Trail Etiquette

Taking Care of Our Trails and Parks in the Midst of COVID-19

Posted 05/22/20 by Amy Kapp, Eric Oberg in America's Trails | Tagged with COVID-19, Maintenance and Volunteers, Trail Etiquette, Trail Use Tips

Wissahickon Trail in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Photo by Patrick Wittwer | CC by 2.0

As trails remain on the front lines in providing outdoor opportunities and mobility for Americans, managers continue to explore new ways to work with their communities to ensure positive experiences for record numbers of users in the face of limited maintenance resources, reduced staffing and curtailed volunteer activities.

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Trail runner | Photo by Aarni Heiskanen | CC by 2.0

Here’s the Latest Expert Guidance on Outdoor Activity and COVID-19

Posted 04/18/20 by Amy Kapp in Trail Use, Health and Wellness | Tagged with COVID-19, Health and Active Living, Trail Etiquette

As Americans work to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 across the United States, public health professionals continue to provide important safety guidance on engaging in outdoor physical activity. Experts are urging people to stay as close to home as possible when seeking places to be active in the outdoors, and to engage in physical activity on their own. They are also suggesting face coverings as a voluntary public-health measure. New guidelines from the CDC about the safe use of parks and outdoor recreation facilities reinforce these recommendations. Here’s the latest on how to safely be outdoors in the midst of COVID-19.

Minuteman Commuter Bikeway | Courtesy Friends of Lexington Bikeways

Good Trail Etiquette Has Never Been More Essential Than It Is Right Now.

Posted 04/02/20 by Amy Kapp in Trail Use, Health and Wellness | Tagged with COVID-19, Safety and Law Enforcement, Trail Etiquette, Trail Use Tips

Where trails are open—especially in areas where parks and other outdoor recreation facilities have closed—there has been an influx of new users and recognition that safe use and trail etiquette have never been so vital to the health of our nation.

Photo by Bob Wick, Public Domain

Las Reglas de Oro: Seis Cosas Que Debes Saber Para La Temporada de Senderos

Posted 09/10/18 by Alan Ibarra in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Encouraging Trail Use, Health and Active Living, How-to, Safety and Law Enforcement, Trail Etiquette, Trail Use Tips, Walkability and Bikeability

Sendero: Un sendero es un camino o rastro de uso recreativo, típicamente en lugares cerca o dentro de la naturaleza. Tal vez ya lo haz escuchado, pero la temporada de senderos ha comenzado oficialmente. No importa si eres una persona que viaja diariamente al trabajo, un cuidador o un ciclista de larga distancia, es importante saber y practicar las medidas de seguridad cuando usas los senderos como medio de transporte.

2017 Opening Day for Trails on the Three Rivers Heritage Trail in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Photo by Amy Kapp

Useful Biking Gear for Trails—Plus A Few MacGyver Tips!

Posted 03/30/18 by Amy Kapp in America's Trails, Trail Use, Health and Wellness | Tagged with Biking, Encouraging Trail Use, Gear, Health and Active Living, Healthy Aging, How-to, Mapping and Technology, OpeningDay, Sojourn Series, Trail Etiquette, Trail Use Tips, Walkability and Bikeability, Why Use Trails?

To prepare for Opening Day for Trails, I asked my colleagues at Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, some of America’s most experienced trail riders, what equipment they’ve found super useful.

Golden Rules: Six Things You Need to Know for Trail Season

Posted 06/13/17 by Suzanne Matyas in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Encouraging Trail Use, How-to, Trail Etiquette, Trail Use Tips

You, me, and other trail users agree: It’s officially primetime for trail season. And whether you’re a commuter, a caregiver or a long-distance rider, it’s important to know and practice good safety and trail use etiquette. Here’s our list of must-knows to make the trail safe, fun and a good time for everyone!

Eastside Trail, part of the Atlanta BeltLine | Photo by Jim Brown

The Results Are In from Our 2016 Share the Trail Poll!

Posted 09/01/16 by Suzanne Matyas in Trail Use | Tagged with How-to, Safety and Law Enforcement, Trail Etiquette, Trail Use Tips

As RTC wraps up a second summer of our Share the Trail campaign, we wanted to thank everybody who pledged to be unofficial trail ambassadors. Special thanks to those of you who participated in our Share the Trail polls on social media. We were excited to see the poll results, and we have shared them here with you!

GHS Swamp Rabbit Trail in Greenville, South Carolina | Photo by Ian Curcio

RTC Wants YOU (to Take the 2016 Share the Trail Challenge)!

Posted 06/10/16 by Amy Kapp in Trail Use, Taking Action | Tagged with Safety and Law Enforcement, Trail Etiquette, Trail Use Tips

My colleague Katie—an avid trail cyclist—once wrote: “I know that every time we hit our favorite pathway, we have the power to lead by example and create a trail culture we want to be part of.” (And proud of!) As part of the 2016 Share the Trail Campaign, RTC is challenging everyone this summer: Be the best you can be on America’s trails. Here's how to get involved!

Burke-Gilman Trail in Seattle, Washington | Photo courtesy King County Parks | CC by 2.0

Keep Right, Pass Left—Please!

Posted 08/11/15 by Mary Stutzman in Trail Use | Tagged with How-to, Safety and Law Enforcement, Trail Etiquette

I learned to ride bikes at Champoeg State Park ... when I was growing up. Four years old and foolhardy, I thought I owned the trail. To try and keep up with my older brothers (I hate being left behind!), I had to go fast, but there were all these people in the way. So my dad taught me how to pass and what to say.