Colorado sorts e-bikes into three classes: Class 1 assists while you pedal up to 20 mph, Class 2 adds a throttle up to 20 mph, and Class 3 assists to 28 mph. State law treats e-bikes like bicycles on roads, and lets each land manager set its own rules on trails. Around Loveland those rules differ sharply from one manager to the next, so here they all are in one place.
Everything below is quoted from the manager's own published rule with the date we last checked it. Rules change; if you spot one that has, we want to know. Our whole rental fleet is Class 1 and Class 2, so every ride we recommend is legal for our bikes on the routes in this guide.
Larimer County Natural Resources
County open spaces (Devil's Backbone, Blue Sky) and county segments of the regional paved trails (Long View, Front Range Trail).
| Where | Class 1 | Class 2 | Class 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paved trails | Allowed | Allowed | Not addressed |
| Natural surface trails | Prohibited | Prohibited | Prohibited |
This is the rule that surprises people: no e-bikes on the county's dirt trails, Devil's Backbone included. One exception since July 1, 2021: riders with a mobility disability may ride Class 1 and Class 2 on soft-surface trails that allow bicycles.
Source: Larimer County Natural Resources, e-bike policy · checked 2026-08-30
City of Loveland Parks & Recreation
The Recreation Trail loop and the city's paved trail system.
| Where | Class 1 | Class 2 | Class 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paved trails (the whole Recreation Trail system) | Allowed | Allowed | Not allowed |
| Prairie Ridge Natural Area | Prohibited | Prohibited | Prohibited |
“The paved trail system is open from 6:00A to 10:30P daily for non-motorized use only. Type I and II e-bikes are allowed on all paved trails.”
The city writes Type I and II for Class 1 and Class 2. A few natural areas (Morey Wildlife Reserve, Mariana Butte, Sunset Vista) ban bicycles of every kind. The city says nothing about Class 3, and the state default keeps Class 3 off bike and pedestrian paths, so we list it as not allowed.
Source: City of Loveland, Loveland Trails · checked 2026-08-31
Boyd Lake State Park (Colorado Parks & Wildlife)
The park's own trails, including the paved 4.9-mile City Trail along the west shore, and park roads.
| Where | Class 1 | Class 2 | Class 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Designated multi-use trails open to biking | Allowed | Allowed | Not addressed |
| Off designated trails and roads | Prohibited | Prohibited | Prohibited |
“Class 1 and 2 e-bikes are allowed on roadways and designated bike lanes and on multi-use trails and other areas (e.g., campgrounds) that are open to non-motorized biking.”
The park regulation itself is silent on e-bikes; the permission above is Colorado Parks and Wildlife's published statewide policy, and the park's bicycle rule limits everyone to designated trails and roads. Park access hours are generally 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. The park's trails join the city's Recreation Trail at both ends of the park.
Source: Colorado Parks & Wildlife, biking on CPW lands · checked 2026-08-31
City of Fort Collins
Fort Collins paved trails, recreation areas, and Natural Areas, including the north half of the Long View corridor.
| Where | Class 1 | Class 2 | Class 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paved designated trails (parks and natural areas) | Allowed | Allowed | Prohibited |
| Unpaved trails in natural areas | Prohibited | Prohibited | Prohibited |
“Class 1 and Class 2 electrical assisted bicycles hereby are allowed on paved designated trails only in a recreation area. Class 3 electrical assisted bicycles are not allowed on any trail in any recreation area.”
Natural Areas have the matching rule (Municipal Code 23-193): Class 1 and 2 on paved, designated trails only, unless prohibited by signs, so a posted sign always wins. The city has said an updated ordinance is coming to council in 2026; we re-check every season.
Source: Fort Collins Municipal Code 23-203 · checked 2026-08-31
Estes Park and the Lake Estes Trail
Multi-use paths in the town of Estes Park; the Lake Estes Trail itself is managed by the Estes Valley Recreation and Park District.
| Where | Class 1 | Class 2 | Class 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Town multi-use paths (15 mph cap) | Allowed, 15 mph | Allowed, 15 mph | Not addressed |
| Lake Estes Trail (EVRPD) | No published rule | No published rule | No published rule |
“Persons operating an MD on a multi-use path in accordance with this Chapter may not exceed a speed of fifteen (15) miles per hour and must yield to pedestrians at all times.”
The town's code covers e-bikes as micromobility devices and caps path speed at 15 mph, with posted dismount zones along the downtown Riverwalk. The recreation district that manages the Lake Estes Trail has published no e-bike rule we can find, so we will not claim one; until it does, obey posted signs and ask at the marina.
Source: Estes Park Municipal Code ch. 9.18 · checked 2026-08-31
Rocky Mountain National Park
Everything past the park boundary beyond Estes Park.
| Where | Class 1 | Class 2 | Class 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park roads open to cars (paved and dirt) | Allowed | Allowed | Allowed |
| All park trails | Prohibited | Prohibited | Prohibited |
“Except for the East Shore Trail, electric bicycles are allowed in Rocky Mountain National Park where traditional bicycles are allowed. Electric bicycles are prohibited where traditional bicycles are prohibited.”
The park draws no class distinction. The one trail where regular bicycles may ride, a two-mile piece of the East Shore Trail near Grand Lake, is explicitly closed to e-bikes.
Source: RMNP Superintendent's Compendium, approved 06-08-2026 · checked 2026-08-31
Colorado roads (state law)
US-34 through Big Thompson Canyon and public roads generally.
| Where | Class 1 | Class 2 | Class 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roadways, including US-34 | Allowed | Allowed | Allowed |
“A person riding a bicycle, electrical assisted bicycle, or electric scooter has all of the rights and duties applicable to the driver of any other vehicle under this article 4.”
No bicycle prohibition is designated or posted for US-34 between Loveland and Estes Park, and under C.R.S. 42-4-109(11) a ban would require an engineering investigation plus posted signs. Highway riding is legal; whether it is comfortable is a different question, which is why our canyon ride is a guided tour.
Source: C.R.S. 42-4-1412(1) · checked 2026-08-31
This page is informational, not legal advice, and rules change without notice. The linked sources are authoritative; when in doubt, believe the sign at the trailhead over anyone's website, ours included.