Self-Guided Night Mountain Biking Rules
Updated September 4th 2023
Fall and Winter months mean shorter days and less time to ride our great trails. Under a special agreement with the Park, riders can keep riding after dusk provided the following rules are obeyed. Please help to keep this opportunity available by following all rules and insisting others do the same.
Night ride season begins After Labor Day and runs through the first week of May each year. This season's timeframe runs from 9/5/2023 to 5/12/2024.
Night ride season begins After Labor Day and runs through the first week of May each year. This season's timeframe runs from 9/5/2023 to 5/12/2024.
- Night rides are allowed through the fall and winter months with the exception of closures due to official announced closures or wet trail conditions. Trail closures are posted on FOPSP.org.
- By default, use of the park after sundown is illegal and subject to fines. Night riding is available under a special use permit obtained by the Friends of Pocahontas State Park. The special use permit can be revoked if participants fail to follow rules and common sense, please review these rules carefully.
- The entire park and all trails will be closed December 4th-5th for a managed deer hunt; no riding will be allowed on those days.
- Riders are required to print out, complete and sign a night riding permit and to display the permit(s), one per rider, in their car window. Permit will not be available or provided by the park or staff. This helps the park rangers know who is riding and who may be lost when inspecting lots for permits and proof of parking.
- Night riding without completely filling out and displaying a waiver is a violation and subject to fine.
- Breaking the permit or park rules voids the permit.
- Riders are allowed only to ride the Swift Creek, Lakeview, Morgan and fire roads north of beach road.
- Riders must park and access the trails from the parking lot just beyond the contact station at the main entrance of the park off Beach Rd., Loop Forest Trail parking lot, Horner Forest Trail parking lot, or Taylor Forest Trail parking lot. Parking fees apply at all locations.
- Please be safe. Night riding is a privilege and allowed as long as people ride conservatively and respectfully. If there are accidents or rule violations, the special use permit may be revoked and night ride privileges will be eliminated for all.
- Ride safe, ride in groups, pay the parking fee, follow the rules, be self-sufficient and enjoy this privilege. Should we as the users not properly manage the program causing additional work for the rangers the future may hold a cost for the permit to cover the cost to operate the program.
- Equipment – minimum of two separate light systems required. Lighting must be powerful enough to illuminate trail for riding and robust enough for mountain bike use – minimum of 1500 lumens recommended. Both a helmet and handlebar mounted light is recommended as well as a spare battery. Bicycle should be well maintained and ready to ride. Working and operational mobile phone is also mandatory.
The permit rules are (quoting from the permit form below):
- Fill out the form and place it on your vehicle dashboard (one form per rider).
- Rides allowed only on Lakeview, Morgan and Swift Creek Trail Systems, and Fire roads north of beach road only.
- Ride only in the signed direction of the trail.
- Carry a cell phone in a waterproof cover.
- Carry no fewer than 2 high intensity lights with fully charged batteries, per person. Recommended 1500 lumens minimum.
- Suggested to ride in groups of two or more.
- Carry either a physical trail map or a smartphone with mapping app such as TrailForks or MTB Project mobile app.
- Park only in the Front parking lot on State Park Rd, Loop Forest Trail parking lot, Horner Trail parking lot, or Taylor Trail parking lot (parking fee applies at all locations).
- Return to your car no later than 9:00 pm EST.
- Leave the Park no later than 10:00 pm EST.
| night_mountain_bike_permit_form_2023-24.docx.pdf |
