Things To Do on an eBike in Navajo County
Show Low and Pinetop-Lakeside sit in the pines of the White Mountains, and the directory's Navajo County listings are Cycle Mania, Pinetop Bike Shop, and one lodging card that mentions eBikes in its title.
The shops are on the eBike shops in Show Low and eBike shops in Pinetop pages. Trails here come with different managers, so the guide names the manager for each.
Where to ride in Navajo County
Navajo County rides we could document are Show Low's city trail network, the roadways of Fool Hollow Lake, Woodland Lake Park, and the paved roads of Petrified Forest National Park. The White Mountain Trail System is non-motorized.
Riding in the pines near Show Low, Arizona.
Compared with the desert cities, summer here is cool and the trails are forested, but most of the long trails are non-motorized Forest Service singletrack that does not admit eBikes by default.
1. Show Low city trails and paths
An Arizona Department of Transportation planning study counts approximately 60 miles of existing trails, paths, and sidewalks inside Show Low's city limits, and about 120 miles in the greater Show Low, Pinetop-Lakeside area. The figures date from the study's 2012 data and the city's 2008 trails master plan, so the network has likely grown.
Distance: About 60 miles inside Show Low, per the ADOT study; start: In Show Low; the city's trails page and master plan map the trailheads; surface: A mix of paved paths, sidewalks, and dirt trails.
eBike access: We found no Show Low ordinance on eBikes. ARS 28-819(D) allows Class 1 and Class 2 on bicycle and multiuse paths unless the city prohibits them, and Class 3 needs the city's permission unless the path is beside a roadway. The ADOT study is the source for the mileage. Etiquette and planning: Expect city streets, trail crossings, and some forest connections, and check each segment's sign. Managing source: ADOT, Show Low Trails and Transit Connectivity.
2. Fool Hollow Lake Recreation Area, Show Low
Arizona State Parks lists a 1.5 mile walking trail along the south and west sides of the lake, and its facility page says concessionaire JT Wildlife Outdoors rents mountain bikes. The page also says all vehicles are restricted to paved roads and must be street legal, meaning registered and insured.
Distance: The walking trail is 1.5 miles; the park pages give no road mileage; start: Fool Hollow Lake Recreation Area in Show Low, with the park map on the state parks site; surface: Paved park roads; the walking trail surface is not described.
eBike access: Arizona State Parks says electrically assisted mountain bikes are considered motorized and are allowed only on state park roadways and designated motorized trails. The park lists a walking trail and not a bike trail, so the roads are the eBike surface. The park's vehicle rule asks for registration and insurance, while ARS 28-819(B) exempts eBikes from both, and the pages do not say whether the vehicle rule covers eBikes, so ask the park. See the park's trails page. Etiquette and planning: Stay on the paved roads, share them with campers and boaters, and ask the concessionaire whether its rental bikes are electric. Managing source: Fool Hollow Lake Recreation Area trails.
3. Woodland Lake Park, Pinetop-Lakeside
The Forest Service lists Woodland Lake Park as municipally operated, with tennis courts, softball fields, picnic shelters, and restrooms, and shows biking and mountain biking among its recreation opportunities. The trails are marked, and the directions say to drive to the turnaround near the fishing pier.
Distance: The listing gives no trail mileage; start: Follow AZ 260 south through Lakeside toward Pinetop, past Blue Ridge Schools, and turn right on Woodland Lake Road; surface: Marked park trails; the listing does not describe the surface.
eBike access: The park is run by the town, and we found no Pinetop-Lakeside ordinance on eBikes, so ARS 28-819 applies on any path inside it. Ask the town whether a trail is restricted. The Forest Service listing is the source for the layout. Etiquette and planning: Share the trails with families, keep speed down near the picnic areas, and call the town first. Managing source: Apache-Sitgreaves, Woodland Lake Park Trails.
4. Petrified Forest National Park roads
The Park Service allows bicycle and eBike use on paved park roads and public parking areas in the park. It closes paved trails and all other unpaved land, except the first half mile of the Long Logs Trail and the roughly one mile trail from the Rainbow Forest picnic area.
Distance: The bicycling page gives no total road mileage; start: Either park entrance in northeastern Arizona; surface: Paved park road and parking areas.
eBike access: The bicycling page says eBikes are allowed where traditional bicycles are and prohibited where they are not. The motor may not be used without pedaling except where public motor vehicles are allowed, which includes the main park road. Etiquette and planning: Watch for sightseeing traffic and keep to the road surface. Managing source: Petrified Forest National Park bicycling.
Planning a Navajo County ride
Start in Show Low at Cycle Mania or in Pinetop at Pinetop Bike Shop, choose a path ride over a singletrack unless a manager confirms eBike use, and carry water at elevation.
A short loop on city paths is the easiest first outing, and the forest roads around town are a second option.
Half-day and full-day eBike plans
Half day: Ride Show Low's paths and the paved roads around Fool Hollow Lake, staying on pavement.
Full day: Add Woodland Lake Park in Pinetop-Lakeside, or drive to Petrified Forest National Park for a ride on its paved road.
What not to ride
White Mountain Trail System singletrack: The system is described as a 200 mile non-motorized network of interconnected trails, and the national Forest Service eBike page allows eBikes on motorized trails and roads. We found no designation opening these trails to eBikes, so confirm one with the Lakeside Ranger District. Arizona State Parks says the system has eleven loop trails with more than 103 miles of hiking, a smaller count than the trail group's 200 mile figure.
Buena Vista Trail 637: The ADOT study describes the 10 mile loop on the southwest edge of Show Low as open to hiking, biking, and equestrian use, and the study does not mention eBikes. The Forest Service lists 82 mountain biking sites on its biking page, and non-motorized ones stay closed to eBikes unless designated.
White Mountain Apache reservation roads: The tribe's regulations title bicycling as non-motorized, allow biking only on established roads, and require an outdoor recreation vehicle permit. They do not mention eBikes.
When to ride Navajo County
Evenings in Navajo suit a short summer ride, and a morning start suits a long one.
Shop hubs
We list shops in 2 towns across Navajo County. Each town page lists addresses, phone numbers, and claim links.
Rental and tour operators
If you need a rental bike, the directory has no card for one in this county. If a rental matters, phone the shops found at the Navajo County eBike shops page.
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.
We found no Navajo County, Show Low, or Pinetop-Lakeside ordinance written for eBikes, so the state statute applies on roads and paths in town. Arizona State Parks, the Forest Service, and the White Mountain Apache Tribe set their own rules on land they manage.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I ride an eBike in Show Low?
On city streets and paths, subject to any local limit. ARS 28-819(D) allows Class 1 and Class 2 on multiuse paths unless the city prohibits them.
Is Fool Hollow Lake good for eBikes?
Its paved roads are the eBike surface, because Arizona State Parks limits electrically assisted mountain bikes to roadways and designated motorized trails. The lake's walking trail is 1.5 miles and is not listed as a bike trail.
Are eBikes allowed on the Buena Vista Trail?
The ADOT study lists hiking, biking, and equestrian use and does not mention eBikes. The Forest Service allows eBikes on motorized trails and roads, so ask the Lakeside Ranger District.
Can I ride an eBike in Petrified Forest National Park?
Yes on paved park roads and public parking areas, where traditional bicycles are also allowed. Paved trails and unpaved land are closed to bicycles and eBikes except two short sections.
Is the Mooseberry Villa listing an eBike shop?
No, the directory files it as an apartment rental in Show Low that mentions eBikes in its title. Contact the listing to ask what bikes are included.
Are helmets required for passengers on an Arizona eBike?
Not by state law, but riders under 18 in Chandler and Mesa and under 16 in Lake Havasu City must wear one. Elsewhere the rule is whatever the local code or the land manager posts. See the Arizona eBike laws guide.
Do I need a driver license to ride an eBike in Arizona?
No driver license is needed. Under ARS 28-819(B) an electric bicycle is outside the Title 28 provisions on driver licenses, and the bike must still meet the 28-101 definition, with working pedals and a motor under 750 watts.
All shops in Navajo County
Open the Navajo County eBike shops page to see all 3 listings in 2 cities.