Trail Etiquette

Be cool.

Be cool.

Trail Etiquette

Be nice

To fellow trail users.
To the animals.
To the trails and open space.

Yield

To climbing bike traffic.
To pedestrians and equestrians, all the time.
To skiers and snowshoers on winter snowpacked trails.

Ride responsibly

Stay on the trail.
Stay in control.
Ride only on trails open to mountain biking.

Be nice

To fellow trail users.
To the animals.
To the trails and open space.

 

Yield

To climbing bike traffic.
To pedestrians and equestrians, all the time.
To skiers and snowshoers on winter snowpacked trails.

Ride responsibly

Stay on the trail.
Stay in control.
Ride only on trails open to mountain biking.

What does yielding mean?

Yielding means slowing down, establishing communication, being prepared to stop if necessary, and passing in a safe and friendly manner.

How do you pass hikers on a narrow trail?

SLOW DOWN. Don’t just yell, “On your left!” and barrel on through. Good interactions mean more open trails.

Hikers have the right of way. If they don’t feel safe moving to the side of or off the trail for you, wait it out. Ask if they mind finding a place for you to pass. Most of the time, people are cool.

Consider getting bell for your bike and ring it nicely as a way to get attention.

How to Yield: The Fruita Lean

When you are yielding, get your wheels as far to the side of the trail as you can and stop. Then put your outside foot down off the trail by a couple inches.

This maneuver gives space for others to pass and keeps singletrack skinny.

When two bikers approach each other, who has the right of way?

Climbing traffic gets the right of way. If you’re bombing down a hill, stop and let the biker who is climbing by.

As a mountain biker, what are you supposed to do when you see a horse on the trail?

Stop at least 30-75 feet from the horse. Greet the equestrian and the horse to demonstrate that you are a human, and not a predator then ask the equestrian for instruction on how to pass safely. Offer to get off your bike. Pass slowly and steadily, but only after the equestrian gives you the go-ahead. Sudden movements can spook a horse.

Where can I find winter trail etiquette?

Head on over to our Fatbiking page.

eMTB ETIQUETTE

eMTBers follow the same trail etiquette as traditional mountain bikes on multi-use trails. Here are some eMTB-specific tips to keep in mind.

 

  • Ride trails open to eMTBs.
  • Mountain bikers are often the fastest users on the trail. eMTBs can add an element of faster speed on uphills. Be mindful of coming up on other users by slowing your speed when approaching, and take special care in corners and other areas where you may have a limited sight line. Slow down before you reach other users, coming up hot isn’t cool.
  • Ask kindly to courteously pass when needed, in a place convenient to the other trail user, just like you would do on a traditional bike.
  • Group rides with eMTBs can pose a challenge with different speeds. It’s a good idea to chat with the group before you start riding on whether you will match speeds by adjusting your power or if you’ll regroup at pre-arranged intervals.
  • Be sure your Strava eMTB rides are properly marked as e-bike rides.

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from our team.

Thank you for signing up!