A history of regulation and planning, 1970–present

When Chugach State Park was established in 1970, mountain biking didn’t exist. The Specialized Stumpjumper — one of the first production mountain bikes — didn’t arrive until 1983. RockShox introduced the first suspension fork in 1989. For the first fifteen years of the park’s existence, bicycles simply weren’t a consideration in park planning, and the regulations reflected that: there was no bicycle policy at all.

By the time Alaska first regulated bicycle use in the park in 1985, the sport was still in its infancy. The 1986 Chugach State Park Trail Plan acknowledged mountain bikes directly, noting that the most-used routes at the time were the Powerline Trail, the Gasline Trail, and the Eklutna Lake Road. But the plan was cautious:

“The physical and social impact of mountain bike use is not well understood in Chugach State Park. Until more is known, no new trails will be recommended.”
— CSP Trail Plan, 1986

That caution was appropriate for 1986. Four decades of experience later, the picture is much clearer. The 2009 CSP Trail Management Plan — updated and adopted as policy in 2016 — designated bicycle use on 52 trails across the park, with the explicit understanding that regulation changes would follow in phases:

“These regulation changes will be promulgated over time as the Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation updates park regulations. Implementation of the management recommendations should begin immediately and are intended to proceed in phases over the years as opportunities, staffing and funding allow.”
— CSP Trail Management Plan, 2009

The timeline below shows that phased approach in action. Each regulation change since 1985 has opened additional trails to bicycles, moving steadily toward full implementation of the plans. Chugach Mountain Bike Riders is continuing to work with the Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation to advance the remaining 24 trails — some built and awaiting only a regulation change, others still to be constructed — that the park’s own plans have long identified as appropriate for bicycle use.

Timeline

Source: Alaska Administrative Code registers (1985, 1988, 1996, 2002, 2009, 2022); CSP Trail Plan (1986); CSP Trail Management Plan (2009); CSP Management Plan (2016). Compiled by Chugach Mountain Bike Riders.