As people become more and more environmentally aware, and more active in outdoor recreation, it’s become apparent that our great outdoors are fragile and need protection. Heavily used areas especially need protection from overuse. It has become essential to do everything possible to minimize the impact and damage by practicing good outdoors trail etiquette and leaving as little trace of our presence as possible. The following are guidelines to consider rather than a rigid set of rules. As always, use your common sense and adjust your judgment based on the circumstances and situations.
In general, follow the local rules and regulations, and listen to your own conscious and common sense. Remember that your every action will affect the future of the environment. Not only do you need to consider the needs of the environment, but also the needs of other hikers.
BEFORE YOU HEAD OUT
Park responsibly for your safety and for the safety of the environment.
Mark sure you park on paved surfaces wherever feasible. Parking on unpaved surfaces creates erosion, produces dust, and can pose a fire risk to grasses and small brush from hot engine parts.
Before you leave your vehicle, ensure that all valuables are stored away out of sight. Better yet, leave your valuables such as a wallet or purse at home, or secure them in your trunk prior to arriving at the trailhead.
Lock your vehicle securely and take your keys with you. Do not try to hide your keys under a tire or your bumper. That’s just asking for trouble.
Report suspicious activity to Park Rangers.
TRAVEL RESPONSIBLY
Travel responsibly on designated roads, trails or areas.
Stay on the trail even if it is rough and muddy. Trekking on trail edges or cutting switchbacks increases damage to the trails, causing erosion and scarring, as well as destroying vegetation. Also, by staying on the trail you minimize your chances of getting lost.
If you encounter mud, walk through it instead of around it. If you're wearing appropriate footwear, then it was built to handle it.
Where there are multiple trail options consider which one results in the least environmental impact.
Walk single file whenever possible to avoid widening the trail.
Flagging and marking trails (such as building rock cairns) is unsightly. If you have to flag, be sure the flags are removed as you leave (Organizer will bring up rear and remove flags whenever possible).
Comply with all rules and signs and respect barriers.
If you notice any damage to the trail or trail signs, make sure to note down the exact location and notify the proper authorities. Damaged or destroyed trails or trail signs can cause serious difficulties for other hikers.
Read trailhead guidelines. There may be specific rules for the trail you are on.
RESPECT THE RIGHTS OF OTHERS
Respect the rights of others, including private property owners, all recreational trail users, campers and others so they can enjoy their recreational activities undisturbed.
Be considerate of others on the road or trail.
Leave gates as you find them.
If crossing private property, be sure to ask permission from the landowner.
Keep the noise down.
Proceed with caution around horses and pack animals. Sudden, unfamiliar activity may spook animals—possibly causing injury to animals, handlers, and others on the trail.
Keep your pets under control; this protects your pet, other recreationists and wildlife.
SHARE THE TRAIL
On trails, a hiker is about the smallest, slowest object so it is in your best interest to yield to any other mode of transportation you encounter.
Since bikers are fast and can stop and go easily, they are expected to let everything else have the right of way. Horses are big and unpredictable, and so they get the right of way. However, sometimes it is best not to stand in the way of a moving bike because some riders have no idea that they are supposed to yield.
When meeting a horse, get off the trail on the downhill side. Horses will tend to bolt uphill when spooked. Also, if you wait on the uphill side the horse is more liable to take you as a predator waiting to pounce. Quietly greet the rider and ask if you are okay where you are, then stand quietly while the horse passes.
Stay to the right on wider paths and pass on the left (remember rules of the road to keep this idea clear). Use common sense, however, and pass on the right if others yield that side to you.
When you encounter other hikers on a trail, give them room to pass easily. “Skinny up” as I tell my children, going single file or moving off to the side of the trail completely if space allows.
When overtaking other hikers, let them know you are approaching and will be passing on their left. Announce your presence by simply saying "On your right" or "On your left." This most often occurs with bikers, but it is also appropriate for hikers. Of course if you hear these words, make way for others to pass on the appropriate side.
Unless you're passing a slower group, try to stay a respectful distance from other hikers.
Whenever you stop for a view, a rest, or to yield, move off the trail so it is free for others. If you are selecting the spot for a rest, get off on a used area or a durable surface such as a rock, dirt, or snow. Don't just trample off the trail into a nice soft field of grass and flowers.
When hiking in a group, yield to single or pair hikers. It's harder for a group to get off the trail so often times singles will stop and let you all pass, but its their call.
Hikers going uphill are working hard and should be given the right of way over hikers coming downhill. It's harder for them to look up the trail (hikers coming down have a better view of the trail before them) and it's also harder for them to regain their momentum if they have to stop.
Sometimes uphill hikers will prefer to stop and let you pass coming down so they can get a short break. The uphill hiker should get to make the call.
Greet people you meet. This makes sure they know you are there and is the polite thing to do. A simple "Hello" or "Nice Day" is fine. Even an out-of-breath "hi" while struggling uphill is fine (as is usually my case LOL).
AVOID SENSITIVE AREAS
Avoid sensitive areas and stay on designated routes.
Some sensitive habitats to avoid include meadows, lakeshores, wetlands and streams, cryptobiotic soils of the desert, tundra, and seasonal nesting or breeding areas.
Do not disturb historical, archeological, or paleontological sites.
Ground nesting birds and other animals can be sensitive to humans during the nesting season. Disturbing them could result in the failure of their breeding season, so please respect their nesting territory.
RESPECT THE LOCAL WILDLIFE
Feeding or encouraging contact with animals (for example, bears, raccoons, squirrels, birds, insects) accustoms them to human food and desensitizes them to human presence. They may become dependent on humans and unable to survive naturally, which can lead to dangerous situations and aggressive animals may have to be destroyed.
Avoid “spooking” livestock and wildlife you encounter and keep your distance.
Observe wildlife from a distance and do not follow or approach.
Do not assume that young animals on their own (such as fawns) have been abandoned by their parents. Most likely the parents are nearby and looking for food. Any human contact with the young animal can be detrimental.
If you come across animals that are obviously sick or injured do not move them or try to capture them. Not only could you further injure the animal, but you could be seriously injured as well. Instead call the Ranger or another local regulatory agency.
Be careful when examining objects. After disturbing rocks or logs, be sure to restore them to their original position. They may be the habitat of small animals.
Before picking excessive quantities of berries consider whether or not you might be depriving the wildlife of a vital food source.
RESPECT THE LOCAL WILDLIFE
Be environmentally aware and make yourself and example.
Do your part by modeling appropriate behavior, leaving the area better than you found it and properly disposing of waste.
Repackage snacks and food in Ziploc-style baggies. This reduces weight and the amount of trash to carry out.
Do not damage any flora or fauna that you may encounter. Our natural environments are being threatened enough as it is.
Report vandalism; if there’s contact information at the trailhead, tell the Ranger or managing agency of any destruction or management needs you notice.
Consider the consequences of your actions and think about what would happen if 100 other hikers acted similarly.
Take a picture instead of picking flowers or gathering rocks. Consider the impact on the ecosystem when removing specimens such as plants, sea life, rocks or pieces of wood.
GARBAGE DISPOSAL
We have the responsibility to leave the trail as beautiful as we found it. Can you imagine what a trail would look like if every hiker left just one piece of garbage on it?
Pack It In - Pack It Out and Leave No Trace Behind. Do not litter. All you should leave are your footsteps. If you pack it in, whether it’s food, wrappers, or empty water bottles - pack it back out with you as well. This includes all toilet paper, orange peels, apple cores, cherry seeds, and any other fruit and vegetable waste. Not only is an orange peel unsightly on the side of the trail, but it can take up to six months to decompose.
Garbage attracts wild animals (bears, raccoons, rodents, birds, insects) and accustoms them to human food.
Take a step further and pick up litter left by others.
Be proactive and try to create as little waste as possible.
Never bury garbage - animals can expose it.
If you are a smoker, be extremely careful of the fire danger. Do not leave behind your used matches and cigarette butts.
PRESERVE THE PEACE
Preserve the silence of nature.
Unless you are in bear country it is best to keep voices low and not playing loud music so that you and other hikers can enjoy the serenity of the trail.
You are most likely to be able to see wildlife from the trail if you maintain quiet while hiking.
While echos are fun, there is such a thing as noise pollution.
Turn your cell phone to silent. Better yet, turn it off.
Where bears may be present, announce yourself with vocal calls and other noises since you really don't want to sneak up on a bear.
Undoubtedly, you will run into people who feel that they have a right to do whatever they want outdoors. You will see wide trails around muddy spots with footprints, hoof prints and even tire tracks all adding to the damage. You’ll have a biker fly past you with no warning. These are the people that make an impression. Watch out for them for your own safety, but also recognize that they are usually the exception and not the norm. Make sure people put you into the courteous and polite category after they have met you on the trail. Remember the 3 C’s: Courtesy, Communication and Common Sense.
And remember the age-old hiking adage: Take only photos, leave only footprints.
