We’re fortunate to have so many fantastic hiking trails right outside our back door, and whenever I go on a hike, without fail, I’m glad I did—being in nature is rejuvenating. As with any shared space, we all benefit when people behave in certain ways. Etiquette gets a bad rap as being a hobby for fusspots, but it’s really a framework for coexistence, whether you’re entering an elevator, enjoying afternoon tea, or hiking in the front country.
1) Don’t block the road. (That goes double at a blind curve.) Walking from a more appropriate spot farther from the trailhead shouldn’t be a hindrance—moving your body is the point of hiking.
2a) Leave no trace. Who takes a hairbrush hiking anyway?
2b) That nature calls is a fact of life; it’s how you respond that matters. You may have noticed it doesn’t rain much around here, which means toilet paper doesn’t disappear quickly. And if you had the forethought to bring toilet paper, you can have the forethought to bring a Ziploc bag, too. It’s gross, sure, but that’s exactly why none of us want to see it.
2c) The same goes for your dog. Leaving a bag o’ crap somewhere you can see it on the way back is fine, as long as you remember to retrieve it. (Buy bright-colored bags and maybe set an alarm on your phone to remind you.) It kills me when people deposit a bag soon after setting off from the trailhead—is it too much to walk back to the garbage can or your car?
3) Right of way is a confusing concept, based on what I’ve experienced at traffic circles and four-way stops; it simply means who goes first. On the trails, everyone yields to horses, and mountain bikers also yield to hikers. When hikers approach from opposite directions, the one going uphill has the right of way. (If the trail is wide enough for two people to pass, don’t worry about it, or if you’re heading up but you have a better spot to stop, go for it.)
4) Should a hiker catch up to you from behind, pull over and let him/her pass. No need to wait until you’re asked.
5) This is less of a rule than a suggestion: when encountering another hiker, say hello, good morning, or whatever. And don’t ignore someone who says it to you! That always makes me feel like an NPC who spoke when it wasn’t expected.
6) Need music or a podcast? Wear headphones. It’s rude to inflict your noise on others anywhere, but particularly in such a peaceful environment. You might want to only use one, so you can hear hikers behind you, a bike bell, a mountain lion, a rattlesnake….
7) Every mountain biker needs a bell. I’m happy to get out of your way, but in order to do so, I have to know that you’re coming. Yes, I’m worried about you hitting me, but I’m also worried about hurting myself while trying to quickly jump out of your path. (When you get older, you’ll discover how remarkably little it takes to injure oneself.) If you’re not biking alone, letting hikers know how many more cyclists are behind you—like the guy pictured below did—is appreciated.
8) I don’t mind if your dog is not on a leash, but please let me know if it’s friendly, especially if it runs right at me, like a pit bull recently did.
9) When you remove your clothes in a public place—the beach, State Street, the hot springs, etc.—you also shed any right to privacy. Snapping your photo is creepy, but it’s not illegal.
10) Shortcuts can be tempting while dealing with switchbacks, but you’ll damage the trail. Same goes with hiking after a rainfall—because we don’t get rain often, your footprints might last a long time. Our trails already need a fair amount of maintenance, so let’s not add to the workload. And while we’re at it, why not consider supporting the Montecito Trails Foundation, the Santa Barbara County Trails Council, and/or the Los Padres Forest Association by becoming a member?
P.S. If you decide to go commando mid-hike, good for you! Be your free, fabulous self. But please take your underwear with you.
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The Siteline email newsletter: serving unsolicited opinions since 2019.
Not sure how you approach changing the mind-set of people who can’t keep their small bits of trash/personal use items in their possession – almost like asking them to put their shopping cart back in the provided cart corral ….
No. 9 is such an odd take. Not sure what normalizing photographing people naked has to do with hiking…
You’re not wrong. I really wanted to get to 10—once a magazine editor, always a magazine editor—and back when I first put this together, there was a news article somewhere about people wanting to call law enforcement because someone at the Montecito Hot Springs had a camera, which struck me as unrealistic.
Would like to mention Sage Trail Alliance as another organization to support for trail maintenance. While they are our local mountain bike organization, the trail work they do is beneficial to all who use our front and backcountry trails, as we all recreate in the same places. They do amazing work, and frequently have volunteer days on for trail work where anyone can volunteer to help maintain the trails we all love.
All correct and worth the effort even with the foreknowledge that the people who need to read it most either will not read it or just cannot read.
Japan is universally admired due to their adherence to societal etiquette. It’s a shame that our culture requires justification or an apology for it, ugh. All those seemingly little things (to some people) add up to reflect an uncivilized society and one that doesn’t value respect for others. Those plastic dog waste bags (and any other litter) and music on the trail are affronts to the soul seeking peace and beauty out there.
Right on, Anne!
Great tips! OMG with the music or podcasts on speaker and trash on trails — so inconsiderate.
As a dog owner, I would add that dogs should only be off leash if they consistently respond to voice commands. Your dog might be friendly, but they may be approaching someone with a dog on leash that needs space. (Or there may be coyotes to avoid!) Dogs that wander into poison oak can transfer the oils onto humans when they rub against them too. I keep my dog close and don’t assume everyone wants her all up in their business! Thank you for publishing these important reminders 😀
Amen on the dog poop bags!
Who does that?
YOU may not mind if a dog is not on a leash, but I DO! As a senior who has been bitten by “friendly” dogs more than once, consequently I’m terrified to be approached by an unleashed one. There’s rarely room on the trail for me to back away. That is why it’s THE LAW to keep your dog on a leash (generally no longer than 6 feet) on virtually all trails in California. In many state parks dogs are banned entirely. The fact that the laws are commonly ignored doesn’t mean it’s OK to do so.
100% agree- have been bit 3 times- the last resulted in a settlement. HE IS FRIENDLY is a lie – while being stitched up at Goleta Valley Hospital the door wouldn’t stop opening with emergency room personnel coming in to tell me that they too had been bit. Everyone wanted to see what my wounds look like, compared to theirs!
Use of ALL CAPS tends to get dogs riled up.
Thank you for these helpful reminders! We’ll be celebrating National Trails Day on Saturday, June 6, with a volunteer trail day if any trail users would like to join us!
More details can be found at SantaBarbaraCA.gov/TrailWork
I wish the people that needed to read this the most, would read it. Never fails going uphill, you walk into a line of three people in a solid wall that will not move over one bit. They just hold their ground, people have no idea about sharing And nothing about etiquette. It’s absolutely insane when you’re going uphill and people can’t even think about following single file to share the trail. And most don’t.
The dogs are insane, falls in the realm of that inconsiderate selfishness. He just wants to play as he jumps up on you and ripped your skin, oh he’s never attacked anyone before,
There’s a SPF clothed couple on Buena Vista every Saturday that has a white lab that fully ran up on our daughter with teeth and attacked – And is still off leash every time we see them of course my daughter is scared.
Today to E bikes, no bells nothing.
And of course there’s at least 3 to 5 big bags of shit in the beginning of each trail. The cope is, oh I forgot it. I’ll just pick up two next time. Yeah right.
It’s a bummer. Our trails are so beautiful, and there are people that put so much work into them. Thanks for calling out the wonderful groups that do that. I was thinking today I wish there were signs bolted at every trailhead about trail etiquette. You can’t make it too confusing,
Just yield to people going uphill. Although many people probably won’t know what yield means.
I long ago trained my dog to do his dirty business off trail, and at home, in a 5×5 area of the yard. When we hike, he knows to go well into the brush, at least 50 yards away from the trail. I do the same myself and dig a 6″ deep hole which gets covered with dirt when I’m finished. Nobody is hiking where we do our dirty business.