Recreational Use Statutes
The most important legal protections available to trails are the Recreational Use Statutes enacted in some form by all 50 states. These statutes typically limit the liability of landowners and managers who invite the public onto their land for recreational uses and do not charge a fee. Where a Recreational Use Statute is applicable, the trail manager will not be held liable for any injuries sustained by trail users unless the trail manager intentionally harmed the trail user or was grossly negligent.
This is a list of these Recreational Use Statutes by state. The information is accurate and up to date to the best of our abilities. Due to the evolving nature of state legislatures, and websites keeping up with changing information, some links may not work from time to time. We will update these links to keep all the information as current as possible.
*Last updated in March 2020.
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