Trail Etiquette: How Not to Be "That Person"

1. Yield Hierarchy (Who Gets the Trail?)

Horses First: Stop completely on the downhill side. Speak calmly so the horse realizes you’re a human, not a trail monster.

Hikers Second: Slow to a walking pace. Say hello before passing.

Uphill Bikes Third: Downhill riders yield to climbers. Restarting on a steep grade sucks; don’t break their momentum.

2. eMTB Climbing Etiquette (Power Responsibly)

Having extra watts under your pedals means having extra manners on the trail.

No Tailgating: Keep a 3-bike gap on climbs. Don’t hover on an acoustic rider’s rear wheel while they’re in the pain cave—let them pick their line without pressure.

Smart Route Choice: Parallel gravel or service road available? Take the road. You’ll get to the top faster and leave tight singletrack bottleneck-free.

The Gentle Pass: Wait for a wide pull-out. A friendly “Hey! No rush at all, whenever you’ve got space” beats buzzing someone’s elbow every time.

3. Trail Habits & Stewardship

Friendly Bells on Multi-Use Trails: Hikers love bike bells! Passive trail bells (like a Timber bell) give pedestrians, dog walkers, and other riders plenty of advance warning without startling them. A friendly chime from down the trail builds immediate goodwill and usually means hikers will happily step aside to let you roll past.

Mind the Noise (Keep Tunes Personal): Most trail users head into the woods to disconnect and enjoy the nature around them. Try headphones instead of external speakers—it keeps your soundtrack personal without turning your ride into a public broadcast.

Manage Your Dog: We love dogs, especially well-behaved trail pups! If you bring your dog, make sure they have 100% voice recall and won’t chase horses, wildlife, or descending bikes. Keep them leashed at trailheads—and please pack out their waste so trails stay clean for everyone.

Watch the Weather & Ride Accordingly: Conditions vary wildly across Washington. High winds bring down trees, heavy rains cause washouts, and riding wet dirt—especially in arid, eastern regions—can severely degrade the tread. Check local trail reports before rolling out.

Stay on the Tread: Sustainable trails are happy trails. Avoid cutting switchbacks or riding around the outside of mud puddles, which causes trail widening and erosion.

The Secret Stash (Unsanctioned Trails): Unsanctioned lines can be incredible riding, but riding or publicly sharing unauthorized trails—especially on sensitive lands—can jeopardize fragile relationships with land managers and derail years of advocacy for official access. Keep a low profile, skip posting gray-area routes to public Strava or social media, and help us work toward turning great dirt into legal, protected networks.