"No person shall operate a motorized vehicle, a Class III electric assisted bicycle, an electric-powered personal vehicle, or a stand-up electric scooter in, over, through or upon the Greenbelt Trail or any portion thereof, except when specifically authorized by law." That sentence comes from the resolution the Carrollton City Council approved 5-0 in August, as reported by the Times-Georgian. The council's recording of that meeting is titled "8/3/26 City Of Carrollton Council."
The sentence reads like a ban. What it actually does is open the GreenBelt to Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes for the first time. It also adds a test that many riders won't expect. Whether your bike belongs on the trail comes down to a printed label from the manufacturer. Your riding speed and your manners don't decide it.
The trail used to be off-limits to every motor
Before this update, the Carrollton GreenBelt's published rules were simple. The trail was "open to all non-motorized users," and motorized wheelchairs were the only exception. The rules page defined a motorized vehicle as anything using "an engine or motor to propel themselves." It named golf carts, scooters, mopeds, motorcycles, hoverboards and power wheels. By that definition, any e-bike was out.
That older page is still online at carrolltongreenbelt.com, and it still says non-motorized only. The current rules are on the City of Carrollton's GreenBelt E-Bikes page. It says the city "has passed an ordinance clarifying the use of electric and motorized personal transportation on the Carrollton GreenBelt." If you've been searching online and getting two different answers, this mismatch is the reason.
The sticker is the gate
Under the new rules, Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes are allowed, and Class 3 is not. The city's page says each allowed class "must have a class 1 sticker" or "class 2 sticker" "issued by the manufacturer, visible on the bike." The Times-Georgian report on the ordinance gets more specific. Class 1 and 2 bikes need a label "in a prominent location identifying the class of the vehicle, wattage and top assisted speed capability printed in at least 9-point Arial font."
That font size comes straight from Georgia law. The state requires e-bikes manufactured on or after January 1, 2020, to carry a permanently affixed, prominent label showing class, motor wattage and top assisted speed in at least 9-point Arial. Most newer bikes from established brands should already have one. A bike built before 2020, a secondhand bike with a worn or removed label, or a bike bought online from a little-known seller may not.
Before your next ride, check the frame for these things:
- A visible class marking that reads Class 1 or Class 2
- Motor wattage printed on the same label
- Top assisted speed, which should be 20 mph for either allowed class
- Rider age, because the ordinance requires helmets for bike riders under 16
A throttle alone won't disqualify a bike. Class 2 e-bikes have a "throttle for assisted speed without pedaling" and are allowed. Throttle-assisted scooters are on the prohibited list, along with mopeds, electric skateboards, hoverboards, monowheels, golf carts of either power type, gator carts and ATVs. Ordinary bicycles, kick scooters and roller skates are still welcome. So are wheelchairs of every kind, walkers, mobility scooters and knee scooters.
Where the city goes further than Georgia
Carrollton's classes come from state law. Georgia defines Class 1 as pedal assist that stops at 20 mph. Class 2 has a motor that works without pedaling but can't reach 20 mph. Class 3 is pedal assist that stops at 28 mph. Georgia generally allows Class 1 and 2 bikes on shared-use paths where bicycles are allowed. It also lets local governments restrict them, and Carrollton has used that authority to write its own rules.
The motor size is where the two sets of rules differ.
| Detail | Georgia law | Carrollton GreenBelt guide |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 and 2 assisted top speed | Class 1 assist stops at 20 mph; a Class 2 motor must not be capable of reaching 20 mph | Max assisted speed of 20 mph for both |
| Class 3 | Pedal assist up to 28 mph, with separate path limits | Not permitted |
| Motor output | Up to 1,000 watts in the general e-bike definition | 750-watt max listed for Class 1 and 2 |
| Label | Class, wattage and top speed on bikes made since Jan. 1, 2020 | Visible manufacturer class sticker required |
Because the label has to show wattage, the 750-watt limit is something you can check. A bike labeled Class 1 with a 1,000-watt motor can meet the state's general definition and still exceed the limit Carrollton lists for its trail. Read the wattage line on the label as carefully as the class line.
Riding etiquette for the new mix of riders
E-bikes now share the same 20-mph ceiling, so the city wrote etiquette rules for a trail with more variety in speed. They ask riders to slow down at curves and turns, and to slow again near rest stops, trailheads and playgrounds. Riders should stop at road crossings and traffic lights and keep to the right. Pass on the left, and use a bell or your voice to signal before passing. Ride single file when the trail is busy, and yield to pedestrians.
The places where the city asks riders to slow down are the trailheads, and that's where you'll start most rides.
Trailheads with parking
The City of Carrollton describes the GreenBelt as more than 18 miles of continuous paved trail. These are the official access points with parking:
- Laura's Park at Hays Mill Trailhead, 480 Hays Mill Road, with restrooms, a pavilion, picnic tables, a water fountain and a bike repair station
- Hobbs Farm Park Trailhead, 500 Believers Boulevard, with restrooms and a water fountain
- Lakeshore Park Trailhead, 600 N. Lakeshore Drive, with restrooms, a water fountain, boat docks and picnic tables
- Visitors Bureau Trailhead, 102 North Lakeshore Drive, with restrooms and picnic tables
- Old Newnan Road Trailhead, 515 Old Newnan Road
- Alabama Street Trailhead, listed with parking but without a street number on the access page
Laura's Park is the only trailhead on that list with a bike repair station. If you're riding an e-bike, which weighs more than a regular bike, that's a good reason to start there.
Hobbs Farm Park is also a playground stop, so the slow-down rule applies there. The city scheduled an August 28 ribbon cutting for the Playground at Hobbs, an all-ages, all-abilities playground. It has accessible structures, a sensory music garden, rubber surfacing throughout, covered pavilions and double-width ramps. It joins Hobbs Farm Park's fitness court, its globally ranked disc golf course and the GreenBelt.
Local shops that know e-bikes
If you aren't sure about your bike's label or your motor, two Carrollton shops are good places to ask. West Georgia Cycling, at 150 Maple Crossing, Suite 117, sells and repairs bicycles. Bosch lists it as an eBike Service location. Perpetual Motion Bicycles, at 1002 Maple Street, does general repairs and has featured a Giant Roam-E+ GTS electric bike with an invitation to test ride. It also rents bicycles for the GreenBelt at $25 for up to four hours. The rental page doesn't say whether the rental fleet includes e-bikes, so call ahead if you want one.
Busy days on the trail this fall
Busy trail days are when the single-file and yield-to-pedestrians rules matter most. The West Georgia Turkey Trot is set for Thursday, November 26, 2026, at Hobbs Farm. Its 5K and 10K routes follow the GreenBelt through Hobbs Farm toward Lakeshore Park and back to the Hobbs trailhead. Proceeds benefit West Georgia children in foster care. Earlier on the calendar, the Running Dead 5K and 10K is set for October 31 at Midtown Water Park from 8 to 11 a.m. The city lists it under GreenBelt events, but the event listing doesn't say whether the route uses the trail. On Turkey Trot morning, expect the Hobbs Farm to Lakeshore Park stretch to be full of runners, whatever your bike's label says.
You can find more weekend ideas in our roundup of fun activities in Carrollton for all ages, and more about the city on our Carrollton neighborhood page.
If living within an easy ride of Laura's Park or Hobbs Farm Park is part of what you want in your next Carrollton home, I'd be glad to help you find streets near those trailheads. Schedule your personal consultation with Vicki Morris, and thank you for being part of this community.
