Trail Etiquette
When recreators follow best practices on the trail, it benefits both users and the environment!
Use the following guidelines to do your part
Best Practices for Engaging with the Trail
Stay on Trail
- Cutting switchbacks causes erosion and creates misleading social trails.
- It only takes six people walking in the same area to create a social trail. This not only creates a larger area of impact, it can be confusing for recreators who may be new to the area or less experienced.
- Off-trail travel harms flora and fauna.
- Walking around obstacles widens the impacted area.
- If everyone walks around a puddle or a downed tree, eventually the trail widens. That, in turn, widens the human impact on the area.
Use trails when they are dry
Using muddy trails disturbs the tread surface, creating a less pleasant user experience and often a larger area of impact. If you do encounter puddles or muddy trail, walk straight through them to minimize trail widening.
Best Practices for Engaging with Other Users
Know yield rules
- Downhill traffic yields to uphill.
- Bikers yield to hikers, and all yield to horses.
Source/Credits: https://alexysabroad.com/trail-etiquette-101
Say Hi!
- Do your part to help all users feel comfortable. Positive experiences foster connection, which makes folks more likely to want to treat an area well.
Help out
- Come prepared yourself. Carrying a first aid kit, extra water, snacks, etc. is highly recommended, even for experienced trail users.
- Check out these guidelines about what to have in your backpack when hiking.
- Look out for others who are less experienced.
- Understand emergency response protocol. As the Wasatch is so close to the city, most trailheads are accessible to ambulances within half an hour. When in doubt about a situation, call 911.
Best Practices for Engaging with the Environment
Know watershed rules
- Our habits as recreators in the canyons directly affect the cleanliness of our water. Following guidelines laid out for protecting the watershed benefits all of us.
Source/Credits: https://sandy.utah.gov/1857/Bell-Canyon-Preservation
Respect wildlife
- The Wildlife Rule of Thumb stipulates that when you see an animal, you should close one eye and raise your thumb to try to cover the animal. If you can still see it, step back until you no longer can.
Source/Credits:https://pitkincounty.com/WildLives
- Keeping our distance from wildlife protects us from animals. It also protects animals from us. Particularly in winter months when food is scarce, animals do not have energy to spare. Approaching to close and forcing them to expend vital energy to get away can be seriously harmful.
Leave it better
- Pick up trash and leave natural things to keep our environment healthy.
Help mitigate the spread of invasive species
Myrtle Spurge
https://bcinvasives.ca/invasives/myrtle-spurge
- Know what species are invasive. Having a basic knowledge of these plants will help you know when to employ mitigation tactics.
- Check out USU’s noxious weeds field guide (PDF): https://extension.usu.edu/files/Noxious-Weed-Field-Guide-for-Utah.pdf
- Avoid invasives by staying on trails.
- Clean your bikes/shoes/dogs after recreating to avoid transporting seeds from one area to the next.
- Manage any infestations on your own property. If you create a disturbance on your property, such as tilling soil, work to remove invasives that colonize the area.
- Report if you think you have found an invasive species while you are recreating in the Tri-Canyons. Contact our Plant Stewardship Director, Ella, at [email protected] with any info or questions.
Volunteer with CCF to hand-pull invasives in the canyons. You can sign up here and become a Plant Stewardship Volunteer!
