8 Trail Etiquette Rules Every Hiker Should Know
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Who would have thought that etiquette and good manners would play an important part in the outdoors? Can’t we all just act like barbarians and let the inner beast take over once we leave developed civilization?
For those just entering the outdoors community, or are new to hiking, it can be difficult to know what is expected (or if there is anything expected at all). There are no hard-and-fast written rules at your disposal when you arrive at many trailheads. But trail etiquette—or hiking etiquette—has a universally important role in maintaining a positive, welcoming hiking community and in preserving and taking care of the trails and land you are trekking on, no matter where you are hiking in the world.
Trail etiquette is, for the most part, followed by common sense and good judgment, but a few of the “rules” are lesser-known and not quite so obvious or built into intuition. Below is a simple breakdown of good hiking etiquette to increase awareness of experiencing the outdoors in the best way possible, and to build a more knowledgeable and supporting community of fellow-hikers.
““This is your playground, but know that you are a visitor, and it will only remain in the beautiful conditions you now find it in if you actively respect that and contribute to its conservation.””
Hiking Etiquette For Beginners
Maintain an appropriate noise level
Please be aware that many hikers view their trail time as valuable personal time, as a peaceful retreat into nature, and as an opportunity for silence and introspection, away from the noisiness and business of a normal day. Because all hikers share trails, others’ time on the trail should be respected. That means speaking in low voices, particularly when you are passing others on the trail, not shouting, and not playing loud music.
Enjoy the sounds of nature and let others do the same! Turn that technology off and put it away. If you want music, use earbuds. If you are taking phone calls, use a quiet voice and don’t put it on speaker.
Uphold the Leave No Trace Principles
A gigantic part of hiking etiquette, the leave-no-trace principles are concerned with respecting the natural habitat and reminding yourself that it is your job to leave everything exactly how you found it.
Pack in, pack out
Obviously, don’t toss your trash, but less obvious—even biodegradable items, such as apple cores and banana peels. These items can attract wildlife and nurtures an unnatural attraction to the trail, which can increase wildlife encounters. Human remnants such as these have no place in the outdoors—would you like to see others’ banana peels littering the wayside of the trail you’re hiking on?
Remove Your Waste
When going to the bathroom (nature calls at any time), move at least 200 feet off the side of the trail and 200 feet away from any water source. Think ahead of time and bring disposal bags for waste and toilet paper.
Stay on trail
Erosion and damage to the natural habitat and ecosystem is very real over time. If everyone constantly wanders off-trail, then more and more land becomes altered and damaged under foot. If you are stepping off-trail to let someone pass, stay as close as you can to the trail. If there is mud or puddles, do what you came there to do and get dirty; going around will widen the path and leave more damage. Also, don’t cut corners on switchbacks. (*Cough* cheater).
Leave what you find
Yeah, that’s a cool rock. But it’ll be cooler if it stays right where it is. Resist the temptation to take home keepsakes.
Uphold the right of way
Okay, while this makes sense, it can be difficult to know the hierarchy of who gets the right away once you add bikers, horses, or groups into the picture. Who has the right of way?
First off, hiking a trail is just like driving in road traffic in that you stick to your right side always. When passing anyone or letting anyone pass, always step to the right, not the left, for the sake of those coming the opposite direction on the trail.
Downhill vs. Uphill hikers
First and foremost, downhill hikers yield to uphill hikers. Why? Uphill hikers are under more physical duress working against gravity and have the momentum to carry them forward. They also have narrower visual perspective as they are focused on footing and the ground before them. Downhill hikers have a wider visual perspective of the trail and are working less. Those uphill hikers are huffing and puffing, so if you are descending, move aside.
Horseback Riders
Hikers yield to horses. Horses can be skittish, so refrain from loud noises and sudden movements when they pass. Hikers should step downhill, not uphill, if at all possible.
Different hiking speeds
If you notice faster hikers behind you, move to the right side so that they can pass, and if you happen to be the speedier hiker, announce your presence to the hiker in front of you with a friendly, “Hello! Is it okay if I pass?”
Bicyclists
Bikers are technically supposed to yield to hikers and horses, according to NPS guidelines. While that is true, sometimes, as a hiker, it’s just considerate to move aside for mountain bikers, because it is easier to control momentum and placement on foot than on wheels. However, bikes should always yield to horses.
Group hiking
If you are hiking in a group, please do not take up the entire trail, on both left and right sides. Stick to the right side, leaving the left side free.
Respect wildlife
If you are in an area of known wildlife encounters, be cognizant and watchful. Stay on trail and hike with others. If you encounter wildlife, do not try to get a closer look—keep as much distance as can be. The goal is to preserve their home as much as possible and leave them undisturbed. Approaching is a bad idea in every instance.
If you want specifics on hiking in bear territory, the NPS provides a thorough guide, the most important rule being make your presence known. Bears will avoid you—not approach you—and it is important not to catch them off guard.
Be aware and come prepared
How to prepare?
Adequate prior planning and knowledge of the trail conditions, length, technicality, difficulty level, and weather conditions. Is there a heat warning? Is it super muddy? Are all members of your hiking party at a fitness level to take on the challenge?
If hiking solo, letting someone know where you are hiking, especially if it is an extensive hiking trip.
Water, water, water. A good rule of thumb is one half-liter of water per hour in moderate temperatures and conditions.
Good hiking equipment, such as adequate shoes/boots, sticks if technical terrain, water covers if rain is scheduled, a compass or map, whether on your phone or in paper.
Trail etiquette for dogs
Some trails are marked as non-pet-friendly, and some are also marked as leash-only. Please respect the signs and find trails that suit you if you are looking for places to let your pooch roam free. Keep your canines on the trail. Same with humans, when dogs wander off trail, they disrupt the fragile natural environment.
If you pass other hikers, keep your dog in control and out of their footway, pulling them to the right as much as you are able to. Other hikers should be unhindered by your dog, no matter how cute they are.
Bring waste bags, and do not leave those waste bags behind you. (Pack in, pack out, dude. That sh** is coming with you!)
Help sustain a friendly, welcoming environment and community
This is a community you have stepped into by taking on a trail, so please do your part in cultivating a positive, friendly, encouraging environment. All it takes is manners and a friendly nod or smile to fellow hikers.
Respect for all forms of life
Go into your hiking experience with a mentality of respect and kindness for the land, the wildlife that relies on this natural environment for existence, and the humans that are visiting it like you are. This is your playground, but know that you are a visitor, and it will only remain in the beautiful conditions you now find it in if you actively respect that and contribute to its conservation.
Quick hiking tips/tricks
AllTrails
A very popular and commonly-known, friendly-to-all-skill-levels resource, AllTrails has arguably the greatest database of hiking trails, with reviews, photos, and tips from former hikers for each individual hike. You can download ahead of time for an offline map.
Embrace Your Ability
Don’t apologize or feel behind for being slower or at a lower skill level. Hiking is no competition and is intended to be a recluse into nature, an outdoor adventure, a fun form of fitness, and a bonding social event if you want it to be. So don’t let “experienced hikers” intimidate you.
Challenge Yourself
Challenge yourself, whether it is pushing your comfort levels of distance, elevation gain, time length, trail technicality, or terrain, but know your limits. Push yourself, but do not put yourself in unwise situations that you are not comfortable in. Nobody wants to pay for that helicopter rescue. Also don’t give up if you find yourself in a tight spot; Finding Nemo has a moment of wisdom that never left me: “You got yourself in there, you can get yourself out.” Real-life-but-extreme-testament: 127 Hours.
““Finding Nemo has a moment of wisdom that never left me: ‘You got yourself in there, you can get yourself out.’””
For Solo Female Hikers
As one myself, I always recommend some form of personal defense weapon/equipment. Horror stories pop up in the media of solo women hikers being made victims in the wilderness. I have a pocketknife in my fanny pack, and at other times, carry bear spray that I would use on human or wild animals alike if I had to. (Fortunately, not yet.)
Some humorous hiking anecdotes from my hiking learning experiences
I’ll never forget hiking the Tonto Trail in the Grand Canyon with some family members. I selected a 13-mile hike that I had been hoping to do and made the uninformed assumption that they would also be on the same page in terms of recommended fitness level and trail difficulty. Unfortunately, that did not turn out to be the case. The hiking trip ended well after sunset, under the stars, being startled by wild animals pummeling down the canyon in the dark, and I-will-not-name-who laying full-length down in the dust multiple times in succession, trying not to give up from exhaustion. Lesson? Hike at a level of comfortability for everyone in the group. It is important to know others’ capabilities, as well as your own, and it is important not to overestimate the hiking level of anyone in your group—for safety reasons, as well as to ensure just a plain good time. This particular memory never fails to make me laugh and to make the unfortunate individual shake their head.
To keep me humble, I’ll share the time where I epically bit off more than I could chew and made a major misjudgment while attempting a sunset summit hike on Oahu to Nu’uanu Peak. I normally make relatively informed decisions when it comes to hiking and have never put myself in an unsafe position while solo hiking. Unfortunately, I broke my longstanding streak this one fine evening. While ascending the peak, I passed a few hikers who warned me about the coming darkness (they demonstrated great trail etiquette!), and me, full of cocky brashness and “hiking experience,” dismissed their comments and pushed along to the peak to begin the descent as the sun was slipping away quickly. Unfortunately, the second half of this “loop” trail was… not really there. It was isolated, it was dark, I was alone, I was off-trail, and really, I could have dealt with all of the above except that I was going down a steep, steep decline through the jungle and across tricky rock faces, with falling rocks that had me sliding down the mountainside, trying to grab onto dead bamboo trees that snapped as soon as I tried to use them for leverage, attempting to use my phone for a flashlight but needing both hands in order not to tumble down any cliff. Yeah, it was bad. For the first time, I related to the feeling of hopeless incompetence that comes when you make greatly unwise decisions in the wilderness. The Alltrails app came in clutch so that I eventually slid/scraped/fell/stumbled towards the general direction of my vehicle, with a very bruised body and pride. What should I have done differently? Hiked it with a buddy, brought a flashlight, started earlier in the day to prevent a lack of sunlight on an unknown trail, or gone back down the same way I had come instead of taking the risk of a sketchy steep trail. A lesson in humility is always appreciated.
Once, while hiking in San Juan Mountains in southwestern Colorado, I came across a bear cub—aw so cute, right? No. The mother was nowhere in sight. Wanting to keep it that way, I immediately turned around and hightailed it in the direction I had come. Being between a mother bear and her cub ranks among the least desirable places to be on this earth.
One summer in college, a friend and I backpacked to a backcountry shelter near Charles Bunion in the Great Smoky Mountains, which was a very cool experience, but also a very wet experience. Thunderstorms passed over our heads while we climbed a mountain post-sunset, and we were soaked for the two hour ascent (and the rest of the night as we attempted to sleep). To pass the time and ignore how wet we were, we ended up singing our favorite songs aloud the entire ascent. Lesson? That could have been a miserable experience if we let it be. The right mentality, when you find yourself in unexpectedly less than favorable circumstances, can make-or-break an experience. If you are determined to have a good time, then it (most likely) will be. Another lesson? Look up weather conditions so you can make informed decisions, and also have the proper equipment, especially when venturing into the backcountry. You are more susceptible to nature, and more reliant on yourself, your foresight, and your gear.
In conclusion
With the above trail etiquette in mind, you can be now confident that you are actively contributing to a great outdoors community and being a considerate member of this community. Thank you in advance, as a fellow hiker, for respecting this etiquette! Catch you on the trails!
If you are looking for some awesome trails this year, check out our post on 10 Bucket List Hikes In The US To Do In 2022!