Bike Program

The Eastern Division Bike Program trains and supports bike patrollers and bike hosts across fifteen regions, from Maine to Western Appalachia. As ski areas expand into year-round operations and as mountain biking grows on public lands, NSP-trained patrollers bring the same first-response standard to the trail that we bring to the slopes.

Bike patrollers and bike hosts are credentialed first responders. They ride lift-served bike parks, cross-country trail systems, open-space and urban parks, and stand-alone events — providing first aid, awareness, and a calm, professional presence when something goes wrong.
What We Do
  • Patrol lift-accessed bike parks and resort trail networks during summer operations
  • Provide medical first response at a variety of cycling-oriented events
  • Partner with local land managers and grassroots organizations to keep public riding areas safer
  • Mentor new patrollers and hosts through hands-on training and continuing education
  • Support patrollers on the path from student to instructor — qualified bike patrollers are encouraged to pursue instructor development and teach future patrollers and hosts
  • Facilitate the formation of new NSP bike patrol units
Training Pathways

All NSP bike patrollers and hosts complete a structured education path delivered through the NSP Center for Learning and in-person skills sessions:
  • Outdoor Emergency Care (OEC) or Outdoor First Care (OFC) — the medical foundation for every NSP member
  • Introduction to Patrolling: Bike Fundamentals — Track 3 of the Intro to Patrolling course, covering patrol duties, bike types, common mechanical fixes, extrication, and evacuation
  • Bike 1: Patrol Basics — the hybrid (online + in-person) entry-level course for new bike patrollers and bike hosts
  • CPR / AED certification through the American Red Cross or American Heart Association

Current course materials and the Document Library are available after logging in at nsp.org under Programs → Education Programs → Bike.
How to Get Involved
  • Already an NSP member? Talk to your patrol director or your area about adding a bike patrol classification, and contact the Eastern Division Bike Program to find the next school or skills day in your region.
  • New to NSP? Visit Becoming a Patroller to start the process. Bike patrollers and hosts go through the same membership steps as alpine patrollers.
  • Land manager, race director, or trail organization? Reach out — we'd like to talk about how an NSP bike patrol presence could support your venue or event.
How to Start a Bike Patrol

​Interested in starting a bike patrol in your area?
Here’s a list of 10 easy steps to get started.
  1. Determine what type of patrol your area needs and why.
    - Resort- or park-based, public lands, multi-land manager systems
    - Paved routes, mountain bike trails, or some combination
    - Host unit or patrol unit or a hybrid of both.
  2. Meet with your region director, your region bike advisor, and possibly the National Bike Program advisor.
  3. Meet with the land manager(s) to discuss the agreement/memorandum of understanding.
  4. Consider liability issues (such as insurance, etc.).
  5. From a core group of interested bike patrol members, determine the initial leadership team.
  6. Complete the NSP patrol application.
  7. Get signatures (region director, division director, national).
  8. Write unit bylaws and unit member handbook.
  9. Create and/or fine tune the leadership structure.
  10. And finally, recruit and train members.
John Wolf
Bike Supervisor
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