A recent proposal aimed at prohibiting all bicycling from non-motorized trails on the Allegheny National Forest except for the Trails at Jake’s Rocks is well-intended, but ultimately not necessary, in our opinion.

The Friends of Allegheny Wilderness asked the U.S. Forest Service to amend the Allegheny National Forest Plan to prohibit all bicycling on all non-motorized trails across the forest, with a specific eye toward electric-powered bicycles.

E-bike use isn’t prevalent on non-motorized trails in the forest now, according to ANF officials, and there haven’t been reports of mountain bikers and hikers being unable to coexist on forest trails.

More importantly, it’s important to encourage as much use of the Allegheny National Forest as possible since it’s one of the county’s most attractive resources. Making it more complicated or difficult for mountain bikers, hikers and others to use the forest serves no one’s best interest.

It will be up to Allegheny National Forest officials to create rules and guidelines that keep everyone safe if problems arise, but now is not the time for such major changes.