Bike Ambassadors

The Zion National Park Volunteer Bike Ambassador Program is a real volunteer initiative established to make cycling in and around Zion safer, more enjoyable, and less confusing for visitors. And after reading about it, I think it adds another nice dimension to your story about Little Rae.

What I find particularly interesting is that the ambassadors aren't simply volunteers who enjoy riding bicycles. They're part of a visitor-education and safety effort responding to a fairly significant change in how people experience Zion: the explosion in e-bike use.

How the program came about

The program began in 2022, as e-bike rentals and bicycle traffic increased dramatically in the Zion area.

Several developments contributed to the need:

• An e-bike rental shop opened in Springdale in July 2017.
• E-bike use grew substantially during the COVID pandemic, when changes to the shuttle system made bicycles an attractive way to get around.
• More rental businesses began operating, and many visitors with little recent cycling experience started riding in the park.
• Safety concerns grew, particularly involving inexperienced riders sharing roads with shuttle buses and other vehicles.

Zion National Park and the Town of Springdale eventually helped establish a volunteer network to educate cyclists about safety, park rules, and bicycle etiquette.

What Bike Ambassadors actually do

According to the Town of Springdale's May 2025 newsletter, ambassadors:

• Ride the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive and the Pa'rus Trail.
• Sometimes patrol or ride through Springdale.
• Explain park rules and regulations to cyclists.
• Teach visitors how to ride safely alongside shuttle buses.
• Encourage helmet use and proper trail etiquette.
• Help educate bicycle rental businesses about their responsibilities to renters.

The volunteers come from Springdale, Rockville, Virgin, and St. George.

There is also a description of just how demanding the assignment can be. The Springdale newsletter says ambassadors may:

• Ride up to 20 miles in a day.
• Spend as long as eight hours on duty.
• Carry backpacks weighing approximately 20 pounds.
• Work in temperatures ranging from 20°F to 110°F.

That's quite a commitment for a volunteer!

A regional transportation advisory committee presentation also reported that the program had three or more volunteers on duty at any given time. Its responsibilities included educating visitors about e-bike restrictions, helping rental shops understand which bicycles are permitted in the park, and promoting safe riding practices.

Is this an official National Park Service program?

Yes, it operates in cooperation with Zion National Park, although the publicly available information suggests it is a collaborative effort involving the park, the Town of Springdale, and local volunteers. The NPS maintains a general volunteer program, and its website specifically encourages people living within commuting distance to contact the volunteer coordinator about additional opportunities that may not be listed online.

You can find information here: Zion National Park – Volunteer Opportunities NPS – Bicycling in Zion National Park The NPS volunteer coordinator can be reached at 435-772-0184.

The Little Rae story illustrates something that isn't necessarily captured in the program's formal description.

The ambassadors are there to help visitors understand rules, ride safely, and navigate the Park. But sometimes the most meaningful contribution has nothing to do with bicycle regulations.

A Bike Ambassador set out that day to help people navigate Zion's roads, but ended up helping one little girl navigate a much smaller, and perhaps more important, bump in the road.