Nowadays there's an etiquette for absolutely everything. Which forks to use at the dinner table, how to behave yourself in a library, talking to your betters (Draco Malfoy vibes anyone?) and many many more. So naturally there's a certain etiquette one should follow when hiking.
When you go out hiking you definitely want to make the most of it. The only way you can do that, is if there is a sense of understanding and respect between you and the other hikers on the trail. However, respecting your fellow hikers isn't enough. You need to respect nature, the park you hike in, the animals (yes, even the spiders and mosquitos) and the infrastructure.
Let's look at some things you can do to ensure that you and your fellow hike-enthusiasts have a pleasant outing:
Leave it like you found it
If you love what you see on a hike, the people visiting the trail will undoubtedly love it just as much. That being said, try not to leave it in worse shape. Experiencing nature is a rarity for some; for those of us with work piling up and keeping us caged in the concrete jungle. Nature is somewhere they can escape and de-stress.
Try not to pick any flowers, especially without knowing what they are. Some flowers give off toxins when picked, as a way to ward off predators. Picking that one flower definitely isn't worth the risk. Take a look at our post about hiking apps for identification apps that allow you to take pictures of the plant and learn everything you might want to know.
Please avoid shifting any rocks, especially near a waterfall or incline. Moving these rocks can cause rockfalls that could injure others or block off trails, trapping other hikers and rendering the trails inaccessible. This is not an episode of Tom & Jerry or The Road Runner Show. Let's not turn the hike into a cartoon.
Keep the noise down
It's common knowledge that most people enjoy the tranquility and serenity of the great outdoors. They literally hike 3 kilometers into the mountains just for some peace and quite. On behalf of all hikers everywhere, leave the boombox in the car. If you want to listen to some music while hiking, rather use earphones. Not everyone may like your taste in music.
Keep the general noise down as well. Don't yell at each other and definitely don't yell at other hikers. Especially not if it look like they can take you in a fight. 3 kilometers is far to hike with a broken nose or a black eye.
No one likes a litterbug
Ever notice how there's no plastic trees? No plastic sprouting roots and growing out of the soil? Exactly. Make sure to take all the wrappers and plastic bottles with you, or dispose of them in trash cans stationed around the hike. Most hiking trails do have trash cans or other containers for your trash and if they don't, stuff it in your backpack till you get to the exit.
Nothing ruins a hike like having to pick up other people's rubbish.
Don't feed the animals
As soon as you get to a hiking ground, your eyes are drawn to all the green. The grass, bushes and leaves on the trees. That green stuff? That's what the animals eat. They don't want your granola bar and they definitely don't want the wrapper either.
I've mentioned this in my second post, braving the elements, but there are a lot of risks to feeding the animals. To feed an animal, you need to get quite close and they might see you as a threat and lash out. If you approach them, you're kinda asking for it, so you best take a nice wide berth around Bambi. Just in case.
After you, Sir.
Knowing who has right of way is really important if you don't want to make your fellow hikers angry. This one is kind of loaded though as there are different rules that apply for horses, bikers and fellow hikers.
If you encounter a horse (obviously with a rider) on the trail, you should try and pass as far away from it as possible. It might also help is you move lower on the trail, as horses might bolt uphill is they get spooked. Try not to make any loud noises, just like we discussed at the start of the post. For the benefit of the horse and it's rider.
If you see a mountain bike barreling down on you, hopefully your instincts kick in and you move out of the way. If not...well that's going to be a hefty hospital bill. Good luck with that. It's easier for you to move out of the way than it is for a biker to slow down.
Hiker heading downhill should allow hikers heading uphill the right to pass, seeing as they have a wider field of view. Let's be honest; when you reach the 6th kilometer and start climbing that incline, your hiking boots become real interesting. Stopping in the middle of an incline is also a sure way of making the hike ten times more difficult. Be a friend, man. Just let them pass.
There you have it! A few simple ways you can make the best of you weekly hike, all without making enemies along the way
Be considerate and happy hiking!
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