Hiking is one of the best ways to find your inner outdoor spirit. It helps you decompress and find the much-needed solitude that most people envy.

And like many other outdoor activities, hiking also has some unwritten rules of etiquette that everyone should learn before hitting the trail.

Which is why I’m here today.

In this article we will breakdown why hiking etiquette is so important and why we should heighten our awareness on the trail.

 

Without further ado, Let’s go hiking!

 

For more information on hiking etiquette, please check out https://americanhiking.org

 

 

 

Hiking Etiquette is Knowing Who Has the Right of Way

 

 

It’s important to know when you should yield the right of way when you are hiking.

Generally speaking, you can find these right-of-way indicators for different types of traffic on most trails. But even without these indicators, we should always be mindful who actually has the right-of-way.

When you are going downhill for example, you should stop and allow them a way to pass. Why? It is because going uphill is a lot harder than going downhill. It takes momentum in order to go uphill, and these hikers are working against gravity.

So, stopping, and then restarting that uphill hike will take a lot more effort. That is why downhill hikers need to yield to those going uphill.

This also applies to bikers.

Bikers often move considerably faster than hikers so it’s usually easier for hikers to stop and give bikers the right-of-way.

What about horses?

Well, the same rules apply to this as well. But keep in mind to never make the mistake of passing a horse from behind. You should allow enough space on the trail by moving over to the right so you can let them pass by.

 

Always Stay on the Trail

 

 

This is one of the unwritten rules amongst hikers because most hikers believe this is common sense.

But maybe common sense isn’t so common anymore.

Well, to drive home this point, let me explain.

Hiking and walking paths in National and State Parks are regularly maintained to ensure they are clean and safe for those that wish to enjoy them.

Often at times, areas that may become washed away are repaired and rocks that might sprain an ankle might be removed.

There is no guarantee this is done in areas off the trail.

The ground can easily become slippery or covered by harmful plants and rocks. A hiker injured by a hazard off the trail would be more difficult to find and assist than someone having difficulty on a marked, known trail.

Let’s think about this for a minute.

A number of people wandering randomly through the woods can damage vital plant life. Broken branches and snapped limbs are only the obvious signs of the damage that can be done.

Young sprouts may be stepped on or run over and prevented from developing naturally that keep the beauty of the area alive and well.

Footprints can compress the topsoil in a way that impacts how water flows during a rain and wash out safe sections of the trail.

For the safety of others and preservation of the parks, you should always stay on the path. If not out of consideration for them, then for your own protection, please keep your tracks on the well-traveled paths.

 

 

 

Leave the Wildlife Alone

 

 

There are a number of reasons to never feed wildlife.

Animals that are living in their natural habitat are well equipped to find their own food. As a matter of fact, their customary food sources are actually healthier for them than any snacks you may wish to provide.

Exposing animals in the wild to unusual food sources that aren’t part of their normal diet could have a negative impact on their health.

Another danger is that animals might become too fond of human cuisine. Your well-meaning gifts may offer a tantalizing option to squirrels, raccoons, and other animals not used to such rich foods.

This will cause them to avoid their natural diet and seek out human food, sometimes in aggressive ways.

Always leave your garbage or food stored securely when hiking in any national park or other outdoor recreational space.

 

Leave No Trace Behind

This hiking etiquette principal should always be followed before you hit the trail.

For example, let’s take a look at the size of our group for instance. A larger group will, all things being equal, have a greater impact on the landscape vs a smaller group.

Of course, weigh the trip-specific benefits of a particular group size against these LNT concerns.

Packing, too, makes a difference LNT-wise.

Not overpacking, will prevent the potential of littering to a minimum. However, littering to me goes against the grain of everything I believe in when it comes to following the LNT principles.

With that being said, you should always bring a bag for collecting any litter you run across in the backcountry-every little bit of cleanup helps- trust me on this.

You’re probably familiar with the sight of rough shortcuts blazed out on the inside of switchbacks, but you should always resist the temptation to take (and make) them.

Hike single-file on trails to help maintain narrow and well-packed a tread as possible. When you are off trail, by contrast, spread out your party so that no single cross-country route gets too hammered.

 

Situational Awareness is Important too

Paying attention and practicing common sense go a long way toward making you a responsible hiker. That means clueing into other folks out on the trail as well as wildlife activity, and generally practicing situational awareness and basic human courtesy.

Situational awareness is one of the most important principles of hiking etiquette. Unfortunately, I see enough people who don’t have it or exercise it.

It is easy to get wrapped up in a conversation with your hiking partner, or just lost in thought. Then suddenly you realize you have no idea where you are.

Look around as you move, taking note of landmarks and other natural features. Even better, turn and look behind you on a regular basis.

This will accomplish a couple of things, First, if you do end up trying to retrace your steps, the trail will look different in reverse. By looking at it from the back, so to speak, it’ll be easier to recognize.

The second reason is personal safety.

While the odds of someone or something coming from behind with harmful intentions are likely remote, checking your back trail will put you in a better position to see what’s coming, just in case, and react accordingly.

Paying attention to what’s going on around you will also reduce the chances that you end up stuck between a momma mountain lion or a similar creature and her babies.

While some animals will be just as afraid of you as you are them, when the parental instinct kicks in, you don’t want to be caught in the middle.

 

Thoughts & Takeaways

And that wraps things up for today. Following proper hiking etiquette rules can help create a positive outdoor experience for both you and others on the trail. While many of these core principles are common courtesy, it is important to know what to do when presented with larger crowds or in scenarios where you may find it difficult to proceed on the trail without being rude to others. It is also important to know what to do while outdoors to keep the environment intact so that these hiking trails can look their best so others can enjoy them too. I hope you found this article to be helpful. Please share your experiences on how you practice hiking etiquette in the comment section below.

 

 

-CT