Trail etiquette: How to hike and be nice

I’ve found that hikers are generally decent people. Most know how to be a good citizen of the trails. There are unofficial rules, and they follow them.

But not everyone.

I savored each moment. That is, until we caught up with a crowd of young hikers, one of whom had a portable speaker blasting Toto’s “Africa” for all to hear.

It might as well have been a test of the emergency broadcast system right there in the wild! Appropriate song, inappropriate setting. 

The jarring interruption broke a hiking etiquette rule and smothered the chance of anyone hearing peaceful, foresty sounds.

Well-meaning people can forget there are others on the trail and make themselves Public Enemy No. 1. I know none of you, dear readers, is one of them. Nevertheless, as hiking season kicks in, a little reminder of the best practices of respectful and considerate hikers wouldn’t hurt.

Here are my 9½, shall we say, table manners for the trail.

1. Keep your feet on the trail

In other words, don’t wander off the designated route. I admit, I’ve been temped to cut corners when I’m on my 1,000th switchback of the day. But hikers who personally carve up the landscape with their own paths are risking their own safety and leaving hard-to-remove scars.

2. Pick up after yourself

We are not teenagers and every hiding place isn’t our personal bathroom. And this isn’t just a girl problem, guys.

The trail etiquette here is generally called “Leave No Trace” and also applies to wrappers, banana peels, chewed gum, dog poop, and stale sandwich crusts. Bring a Ziploc and pack it out with you.

3. Choose earbuds

I’m all for listening to tunes occasionally on the trail, but no one beyond me wants to hear my music (just ask my kids). Hikers who “share” playlists or podcasts on speakers get a hard “no.” Drop volume, not beats. Nature’s soundtrack deserves to be heard.

4. Let animals find their own food

Those critters begging for a piece of that granola bar are so darn cute, it’s hard not to give them a small morsel. Turns out, those handouts are bad for their health. Plus, they learn to get a little too cozy with humans. And when larger animals start to feel emboldened around people, it can be real trouble for hikers.

Speaking of animals:

5. Bring Fido’s short leash

On trails where dogs are welcome, no matter how friendly a pet may be, there are people who fear them. Keep pets close as other hikers pass by.

6. Be a courteous photographer

As a blogger, I’m all for snapping pictures on a hike, but I try to remember to check for other people nearby. A selfie-happy hiker who blocks the trail for more than a few seconds just might deserve being photo-bombed by an annoyed stranger.

7. Keep writing utensils in the pack 

Do I even need to say this? Apparently, yes. I speak for the trees! When someone mars natural elements, others seem to think they have license for others to join in. Fools, all of them!

8. Pass with care and respect

As someone who huffs and puffs hiking uphill, I appreciate when hikers coming down at three times my speed “pull over” to let me go by. Here’s the general rule of thumb – on tight trails let the uphill hikers go first.

I’ve noticed that sometimes when I meet people going up, they will step aside before I do, saying they need a break. When that happens, I tell them thanks and move past them. 

If you’d like to pass a slower hiker on a thin path without mowing them down, politely call out something like “Passing on the left” or “Mind if we pass?” When they step aside, move quickly in single file past them and say thanks. (Since my Parkinson’s diagnosis, I’m more often the person being passed than the passer!)

9. Help when help is needed

If you see someone who is hurt or in distress, take the time to ask if they need help. Often they’ll say they are fine or are already getting help, but it’s polite to at least ask.

Corollary  (the ½)

Prepare yourself so it won’t be you asking for help. Avoid rookie mistakes: not enough water, too few clothing layers, medications left in the car, wrong type of footwear. That’s good trail etiquette, too.

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Imagine if each and every hiker followed these basic guidelines. How much more delightful – and safe – hiking would be for all!