Things To Do on an eBike in Maricopa County, AZ
Maricopa County is the Phoenix valley, with 161 directory listings in 19 cities from Wickenburg to Queen Creek, and no single eBike rule covers all of it.
Shops are on the eBike shops in Scottsdale, eBike shops in Phoenix, eBike shops in Mesa, eBike shops in Tempe, eBike shops in Chandler and other town pages. This guide names the manager for each route, because cities, the county parks, and canal owners each set their own limits.
Where to ride in Maricopa County
Maricopa County rides we could document are Scottsdale's Greenbelt path, Tempe Town Lake, and two county regional parks. Canal banks, the Paseo Trail, and some city sidewalks are closed to eBikes.
Riding the Sonoran Desert near Phoenix, Maricopa County.
The valley has more paved paths than rural counties, but its city rules differ, so a path that is open in Scottsdale can be closed a few miles away.
1. Indian Bend Wash Greenbelt, Scottsdale
Scottsdale's paths and trails page describes the greenbelt as an oasis of parks, lakes, paths and golf courses in the heart of the city. It says an 11 mile multiuse path runs through the greenbelt with more than 24 underpass and bridge crossings, so users avoid crossing streets at major intersections.
Distance: 11 miles of multiuse path; start: Access points along the greenbelt; the city's paths and trails page describes the route; surface: Paved multiuse path with underpass and bridge crossings.
eBike access: Scottsdale says Class 1 and 2 eBikes are allowed on multiuse paths and sidewalks and Class 3 is not, per its bikes and scooters page. The city's paths page tells users to travel in the right lane and keep the left lane open for two-way traffic and passing. Etiquette and planning: Keep right, pass on the left with a warning, and slow for walkers near the underpasses. Managing source: City of Scottsdale paths and trails.
2. Tempe Town Lake paths, Tempe
The City of Tempe's paths page describes a lake about 2.5 miles long with 12 foot wide concrete multiuse paths on both shores, connected by the Mill Avenue and Rural Road bridges, and open daily from 5 a.m. to midnight.
Distance: About 2.5 miles along the lake, with paths on both shores; start: Several city parks along the lake; the city's map shows where to park; surface: 12 foot concrete multiuse paths.
eBike access: Tempe's page does not state an eBike rule, and Tempe's own rules page blocked our access, so we could not confirm how the city treats Class 3. State law lets Class 1 and 2 use multiuse paths unless the local authority prohibits it; read the city page and watch posted signs. Etiquette and planning: Expect walkers, joggers, and event crowds, and ride at a pace that lets you stop quickly. Managing source: City of Tempe Town Lake paths.
3. McDowell Mountain Regional Park
Maricopa County Parks says the park has more than 40 miles of multi-use trails for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding, with trail lengths from 0.5 to 15 plus miles. It also has a 15 mile Competitive Track for mountain bikers with three loops, and it lists the 3.1 mile North Trail and the 15.3 mile Pemberton Trail.
Distance: 40+ miles of trails; Pemberton Trail is 15.3 miles; start: Not published by the managing source; surface: Dirt multi-use trails.
eBike access: The county's eBike policy, effective January 1, 2019, allows Class 1 and 2 on bicycle and multi-use trails unless park management restricts them, and does not allow Class 3 on multi-use paths unless they are next to a roadway or the park permits it. The county's biking page does not say whether the Competitive Track is restricted, so ask the park. Etiquette and planning: The county asks riders to practice proper trail etiquette and share the trail responsibly, since hikers and horses use the same trails. Managing source: Maricopa County Parks, McDowell Mountain.
4. Usery Mountain Regional Park
Maricopa County Parks says the park has more than 34 miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding, with lengths from 0.2 mile to more than 7 miles, from easy to challenging. It says all trails are multi-use unless otherwise designated.
Distance: 34+ miles of trails, with individual trails from 0.2 mile to over 7 miles; start: Not published by the managing source; surface: Dirt multi-use trails.
eBike access: The same county policy applies: Class 1 and 2 on bicycle and multi-use trails unless park management restricts them, and no Class 3 on multi-use paths unless adjacent to a roadway or permitted. See the county's FAQ and biking page. Etiquette and planning: Bring plenty of water, tell someone your plan, and share the trail courteously. Managing source: Maricopa County Parks, Usery Mountain.
Planning a Maricopa County ride
Choose the city first. Scottsdale bars Class 3 from its multiuse paths and sidewalks, and Chandler bans it from shared use paths and parks.
For regional parks, check the county's eBike policy and call the park about any trail you want to ride.
Half-day and full-day eBike plans
Half day: Ride the Indian Bend Wash Greenbelt in Scottsdale early in the day on a Class 1 or Class 2 bike, or walk the bridges and paths around Tempe Town Lake.
Full day: Add a regional park such as McDowell Mountain or Usery Mountain in the morning.
What not to ride
Canal banks and Chandler's Paseo Trail: SRP's canal trails page says pedal bicycles are welcome and motorized vehicles are forbidden, and its safety page says not to drive motorized vehicles, including electric bikes and scooters, on the canal banks. Chandler's ordinance news says no motorized vehicles, including eBikes, are permitted on canal shared-use paths such as the Paseo Trail and Western Canal Path. Scottsdale's page describes the Arizona Canal and Crosscut Canal trails, so ask which sections are city path and which are canal bank.
Maricopa Trail: The county's Maricopa Trail FAQ calls the 315 plus mile trail non-motorized and says motorized vehicles are not permitted except for maintenance or emergency use. It does not name eBikes, and the county's general policy allows Class 1 and 2 on multi-use trails, so call the park department before riding a segment.
Sidewalks in Phoenix and Mesa: Phoenix City Code 36-504 prohibits electric bicycles on sidewalks, per the police page, and Mesa's eBike page allows them on sidewalks only inside a park. Scottsdale permits Class 1 and 2 on sidewalks except Old Town's covered sidewalks.
When to ride Maricopa County
Check conditions with the land manager before a Maricopa ride in the shoulder seasons, since snow and mud can linger on trails.
Shop hubs
19 towns in Maricopa County have listings in the directory. Pick a town to see contact details and claim links for its shops.
- eBike shops in Scottsdale (26)
- eBike shops in Phoenix (46)
- eBike shops in Peoria (8)
- eBike shops in Mesa (25)
- eBike shops in Wickenburg (3)
- eBike shops in Chandler (7)
- eBike shops in Glendale (6)
- eBike shops in Tempe (12)
- eBike shops in Buckeye (3)
- eBike shops in Cave Creek (2)
- eBike shops in Goodyear (3)
- eBike shops in Carefree (2)
- eBike shops in Queen Creek (3)
- eBike shops in Fountain Hills (2)
- eBike shops in Sun City West (1)
- eBike shops in Gilbert (8)
- eBike shops in Apache Junction (1)
- eBike shops in Anthem (1)
- eBike shops in Surprise (2)
Rental and tour operators
The rental listings are below. Call each one about electric models, helmets, and return times, because a listing does not show today's fleet.
E-Bike Tours & Rentals of Scottsdale🚲 Rentals
Arizona Dirt Bike Rentals🚲 Rentals
Bike Tour Scottsdale🎯 Tours
Bike Emporium🚲 Rentals
Arizona eBike rules snapshot
Arizona defines an electric bicycle in ARS 28-101 as a bicycle or tricycle with fully operable pedals and an electric motor of less than 750 watts, then sorts it into three classes. A Class 1 motor assists only while you pedal and stops assisting at 20 miles an hour. A Class 2 motor may be used exclusively to propel the bike and is not capable of assisting at 20 miles an hour. A Class 3 motor assists only while you pedal and stops assisting at 28. The same section leaves an electric bicycle out of its definitions of motorcycle, moped, and motor driven cycle.
The operating rules are in ARS 28-819. A rider has the rights and duties of a bicycle rider, and the bike falls under the same provisions of Title 28 as a bicycle unless the section or a local authority says otherwise. It is not subject to the title, registration, vehicle license tax, driver license, or vehicle insurance provisions of Title 28. Since January 1, 2019, a permanent label must show the class number, top assisted speed, and motor wattage in at least nine-point type. A Class 1 or Class 2 may be used on bicycle and multiuse paths, but a local authority or state agency with jurisdiction over a path may prohibit it. A Class 3 may not be used on a bicycle or multiuse path unless the path is within or adjacent to a highway or roadway, or the authority that controls it allows that.
We found no statewide minimum age, helmet rule, or speed limit for electric bicycles in either section, so those details come from cities, counties, and land managers, and they differ from one town to the next. Private owners and tribal governments can restrict eBikes on their own land. Read our Arizona eBike laws guide, then check the posted sign and the local code.
Land managers add rules on top of the statute. Arizona State Parks says in its trails FAQ that electrically assisted mountain bikes are considered motorized and are allowed only on state park roadways and designated motorized trails. The Forest Service e-bike page says Class 1, 2, and 3 eBikes are allowed on National Forest motorized trails and roads, and that local officials may consider eBike use on non-motorized trails through a designation process. The Bureau of Land Management e-bike FAQ says its rule does not by itself open any non-motorized trail to eBikes and that site-specific decisions control, and the National Park Service e-bike page lets each park decide where eBikes may go, generally where bicycles are allowed.
Where a trail sign, a city ordinance, a land manager, or a tribal government says no eBikes, that rule controls. We name the managing source for each route below and mark what we could not confirm.
Source conflicts: Mesa's page says helmets under 18 are required in accordance with Arizona law, but ARS 28-819 has no helmet clause, so we treat that as Mesa's position. Chandler's Paseo Trail page still says motorized vehicles including eBikes are prohibited from all Chandler parks, trails, and sidewalks, which is older than its 2026 ordinance for Class 1 and 2. Phoenix's police page lists helmets under 18 under motor-driven cycles, so we did not state a Phoenix eBike helmet rule.
We did not research Phoenix's mountain preserves, South Mountain Park, Papago Park, or the rules in Glendale, Peoria, Gilbert, Surprise, Goodyear, or the smaller towns, and we found no ordinance for Apache Junction. Tribal lands, including the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, set their own rules.
Frequently asked questions
Can a Class 3 eBike ride on Scottsdale's Greenbelt?
No. Scottsdale's page says Class 1 and 2 are allowed on multiuse paths and sidewalks and Class 3 is not. The greenbelt's 11 mile multiuse path is one of those paths.
Can I ride an eBike on the canal paths?
Generally no. SRP forbids motorized vehicles, including electric bikes, on the canal banks, and Chandler bars eBikes from its canal shared-use paths. Check which sections a city has opened before you go.
Are eBikes allowed in Mesa parks?
Yes for Class 1 and 2 since February 11, 2026, according to Mesa's eBike page, at a maximum of 5 mph in a park. The page says eBikes otherwise cannot be ridden on sidewalks.
Are eBikes allowed on Maricopa County regional park trails?
Class 1 and 2 are allowed on bicycle and multi-use trails unless park management restricts them, under the county's policy effective January 1, 2019. Class 3 is not allowed on multi-use paths unless adjacent to a roadway or permitted.
What is the minimum age to ride an eBike in Phoenix, Mesa, or Chandler?
Phoenix and Mesa set age 16 in their codes, and Chandler sets age 16 for Class 3 only. Arizona's statute sets no minimum age.
Is there a helmet age limit for eBikes in Arizona?
Passengers are not mentioned either. ARS 28-819 does not address helmets for a passenger, so any passenger helmet duty comes from a local ordinance. Check the city where you rent, and wear one on any shared path. See the Arizona eBike laws guide.
Does an Arizona eBike have to carry a label?
Yes. Since January 1, 2019, ARS 28-819(C) has required manufacturers and distributors to affix a permanent label showing the class number, top assisted speed, and motor wattage, printed in at least nine-point type.
All shops in Maricopa County
Want the full shop list? The Maricopa County eBike shops page has 161 listings in 19 cities.