One of my pet peeves about going out and enjoying nature is how others treat the trail. These days there are hundreds if not tens of thousands of people who walk certain trails across the US. In my area there are some very popular hiking trails both inside the city and out. This comment may show my age but honestly, it shouldn't matter. There is a large amount of people I have come across while hiking these trails, popular or not, that just don't seem to know the proper etiquette while traversing the beautiful countryside. Basic things like leaving trash, walking off trail, pushing their way through groups, being overly loud and obnoxious, trying to interact with wildlife, defacing nature, and the list goes on.
In this article I would like to cover 5 basic guidelines on how to behave while on the trail regardless of location. The main point is just be respectful and contentious of others and the world we all live in. I will leave out the obvious ones like, graffiti, littering, and others. Some of the etiquette I will mention may seem obvious and common sense to some but it should be helpful to all who want to enjoy hiking trails and help keep the experience fun for all.
The first topic I'd like to bring up is how to pass other hikers:
1. Passing:
There will almost always be a time where you will come across other hikers enjoying the area with you. Whether its an individual, a group, experienced, or new to hiking, at one time or another you will have to pass someone.
Here are the best practices I have found in respectfully passing someone on a trail:
a). If you are a strong experienced fast hiker or out to enjoy the scene at a slower pace or just like to stop frequently it is completely up to you and should enjoy your time how you want. Just be aware that there may be other people who move quicker or have a goal and need to keep moving but would rather not slow down and join your group. Please, move off the trail in a safe manner. Find a wide spot or rest/view point where you wont be blocking the trail. The person(s) who is passing should be able to safely walk past without feeling like they are invading your space.
b). Lets say you are the one who is doing the passing. Don't be rude and push through, making snide comments or be aggressive. Be patient and wait for the best moment for the slower hikers to move off the trails. You can announce your need to pass. Maybe the others are distracted, maybe they know of a possible hazard ahead. Just don't be rude and rush through. And say hi or at least acknowledge their existence.
c). If the trail is narrow and you need to pass a group coming from the opposite direction which happens often, step aside. Lets say its on a hill. The downhill hikers should be the ones to stop, move off the trail safely and allow the uphill hikers to pass. The reason for this is because it is much easier for the downhill hikers to find a safe place to stop and have a better vantage point. Rather than the uphill hikers who are attempting to climb up and may not be looking up in your direction and are focused on the trail to avoid tripping hazards.
d). Horses, pack animals and bicycles are other trailer users and each should be treated with care and respect. First, know the trail and what is allowed on the trail. Don't assume there wont be a bicycle or horse either (this goes for those on horses and bicycles as well, be aware of hikers). Bicyclists need to give the right of way to hikers, horses and other pack animals. Hikers must yield to horse and pack animals. move off the trail quietly and slowly as to not scare the animals.
2. Hiking In Smaller Groups:
It is aways fun to share your outdoor experiences with others. This is not only a good way to share your experience but it is also safer than hiking alone. I have gone on many hikes with groups of all kinds and every time we all have a great time. This, for me, is probably the best way to enjoy nature by sharing my love for the outdoors with someone else. Whether its a group of 2 up to a large group of 14, we all can enjoy and share the trail together.
Now, the National Parks Service allows groups up to 20 people at a time. That's all great and in some areas it can work. My personal opinion and suggestion is to keep the group smaller. Not only will a smaller group of people have a lesser impact on the area but it will also be much easier to share and enjoy the trail. Just imagine if you are out hiking with you and your family of 4-6, you stop to watch a group of deer in a field or a herd of bison and all of a sudden a large group of 18 people come walking through. They are all talking and enjoying their own personal conversations and experiences but they scare off the wildlife due to the fact that there is just too much commotion going on within their group.
I'm not trying to knock on tours or large families or friend groups. It just is a true fact that such a large amount of people in one area can have a negative affect on nature and other peoples experiences. Going out to experience wildlife and beautiful views and the peace and quiet away from the cities hustle and bustle is the whole point of hiking in the first place. Large amounts of people in any form on a trail is just not fun for anyone.
Also, keep the noise levels down. Sure have fun, enjoy each other and have conversations. But be respectful of the area. Loud noises like music, loud conversations, etc. are just not natural in the area and should be kept to a minimum. Electronics are also not natural in the wild so keeping your music to yourself or down along with phone calls, radio (walkie talkie) use and more. All should be used at a minimum or not at all. This will scare off wildlife and take away from the peace of what the outdoors offers.
3. Know the area:
This is one of if not the most important parts of trail etiquette. I probably should have put this first. haha. Though this may seem trivial or obvious, this is probably one of the biggest safety concerns about going hiking. If you are not familiar with the area or have vague knowledge you could become lost very easily. Also, not knowing the area could result in injuries or other mishaps like bear attacks. By knowing where you are planning on hiking and the possible hazards that you could encounter will help limit a bad experience.
a). Watch the trail signs and pay attention to what they say. Some may warn that the trail is closed due to a bear sighting. Some may indicate hazards, like shale or falling rocks. Others will indicate where your trail is leading to so you can plan your route and not get lost. Also, some will share other trail conditions and warnings to keep in mind while continuing your journey. Muddy, flooded, fire hazards, snow warnings etc.
b). Have a map and compass. Even if you just pick up a trail map at the visitor center or buy your own topo map from the outdoor supply store. This is something that could save yourself a lot of head ache from getting lost. Knowing how long a particular trail is and what land marks are along the way will show you exactly where you are and help guide you back to the trail head.
c). Know the weather and how it affects your trail. Weather can quite literally dampen your outdoor experience very negatively. Regardless if you will encounter rain, snow, high winds, or heat, you should be prepared for poor weather conditions. Especially if you are going 1 or more miles into the wild. Even nature areas in major cities have seen their share of bad weather that has caused people to get lost or hurt. I have been on some hikes in the summer with no warning of a change of weather where I have been hit by rain, sleet and snow all in a matter of a few miles.
d). Tell someone where you are going and when you plan to return. In the unlikely but possible even you run across a bad situation and cannot return to your vehicle or home, telling a friend or family member your plans can quite literally save your life. If you don't return on time these people can alert the proper authorities and get help to you faster.
4. Stay on the trail:
Staying on the trail admittedly is something that I have struggled with in the past. These trails were carved out by the Forest Service or other entities with purpose and design. The trails allow you to see many amazing views and usually have destinations and are planned out to keep you from having to hike in hazardous areas. By staying on the approved and authorized trail will prevent erosion, damage to protected foliage, preventing you from getting into dangerous areas and more. Those who plan and maintain the trails will have built the trails to help prevent the most damage to the nature area you are visiting. Every so often they will even change the way the trail is going if they deem the original trail to be causing to much damage or could become hazardous. By staying on these trails will not only keep you safe from hazards and getting lost but also protect the wildlife in the area.
a). Erosion... trails are built to last many years and have specific engineering built into them to help move water around or under these trails. They are set away from water sources that may be negatively affected by foot traffic. They are built into hillsides to reduce the natural erosion and foot traffic erosion and are in a zigzag pattern to make it easier for hikers. By not staying on the trail and carving a new path could cause water run off to wash out portions of trails and even cause (over time) an entire hillside to wash away.
b). Purposely damaging or defacing areas. By throwing rocks, pushing boulders, knocking over trees and so on, are not only horrible for the environment but also very very unsafe. I have seen far too many videos of people pushing boulders down hills or throwing rocks over cliffs. This is just flat out stupid. You have no idea what kind of damage you could cause and possibly even hurt someone who is out of view down hill from you. Please. Do not do this. Do not carve your name into a tree or walk through fields of flowers. We are guests in these wildlife areas and need to respect what nature has provided us to see and enjoy. By carving into a tree you could cause it to become diseased and die. By walking through a field of flowers you could not only trample rare flowers and plants but bring in seeds and dirt from areas that will devastate the natural growth of the beautiful flowers you just walked through.
c). Be aware of the wildlife. As tempting as it might be to get a good up close picture of the elk or deer or worse a bear with your "smartphone". It is not smart at all. Leave wildlife alone and keep at a safe distance. Recommended 50 or more yards away. Some of these animals could think you are a threat and may charge or attack you or others. Don't feed them either. Be sure to clean up any food you may have dropped as this may attacked and/or make animals sick and die. I will go into more detail in another blog about this subject.
5. Waste and garbage.
As humans we all need to eat food and drink water. With this we will also need to discharge the waste eventually. The longer we spend on a trail the more probable it will be that we need to go to the bathroom. This is probably the least talked about portion of etiquette but probably one of the most important as it can have some major affects to the areas we visit.
In a high traffic area most trails will provide outhouses or bathrooms for us visitors to use rather than leaving our 'business' out in the woods or on the trails. It is strongly recommended to use those because it was determined there is enough human traffic to even have a outhouse provided. Could you imagine in some nature areas where there are 10s of thousands of people just pooing and peeing all over the area? So, please, use the outhouse.
In the event that you are not in an area that provides outhouses, please use these guidelines as a way to reduce your affect on nature and other guests to the area.
a). Peeing... Try to avoid peeing on trees, bushes, or other foliage as this may attract animals who may dig up the area damaging the plants and undergrowth. Urine does not negatively affect the area but like previously mentioned it could attract wildlife who could damage it. Also, please do not urinate in or near water sources as this could pollute the water.
b). Human/pet waste... Pooping.... This should be either done in a "cat hole" or packed out. Some wildlife areas prohibit burying your waste and require you to pack it out so be prepared. If you need to poo and can use a "cat hole", follow these steps: Be a minimum of 200 feet from water, trails, and camp sites. Dig 4-6 inches into the ground. Once done, bury the hole with the dirt you removed and blend it into the surroundings.
Pretty simple and effective.
c). Pack out your food waste and other garbage. This is pretty self explanitory. We don't need to go into this very deep but I did want to mention it as it is definitely an issue for some newer hikers.
I hope you enjoyed and understand what I have covered here in the Hiking Etiquette guidelines. There is so much more I could go into and I will dive deeper into some of these subjects in later blogs. If you have any questions or comments or observations from your own experiences. Please feel free to reach out to me.
Thank you for reading.