Trail ethics
Trail ethics define appropriate ranges of behavior for hikers on a public trail. It is similar to both environmental ethics and human rights in that it deals with the shared interaction of humans and nature. There are multiple agencies and groups that support and encourage ethical behavior on trails.[1][2]
Trail ethics applies to the use of trails, by pedestrians, dog walkers, hikers, backpackers, mountain bikers, equestrians, hunters, and off-road vehicles.
Etiquette
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Sometimes conflicts can develop between different types of users of a trail or pathway. Etiquette has developed to minimize such interference. Examples include:
- When two groups meet on a steep trail, sometimes the group moving uphill is given the right-of-way.[3]
- Trail-users generally avoid making loud sounds, such as shouting or loud conversation, playing music, or the use of mobile phones.[3]
- Trail-users must avoid impacting the land through which they travel. Users can avoid impact by staying on established trails, and durable surfaces, not picking plants, or disturbing wildlife, and carrying garbage out. The Leave No Trace movement offers a for low-impact hiking: "Leave nothing but footprints. Take nothing but photos. Kill nothing but time. Keep nothing but memories".
- The feeding of wild animals is dangerous and can cause harm to both the animals and to other people.[4]
- Mountain bikers must yield to both hikers and riders on horses (equestrians), unless the trail is clearly designated and marked for bike-only travel. Hikers yield to equestrians.
Trails in urban areas
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Some cities have worked to add pathways for pedestrians and cyclists.[5] This can reduce the amount of vehicle traffic in busy urban areas, and make visiting downtown areas more pleasant. There can be difficulties when a path is used by people travelling at different speeds, such as pedestrians, joggers, and cyclists, and the appropriate etiquette is not observed.[6]
Off road vehicles
[edit]In the US, off-road vehicle (ORV) use on public land has been criticized by some members of the government[7] and environmental organizations including the Sierra Club and The Wilderness Society.[8][9] They have noted several consequences of illegal ORV use such as pollution, trail damage, erosion, land degradation, possible species extinction,[10] and habitat destruction[11][12] which can leave hiking trails impassable.[13] ORV proponents argue that legal use taking place under planned access along with the multiple environment and trail conservation efforts by ORV groups will mitigate these issues. Groups such as the Blue-ribbon Coalition advocate Treadlightly, which is the responsible use of public lands used for off-road activities.
See also
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References
[edit]- ↑ "TREAD LIGHTLY". We did not inherit the earth from our parents, we are borrowing it from our children. Cedar City Field Office, Bureau of Land Management. Archived from the original (Web) on 2006-11-04. Retrieved 2006-11-11.
- ↑ "Isle Royale National Park" (PDF). Leave No Trace, Outdoor Skills and Ethics. November 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 10, 2008.
- 1 2 Devaughn, Melissa (April 1997). "Trail Etiquette". Backpacker Magazine. Active Interest Media, Inc. p. 40. ISSN 0277-867X. Retrieved 22 January 2011.
- ↑ Heagy, Eleanor. "Don't Feed Wildlife". thamesriver.on.ca.
- ↑ Jannene, Jeramey. "Eyes on Milwaukee: How to Make a Pedestrian Friendly City". Urban Milwaukee. Retrieved 2026-06-27.
- ↑ "Cyclists Requested To Slow Down On London's Towpaths". Londonist. October 2, 2015.
- ↑ webmaster. "USDA Forest Service - Caring for the land and serving people". www.fs.fed.us. Archived from the original on 2022-07-12. Retrieved 2026-06-27.
- ↑ "Off-Road Use of Motorized Vehicles". www.sierraclub.org. Archived from the original on December 1, 2006.
- ↑ "Off-Road Vehicles and Public Lands: A National Problem". www.wilderness.org. Archived from the original on December 14, 2006.
- ↑ Rice, Kathleen C. "National Collection of Imperiled Plants - Pholisma sonorae". Center for Plant Conservation. Retrieved 8 June 2012.
- ↑ "Mojave lizard may get protection; off-road vehicles are cited as threat". Los Angeles Times. 12 January 2008. Archived from the original on December 4, 2008.
- ↑ "Las Vegas News | Breaking News & Headlines". Las Vegas Review-Journal. January 2, 2025.
- ↑ "Off-road vehicle damage in Duluth". www.mnresponsiblerec.org. Archived from the original on July 11, 2015.