Most trails (not all) you will ride on are made for more than mountain biking. The different users of a trail, such as runners, hikers, horses, and even motor vehicles, all travel in different ways and have different situations. And even those that are strictly for mountain biking, include riders of many levels of skills, fitness, and desired experience.

The rules of etiquette for mountain biking have two categories of rules:

1. General Trail Etiquette

2. Mountain Biking Specific Etiquette

General Trail Etiquette

These are rules that have been created, socialized, and taught over many years by organizations such as the National Forest Service, Leave No Trace organization, Boy Scouts of America, International Mountain Bicycling Association, and many others. These rules are generally accepted by every organization that has an interest in trails. They apply to all types of users.

Mountain Biking Specific Etiquette

The International Mountain Bicycling Association has a set of etiquette rules, called, "Rules of the Trail" that are the generally accepted rules for Mountain Biking and are promoted by NICA, Redbull and other important companies in mountain biking, and by other relevant organizations. Some of their rules incorporate the general trail rules that apply for all trail users, and some of them are biking specific.

For this course, we will be teaching the standard set of rules as put forth by the International Mountain Bicycling Association, which we believe are the best overall set of rules to know and abide by as a mountain biker.

THE RULES

Again, these are based on the "Rules of the Trail", created by the International Mountain Bicycling Association in 1988. These guidelines have been adopted by land-management agencies nationwide, and your adherence to these rules is critical to the impact on the landscape, the trails, wildlife, and the experience and access for all trail users.

1 - RESPECT THE LANDSCAPE

Respect your local trail builders and be a good steward of the physical environment.

1. Keep singletrack single by staying on the trail.

2. Practice Leave No Trace principles.

3. Do not ride muddy or poor condition trails because it causes rutting, widening and maintenance headaches. Ride through standing water, not around it. Ride (or walk) technical features, not around them.

4. Littering is NEVER ok. Take out what you took in. period. Yes, this is part of Leave No Trace, but it is worth being said again, specifically.

5. NEVER cut corners on trails. Stay on the trail. Even if others have or are doing it. Don't.

6. Don't break, harm, or modify things unnecessarily. This means breaking tree branches, modifying rocks, etc.

7. NEVER do graffiti of any kind - that means no leaving your initials in trees, rocks, etc

8. HELP MAINTAIN trails. Don't just be a rider/user. Help dig and maintain them. Volunteer your time to a local organization to help do this.

2 - SHARE THE TRAIL

Most of the trails we ride are multi-use. It is important that we learn to share the trail with others in a positive, safe way. There are two main areas of focus in this rule: 1) Yield Principles, and 2) General etiquette

Yield Rules

First of all, remember what it means to "yield". To yield means, "To allow someone or something to move in front of or before oneself; to give someone or something the right of way."

See the below image. This is the basic rule for many trails. This yield triangle has been formally adopted by land managers since the late 1970s and is a significant reason why we have the access we do. There are some regional differences and unique rules on single-use, directional mountain bike trails—know the code where you ride. However there are also sometimes motor vehicles involved, so we will address that as well here.

Open

General yield guidelines are that...

1. Bikers yield to all other non-motorized users on trails.

2. Hikers yield to Horses

3. Motorized vehicles yield to all other users

4. Bikers travelling downhill should yield to those headed uphill unless it is signed for one-way travel (meaning, that the trail has a specified direction of travel, which is one way only). A good comment on this from Singletracks.com: "Riding uphill is hard: that’s why the general rule is for the downhill rider to yield. After all, gravity’s going to get him going again pretty quick. However, if I’m riding uphill and I see a rider coming down who’s really in the flow, I may choose to not interrupt that flow and yield myself. Besides, it gives me a chance to catch my breath."

So, as a biker, you must yield to non-motorized users (walkers, runners, hikers, horses, etc) by default. If they pull over to let you pass first, then that is up to them, but you should by default, be the yielding one. If you are headed downhill, you need to yield for those going uphill. Motor vehicles yield to you.

There are two other general trail yield rules as well:

1. Don't get too close to slower riders. If you come up on other riders (slower riders), give them space, call out till you KNOW they heard you, and wait for them to yield when THEY are comfortable or there is enough room to pass safely. Thank them for moving out of the way!

2. LET PEOPLE PASS YOU - if you are the slower rider, pull over, slow down, and let people pass. It's fine to wait till you are comfortable to allow that and there is room for it, but do what you can to listen for them and let them by safely.

3. When riding with a group, be aware of how many are behind you. As you pass a hiker, say “three more,” or whatever the appropriate number is. This gives the hiker (or other biker) situational awareness: it can be disturbing to step back out on the trail only to have more bikes whiz by. When riding alone, a “just me” will suffice to let the other trail user know the trail is once again clear.

A good guideline from Singletracks.com (https://www.singletracks.com/trail-advocacy/mountain-biking-basics-trail-etiquette/) "Frequently, hikers will step off trail to allow bikers to pass. This is not the time to get off the bike and inform them that they need not yield. Some may not know the “rule,” yet others may simply wish to not disturb the biker’s flow and, unfortunately, some are just plain afraid of bikers. In the case a hiker yields the trail, a “thank you” goes a long way. Although the hiker has yielded the trail, you should still slow down, almost to walking pace. Not only does this minimize the disturbance to the hiker who has yielded, it gives you time to extend that “thank you,” and maybe even follow it up with a “have a great hike!” While some hikers are obsessively predisposed with hatred for cyclists, most truly appreciate this gesture."

It's important that yo know how to yield appropriately. Improper yielding can cause serious risk of injury and really create a negative experience for others on the trail.

General Rules

Other general rules of etiquette related to sharing the trail include:

1. NEVER stop in the middle of the trail. Get off to the side. That includes at the end or start of a trail.

2. SAY THANK YOU! When someone does something nice, like let you pass, say thanks.

3. Bottom line is…BE POLITE, NICE, etc - If someone else doesn't follow the same rules, still be nice. There is no need to be rude. It's possible they are either ignorant of the rules, have been taught wrong, etc. Most of the time, they aren't trying to be a jerk/rude.

4. STOP AND HELP - if you see someone in trouble, be polite and nice enough to see if they need help. And if they do - THEN HELP.

3 - RIDE OPEN, LEGAL TRAILS

1. Building illegal singletrack or adding unauthorized trail features should NEVER be done, and is detrimental to our access.

2. Always build trails with an official, authorized organization or by their explicit permission.

3. Don't build overly risky or poorly-built features. These could also seriously injure other trail users.

4. IF IT'S CLOSED, DON'T RIDE IT. Look for access signs that will help you know if you can and should ride the trail.

If you believe there aren’t enough trails or variety near you, it's time to get involved. Don't do things on your own. Your engagement will be welcomed because it takes a lot of people, time, and effort to create, enhance and protect great places to ride.

4 - RIDE IN CONTROL

Speed, inattentiveness and rudeness are the primary sources of trail conflict among user groups. Here are some guidelines for being in control and creating a positive experience for all.

1. Watch your Speed! if you are not careful with the speed you carry and adjust for visibility or other users, you can cause big problems. You need to give others and yourself time to adjust, change direction, stop, etc. And sorry, but Strava is never an excuse for breaking this rule.

2. Communicate on the trail! If you need to pass, slow down, ring a bell or verbally announce yourself, and wait until the other trail user is out of the path. Use extra caution around horses, which are unpredictable.

3. Be extra aware when riding trails with poor sight lines and blind corners, and make sure you can hear what's going on around you.

If you are taking too many or too big of risks, you not only put your own experience at risk, but you also could create situations where you impact the experience of others - for instance requiring their help to assist you in the case of injury or mechanical problems. You should always ride in a manner that doesn't force yourself or others into potentially bad experiences.

5 - PLAN AHEAD

Your lack of preparedness could put you in a dangerous situation and affect the experience of yourself or others. Here are some rules for planning ahead.

1. Plan your rides. Research the trail - know the permissions for the trail, the conditions, the difficulty, potential risks, the weather, etc. Don't just go in blind. Use Trailforks and other resources to know all you can.

2. Be prepared and self-sufficient. Every mountain biker should carry what they need for the ride they're undertaking, and know how to fix a flat tire and make minor repairs.

3. Download a GPS trail app on your phone for navigation or carry a map in unfamiliar locations.

4. Ride with a partner or share your riding plan with someone if you’re heading out solo.

Every time you go, remember to take:

• Spare inner tubes

• Tire levers

• Pump

• Allen key

• Enough water and snacks to get through

• First aid kit is nice too

6 - MIND THE ANIMALS

When it comes to wildlife, live and let live. Never intentionally scare, harm, or bother animals. In some places, running cattle and disturbing wildlife are serious offenses. Respect their space - you are riding through their homes.

If you want to ride with your dog, first find out whether or not it's allowed by looking up the leash laws. Be prepared to take care of your dog. Also, ensure your dog is obedient enough to not cause problems for you, other trail users or wild animals.