closed to all e-bikes |
| Marin County Open Space | All e-bikes banned |
Going from "all e-bikes banned on dirt" to "all three classes permitted" in a single amendment would be a large swing, which may be why it has not been adopted. It is also the kind of change that, after the Marin Municipal Water District litigation, would need careful CEQA review — a temporary restraining order halted Marin Water's 2024 pilots before they began, and the board ultimately rescinded them.
The county is not the whole picture
Pacific Grove is considerably stricter and governs the stretch most visitors ride:
- 12 mph on its segment of the Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail — the lowest limit on any genuine cycling facility in California — with Class 1 and Class 2 allowed and Class 3 and motorized scooters prohibited, effective March 20, 2020.
- Class 3 prohibited in all parks (
PGMC § 14.08.015). - Dismount and walk through Perkins Park (
§ 14.08.020). - Citywide sidewalk bicycle ban (
§ 16.32.080).
Meanwhile, per Bicycling Monterey's compilation, these jurisdictions have no ordinance prohibiting e-bikes where conventional bicycles are allowed: Monterey city, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Seaside, Sand City, Marina, Del Rey Oaks, Salinas, Greenfield, Gonzales, Soledad and King City.
General sidewalk rules still apply to bicycles in several — Greenfield's § 10.28.030 prohibits
business-district sidewalk riding and any sidewalk riding after dark, which is an unusual
provision.
So a rider on the continuous Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail passes from Pacific Grove's 12 mph Class 3 prohibition into segments with no local e-bike rule at all.
Fort Ord National Monument operates under BLM "Interim E-Bike Rules"; no specific citation was obtained.
Common questions
Are e-bikes allowed on Monterey County park dirt trails?
No, unless authorized by the Parks Director. Monterey County Code § 14.12.060.I prohibits electric bicycles from all county park dirt trails. An amendment to allow Classes 1, 2 and 3 was reported as under consideration, but no record of adoption was found — treat the prohibition as current.
Is Monterey County going to allow e-bikes on dirt trails?
An updated ordinance permitting Classes 1, 2 and 3 on dirt trails was reported as under consideration, but its status as of September 2026 could not be confirmed and no adoption record was found. If adopted it would be a large swing — almost no California agency permits Class 3 on unpaved trails.
What are the e-bike rules on the Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail?
It depends on the segment. Pacific Grove's segment carries a 12 mph limit — the lowest on any genuine cycling facility in California — with Class 1 and Class 2 allowed and Class 3 and motorized scooters prohibited, effective March 20, 2020. Other segments, including the City of Monterey's, have no located city-specific e-bike class rule.