10 Rules of Hiking Etiquette I Wish I’d Known Sooner!
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- čas přidán 7. 06. 2024
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These are the 10 most important rules of hiking etiquette I wish I'd known sooner! If you've broken any of these rules, you are not alone - the rules of hiking etiquette can be pretty confusing or hard to follow. Most of these rules go unspoken, and yet some hikers expect every other hiker to have been born knowing them! It's as if the first two rules of hiking etiquette are to not talk about hiking etiquette. In this video I am attempting to change the unspoken nature of the rules of hiking best practice, as well as sharing some thoughts about what to do if you see another hiking breaking these rules or making any mistakes on trail! Did I miss any important rules of good hiking etiquette? Let me know in the comments below!
Intro: 00:00
Important context for these hiking rules: 0:35
Hiking Etiquette Rule #1: 1:02
Hiking Etiquette Rule #2: 2:31
Hiking Etiquette Rule #3: 3:44
Hiking Etiquette Rule #4: 4:18
Hiking Etiquette Rule #5: 5:24
Hiking Etiquette Rule #6: 6:00
Hiking Etiquette Rule #7: 7:55
Why I love LMNT electrolytes (sponsor): 9:30
Hiking Etiquette Rule #8: 10:41
Hiking Etiquette Rule #9: 11:34
Hiking Etiquette Rule #10: 12:36
What to do if you see someone breaking these rules: 13:48
Outro: 15:06
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The Rules of Hiking Etiquette I Wish I'd Known Sooner | Miranda Goes Outside
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Hey friends! For those of you asking: if you need to poop, you should ABSOLUTELY go off trail (200 feet!!) to do so! Just try to avoid doing so in areas that are specifically marked and ask you to stay on trail. Here in Washington we have lots of revegetation areas with signs that ask people to stay on trail and let the plants grow, so that would be a *bad* place to dig a cat hole. But use your best judgement!
As far as pee, peeing on rocks is generally a good practice in fragile deserts areas, and wandering off trail to pee is also a good idea 😊
Sadly I see a lot of poop around trailheads and even around lakes and streams. Some people are just disgusting. Nothing worse than seeing used toilet paper on the trail.
Just noticed you made it to 100k subscribers 🎉 Congrats 👏 I love your channel and content!
Ah the Miranda we all know, love and adore!!!! I do love your poop info. Always just sneaks in there. :):)
Wait, you're supposed to carry out all of your dog's poop, but you get to leave your own behind? Human privilege eh?
@@oldschooljeremy8124feel free to bring a poop bag for yourself bro😂 (no, really, they exist)
Rule #11 If hiking in a group, make the tallest person go first to clear out the spider webs 😁
Booo! (as I tall guy, I cannot endorse this rule)
@@JefferyPhillips Same >:/
😆👍
Alternatively, make the slowest person go first in case you walk up on a bear. Because remember: You don't need to outrun the bear, you just need to outrun your trailmate.
Don't be too hard on the spiders. In my experience US forests devoid of webs are often chock full of deer (which bust up webs better than tall peeps), but where there are lots of deer, there are lots of ticks and Lyme disease (and something like 40 other potential diseases) are no joke. The spiders are actually much safer, and no I don't really enjoy their webs in my face either. I had my share doing night patrols on Okinawa.
I appreciate it when people coming from the opposite direction alert me to bears/boars/snakes they encountered.
Oooh YES! Fully agreed!
And moose 🫎
I met a really cool older couple when I stopped to tell them about a tiny garter snake ahead (just didn't want it to surprise them). We have to have each other's back out there!
😊
yees definitely! I always let people know if i've seen a snake on the way; I also one time when hiking in england had to let a dude with an off-leash german shepherd know that there was a dead sheep on trail 1/4 mile ahead.. didn't want to know how that could've ended up
As a larger person, I can say the unprovoked “encouragement” does not come across the way people who offer it think it does.
Thanks for mentioning dogs on leashes. I hike with my dog and we are constantly approached by off leash dogs. My dog does not appreciate strange dogs running up to him, even if they are "friendly." We want to be able to enjoy the outdoors too so I only take him places with leash laws but there are just so many people who think the rules don't apply to them.
As a former dog owner of a very shy dog, I would get so frustrated by off-leash dogs running up to us 🫤 they often wouldn’t want to leave my doggo alone, but then the owner approaching would scare her. It was such a hassle and definitely made me far more aware of dog leash laws - and how often people break them. I’m sorry you and your pup have to deal with that!
@@MirandaGoesOutside My dog is shy as well. He isn't aggressive at all but gets freaked out by dogs running up to him. I've just started telling people with off leash dogs that mine is vicious...which I'm sure isn't too believable when he is just standing there behind me like a potato but it has seemed to work okay for us thus far.
This can be so frustrating! One time I was on a hike and a dog came running uphill through a bunch of brush on a semi-rural trail. I knew that the trail had a switchback and was a few hundred feet below me, but I didn't know if this dog was with someone or had ran out of a yard a half mile away. The dog seemed friendly, but was just standing about 30 feet away looking at me and my (leashed) dog. It was literally 5 minutes before the owner finally came up the trail and they didn't even acknowledge me or my dog. They just kept walking and the dog followed.
I let my dogs hike off-leash sometimes, but only on trails that aren't super populated (as in, maybe I'll see half a dozen people or fewer all day) and only because they are both very obedient and they have been taught "heel" as walking directly behind me and never running out in front of me, no matter what.
But if there are lots of people around they're going on a leash to continue to heel behind me, because I'm not trying to make anyone uncomfortable.
No dog should ever be off leash if it runs up randomly to people or other animals.
There are also people who are terrified of dogs. Encountering off leash dogs can cause those people extreme anxiety, or lead to dramatic responses that might be unsafe to them or the dog.
A friend was bitten by a dog as a kid. If she sees an off leash dog, she freezes and has a near panic attack. She doesn’t distinguish between a goofy golden retriever and a red zone pit bull. Someone else in that situation might respond with bear spray.
My worst pet peeve is the yielding one. If I say you can go when I'm going uphill, don't insist that I go. If I stop, just pass and keeping going. Don't chastise me (yes, that actually happened, more than once). And don't assume that I can't handle the hike if I stop or am slow.
True. As an older hiker, I may NEED to stop. We're all doing our best to enjoy the trail.
So long as you step to the side and stop. A woman once stopped in the post-holing tracks my partner had made in deep snow for the party. I told her not to do that as it forces the one behind her to leave the steps and have to make their own around her which is unnecessarily tiring. So the next time I was on a hike, going up an untracked face, and I stopped, she reminded me of what I said and I said there was no track on the face so it wasn't the same situation. When she followed me through thick brush, I sped up and left her behind to flounder and find her own way as she was riding on my coat tails and needed to be taught a lesson.
Generally if I am going uphill, I appreciate any excuse to pause and catch my breath. I realize this trail custom/etiquette is probably too ingrained by this point, but it feels entirely reversed to me.
@@jimperkins9661Exactly! In my experience, most people don't follow the up-hill right-of-way. In practice it's whoever gets to a good place to stop first, and as you mentioned, most people going uphill are happy to have a break and often will step aside before the downhill people have a chance to.
@@jimperkins9661Agreed! I'm more than happy to stop for twenty seconds while going uphill. İf I step aside, please just carry on 😂
I know most dog owners don't want to leash their dogs on trail, but as a backpacker whose really uncomfortable around dogs I appreciate it when they do!
Had two dogs run up on me and one jumped and knocked me over. Had to stop and bandage myself up. The dog owner just yelled at the dogs but didn’t do anything to stop the situation.
Still have the scar from that hike.
Mine is on leash 99% of the time..if he is off and I see somebody else coming I call him towards me untill they have passed.
But I know a lot of dog owners don't do that, for which I apologize.
Broad brush to paint with here. Dog owner, formerly terrified due to a teenage me vs 100 lb. german shepard, 100% dog on leash. Fully agree with the reasoning given in this video.
The best dogs are still dogs. Leash, always, especially on the trail.
I appreciate it when they don't.
For bikers or hikers approaching horses, it is very helpful to talk to the rider. This helps the horse to realize that you are human and not a predator. A hiker with a big backpack can be frightening to a horse. Congrats on 100k subscribers!
Yes, and please leash your dog when you see a horse coming. Most dogs have never seen a horse before and they can react in a variety of ways. I’ve been a situation where the owner says “they’re friendly!” and then the dog begins to charge and circle my horse 😅
👍
And, don't stand behind trees as they think you are a cougar about to pounce. Also, best to move off the trail below the horse rather than above for the same reason. Thanks!
I mountain bike, and we’re supposed to yield to hikers and equestrians, but hikers ALWAYS yield to me, and you basically can’t get them to take the right of way. It’s easier for hikers to yield and seems to be the natural reaction, so…
On my bike I love saying hi to all the animals! Horses ignore you a lot, but cows always look!
I've never taken "you're almost there" as anything other than encouragement. Usually I'm told this while I'm working hard, and I probably look like it too. It's cool to let me know I'm almost there, hearing it sometimes has made me want to push through to get there.
It's been fascinating reading the comments and much of the video seems to be about cultural norms in the USA. I've never encountered anyone saying "you're almost there" in the UK - we mainly saying "Hello", "Nice day" or "Lovely dog..." - mundane stuff. 😄 I suppose we never really know where the other people we meet are heading, perhaps you have well-defined footpaths that people have to stick to?
I think "you're almost there" implies that this hike was some chore that only feels good upon finishing it rather than being something to be enjoyed every step of the way. It casts the journey in a negative light
@@edelgyn2699 I've been told "you're almost there" very often in th UK (including about 7 or 8 times on Scafell pike two days ago!). Its funny because they never know what my end destination is, so by definition, they dont know what they're talking about.
@@edelgyn2699 Yeah, these are probably long trails where there's only one way to go and like go and return to the same spot, a parking lot perhaps. I've never said anything like that unless someone asks which does happen, I might even be more specific, "about 20 minutes" type stuff.
Same
I learned the right of way rule when I moved to the PNW. Y’all have tiny steep trials. But what seems to happen sometimes is that whoever has the best place to step aside waits for the other, which I appreciate as well. Thanks for the awesome video, Miranda!
Yes!! I think the communication is also great. I appreciate when people will let me know they want to stop or gesture to me to pass them, so you don’t have the awkward “no you go” shuffle.
When I'm going uphill I always appreciate the excuse to stop for a short break, so I will always wave the downhill person on. Not really sure why the rule is the opposite but oh well
@@ThexImperfectionist I believe the rule of giving the hiker climbing uphill the right of way is because they are working harder to maintain momentum.
On super narrow cliff trails I always try to give cliff side the right of way
@@santiedYes. I’m no spring chicken and I don’t love heights- I don’t mind giving anyone the right of way- in fact, I’d encourage it because I’m slow. But I stand as far to the inside of the trail as I can get, and give them as much room as I can.
Fun and informative video! I’ve never taken “you’re almost there” as anything other than well-meaning encouragement. I recently hiked a popular and steep path for the first time. You could tell who the newbies were (like us) because they asked those coming down “are we close?”
Congratulations on reaching 100k!
I usually take it that way also, but as a bigger person, I get how to other folks who already feel like imposters in the outdoors, it can sound a little condescending. I actually hadn't given it much thought until I watched this video!
@@crystalcorrigan8573 It annoys me to hear people saying stuff that makes it clear they assume I've never done that particular hike before. I may have done it 100 times before but they put themselves in the "knowledgable" chair and me in the ignoramus chair. I got asked once by a stranger at the start of a trail that goes only 200m uphill if I thought I'd make it to the top. I replied, well I always have before...I was gobsmacked!
@@honorarenwick6491you know, I get how someone could take it as meaning they look like they aren’t “belonging” outdoors, or “the usual suspects”. But I never considere that it can also sound like the person is a know it all and is claiming this sort of I know more than you persona. As someone who’s said this to other hikers, I do mean well. I’m not saying it from a “I can do everything you cant” way because honestly I am NOT fit. I say it since sometimes I need that encouragement, I’ve never taken it to heart. But with this new knowledge that’s going out of my hiker vocabulary and I’m just sticking to have fun or it look beautiful.
Some people are perpetual victims in their own minds and always looking for a reason to be offended.
I am older and yes, fatter than a lot of young athletic hikers and I’ve attempted some tough trails. When someone says “look at you” or “great job” like one woman said TWICE to me, it sounds condescending, even if you mean well. It sounds like “Good dog!” Or “You went in the potty!”. And truly, I’m not a person who looks to be offended.
This is a terrific list. When you started with "#1, do not listen to music on a speaker" I got so excited. This has become one of my biggest peeves. Maybe it's in my head but it seems like it wasn't an issue before COVID. I noticed a significant increase in the number of people getting outdoors in 2020. While I'm thrilled so many people are finding joy getting "closer to nature", many newbies are unaware there is such a thing as trail etiquette.
It's not just on trails. If you're in public you shouldn't be blasting your own music, talking on speaker phone, watching videos on your phone at full volume.
@@UA8JK I hadn't thought about public etiquette before. Thank you.
Also regarding dogs: not petting people's dogs without asking or being angry when someone says they don't want you to pet their dog. My old senior dog was absolutely adorable but not friendly to strangers. My current puppy is very friendly to everyone but easily distracted and we are struggling with leash training. In both situations it has been really bothersome (and potentially unsafe) for people to sneak up behind us and just start petting my dog, yet it happens all the time.
Today I was hiking and came across paint pen graffiti on a rock at the summit. It was a tag I did my best to remove it with another rock. On the way down there is a beautiful lichen and moss covered boulder. Someone had recently scraped two names through the moss to bare rock. The names lettering was at least 8” high so it did serous and permanent defacement. 😢 please leave no trace
My grandmother would have said about this, "Fools names, fools faces, always found in foolish places."
regarding that last rule, one thing i cant abide as well is people saying "you are almost there" or "only a half mile to go" especially when it is absolutely false. i did a long hike down in Escalante in a hot canyon and it was 3 miles each way. so many people we saw saying this last line even when there was 1.5 miles to go on the way in...that is dangerous in a hot canyon with no water sources!
Staying overnight at a campsite coming in after “ hiker midnight “, keep noise and light disturbances to a minimum use your red light on the head lamp. 😊
When is “hiker midnight”?
@@joano.5431 lol for most, no later than 7:30 /8:00. Depending on when the sun goes down! 😏
One more conversational rule is to never ask a hiker where they're going - especially if they're alone. Learned this one from @TaylortheNahamshaHiker, who shared a bad experience she had with a hiker asking her that when she was hiking the AT.
This is sometimes hard for me to remember, because I love making small talk and when I see a backpacking pack I'm always curious to know what route people are doing. But it can definitely make people feel uncomfortable and unsafe, so I don't ask unless the person brings it up on their own.
I think it's OK to ask where I'm going (as in, where I ultimately hope to end up in 10/20/40 days), but it's not cool to ask where I'm camping tonight. I've had so, so many men ask me this question. I'm sure it's just harmless curiosity most of the time, but please, think of a different question.
I think it's a good idea to let as many people as you can know about your plan so that there is more information in case of an emergency.
I'll ask "where ya headed?" only if it's a guy in a group. Asking a woman or a solo hiker is creepy. By the time I have the words out, I usually have a good feel for whether I need to add "if you don't mind me asking'". But I ask because I'm trying to look out for people. A lot of people are happy to have as many others as possible know about their plans.
@@fruity_hiker We just returned from hiking in Olympic National Park (a group of 5 women). I was stunned at the number of men that asked us where we were camping!! I, too, think it was harmless curiosity but the questions really made us uncomfortable.
People will always tell me "Im almost there" regardless of weather im close or not. Im also very tall usually making a very fast pace. I dont think people say that to be condescending. I think they are just thinking of their own struggle on the way up
Number "3" also applies to narrow roads for vehicles, the vehicle going uphill also has the ROW since it is more dangerous to back down a narrow road than it is to back up a narrow road. On rule #8 sometimes these little critters will also bite the hand that feeds them. One rule that some people are not aware of is don't let branches slap back in someone's face, hang onto it and slowly release it, otherwise it could really be a slap in the face. Nice video on rules to follow for a pleasant outing.
Or push the branch downwards so it doesn't swing back into their face.
Thank you for the no speakers 🔊 ! I hate going from birdsong to bad sound quality 1970s rock bands. And the dogs! I trail run with my pup and the number of times someone has frantically tried to call their dog back is off the charts in the last few years. My favorite though was the lady who was letting her dog run off leash and it chased and got sprayed by a skunk, so then when we came around a corner she had to grab her skunk cover dog and hug it try to restrain it from following us up a different trail. My pup was unimpressed (and unsmelly).
I ride dirt bikes on single track and I'm always getting chased by unleashed dogs. Almost had to shoot one a few years ago because it was actually biting me. Luckily dirt bike boots are tough. And a swift kick in the face was enough to get the dog away.
@@SpacemanXC Thanks for giving me another reason to carry bear spray!
I love what you said about commenting on other hiker’s “progress” or other “encouraging words. I’m a slow hiker. I know that I’m slow and always encourage people behind me to go ahead of me. I was recently on the AT and a very nice woman was trying to encourage me and said, “keep at it-you’ll get better!” I know she was trying to encourage me, but she made me feel worse about being slow. I love hiking and backpacking, but my pace is the major reason I prefer to go alone.
I'm slow too but they usually do mean well. And its true, it does improve. Eleanor Rosevelt said, "No one can make me feel inferior without my permission." Its a good quote to remember for those who AREN'T being nice to you. Truth is everyone will grow old and have problems to deal with. So, I just smile. 😂
Our dog wears a backpack and carries out his poop. If it’s a multi day trip with an outhouse,we’ll empty the poop bags into the toilets and take the empty bags home.
Just home from an overnight trip and we encountered a group having a campfire, they were wandering the campsite looking for wood. I bit my tongue for a bit, but then asked if they were familiar with leave no trace camping and maybe they could reconsider their fire. They actually thanked me the next day, it was a new concept for the group.
I once spent like several minutes trying to get someone’s attention who was listening to music on headphones on a narrow trail and walking slow. I was trying to pass on the trail but they just could not hear me. Finally I gave up and just scooted around them and scared the hell out of them as I did!
Yes!! I honestly didn’t think twice about headphones until you told me this story.
We had a speaker-blasting guy at Wallace Falls last month
I hate this so much on shared cycling/hiking trails. I'll yell and ring my bell, and I still scare the absolute bejesus out of them when I pass them.
I will forever hate the "Havana oonana" song because of this. I needed to escape the noise of the city so I went to a Nature preserve to decompress. No matter how fast or slow I hiked, which other offshoot trails I took, or what I did, I couldn't seem to get away from the mom and her 8 year-old blasting this song from a backpack.
I would never wear headphones when hiking. I play music through my phone. That way I can hear, and animals can hear me coming. You can't hear the music I'm playing till it's time for you to move over and let me pass you.
One thing I don't get is why people have the loudest conversations possible when hiking. I can hear these types 100 yards away.
If you meet people on horses if you would please speak, it really helps. Sometimes the horse doesn't realize the person with a large pack is just a human. I know, its crazy, but they are at the lower end of the food chain and may try to run away...sometimes leaving their rider being "Queen (or king) of the dirt". Yeah, 🤷♀️ I still love them. Happy Trails.
Thanks so much for talking about dogs! We love dogs and always kept our dog on leash and carried out his poop. Know a number of trails now closed to dogs because people don’t follow these rules.
Great info. I would add say “thank you” to those who yield the right of way. Especially to those who don’t have to yield, but do. I’m a mt. biker, trail runner, and hiker so I know it’s not hard to do, even going uphill. We have kept count on hikes; it’s usually less than 50% of bikers and runners that say thanks, and some (hikers, bikers and runners) don’t even acknowledge us as we stand to the side of the trail. Simple courtesy.
This. I have walkes a lot of paths and shared cycle/pedestrian paths - and had a lot of lycrablokes on mountain bikes bombing at me aggressively and shouting for me to get out of the way. Not one word of thanks if I did, or if I did, they expected me to jump out of the way....when actually it's a shared path? I have a right to be there too?
The ironic one is when they are doing that and it's not a cycling path - the coastal paths and Thames Path here are almost all no cycling, but I've had some odd conversations if I point it out. Like some expect signs on a headland or river path in the middle of nowhere every 100 yards telling them not to ride on a path that can barely hold one person walking....it should be fairly common sense! If it's not a wide path that two cyclists can't pass on, it's not a cycle path.
So yes I appreciate those who say thanks. In the case of the shared path, eventually I was like - well actually I have equal priority and put on my headphones and walked down the centre of it because the cyclists weren't being respectful and slowing down for me - respect works both ways . In fact now in law I have more priority in that scenario because they changed the law because of stuff like this, that equal paths meant cyclists just took over and pedestrians avoided them! So like the rule in the video, hikers and pedestrians now have the highest right of way, being the most vulnerable.
Miranda, Thank you for number 7!!! I get nervous every time I see a dog off leash, and with good reason. I have been bitten before while out hiking, literally while the owner was saying "Don't worry, she's friendly." I get that having a dog on leash is more effort for the dog's owner, and perhaps less fun for the dog. I really do. But I really hope that the expectation shifts to always hiking with a dog on leash anyways as it is better for the wildlife, other hikers, and potentially the dog.
Thank you for listing all of these things! I think the next level of pack it in, pack it out, for experienced hikers is- pack out any extra trash you have the capacity to, so you're actually leaving the trail in better condition than you found it.
Absolutely agree! I always carry an extra garbage bag in my hiking pack and come back in with a bunch of trash and recycling. I think the worst was a baby diaper someone chucked off the side of a popular trail here in Colorado. Weighing the options, the picking up of the diaper seemed an appropriate reason to go a few feet off trail. About a half dozen bags of dog poop were also picked up on that hike ... and I don't have a dog. 🤢
@@AspenAmura YES!!! The soggy used diaper is the WORST.
@@AspenAmuraThank you for doing that! I'm really sorry you were put in a position to deal with some jerk's kid's nasty diaper 🤢, but thank you so much for taking care of it! I try always to remember to pack a couple of bags for litter. I find a lot of cigarette butts on trails in WV. 😡 I recently found a flipflop. A couple nights or so later, I found another one.
it would be good to mention etiquette of large groups of hikers/backpackers. I am a solo backpacker and sometimes groups can be REALLY loud and have a BIG presence! Thx for the video and humor!
I’m a hiker and a trail runner. I always call out if I’m passing, both hiking and running. Usually I just offer a “good morning” or whatever. I can say, running, you will still startle people. Hikers need more time than a runner has to even announce themselves.
Also, dog poo - carry an old washed peanut butter jar.. pick up dog poo in bag, tie closed, put in jar and screw lid on. Easy.
Thank you for the lovely video! Super helpful. You’re my favorite backpacking channel for sure as you make hiking and backpacking seem very accessible to everyone.
Thank you!! I’m so glad to hear this, because that is *the* goal!! 🤗
To add to the dog point, some people don’t like dogs… especially strange dogs that they’ve never met before. I know that’s crazy for dog owners but it’s true and it doesn’t make us bad people. Some people have trauma from past experiences with dogs and they don’t want a dog to run up next to them. Keep your animals leashed.
Yep, my daughter and I. And I hate it when some random dog comes running up to me on trail and the owner a few yards back yells out “he’s nice” - once I had a dog jump up and put paws on my shoulders- gave me a freakin heart attack! I was so mad (bcs when I get scared like that, I get mad). The gal said “she’s nice, she’ll just lick you to death” - I don’t care! This is a strange dog with an open mouth full of teeth right next to my face! And on trails that clearly says dogs must be leashed.. but since no one enforces the leash laws, the dog owners don’t care.
I told one gal recently “you know, not everyone likes dogs!” - it seems like that thought can’t even cross their minds, bcs if they like their dog so much then everyone in the world must like dogs too and be oh so happy when the dog runs up to them & jumps up for attention or aggression..
Everyone in my family has had one dog that rolled around in poison oak and then wanted snuggles. Which is why I never pet dogs in the woods.
Me! Got attacked by a dog and have bad allergies. I hate dog culture and the assumption of these dog owners that think everyone has to love their dog or else "you are a terrible person"
@@privatename2426Yep, it's one of the worst kinds of entitlement thinking out on trail.
Here and there at least you can sometimes find wilderness trails off limits to dogs. Some of them have additional annoying restrictions, but a dog-free trail is quite nice in that aspect.
Kids screaming at the top of their lungs and people getting off trail to hit that sweet selfie pose are upon my favorite UNetiquetted experience. These seem to happen a lot on Missouri trails. Lol!
Letting kids run ahead, tear down vegetation, all the while screaming -such fun… and the parents constantly shouting and screaming at them. I remember a sign in Muir Woods saying something like: ‘ if you must talk, use whispers as if in a cathedral’. Unfortunately, 1/3 of the jerks were shouting, laughing and even talking on their phones! Some didn’t have English as their 1st language, but most were just morons. I have been disgusted by most Boy Scout troops I’ve run into for similar reasons-running amok, cutting veg, using crude, rude language and worse leaders - yes, boys will be boys, unless taught that inside voices also pertains to wilderness! One Boy Scout group took our back country campsite - because they didn’t want to go all the way to the group site! Destroyed a good single site and left us to find another (now illegal) site in the dusk… However, kids can be educated! There was one group of teens I will always remember because of their Good behavior. We were admiring a beautiful rocky flowing river and the singing of birds, when around six, 14-17 year olds came out of the woods so quietly we didn’t notice them until they were at the bank at a respectable distance. We all only smiled and nodded hello and sat and enjoyed the scenery. They understood the sanctity of the area. Not to say it was because they were Ojibwa, but they obviously had been taught right! 😊 I guess “some people” could have been freaked out by quiet ‘minority’ teens ‘sneaking up on them’, but it seemed to us that we all understood how special and awe inspiring this area was. It made me hopeful that we CAN teach kids to be respectful when out in the wilderness. I like to tell young kids who I’m outside with that we use inside voices because we are IN someone else’s home-the animals. Also tell them if quieter, might see a deer, or porcupine. Only need to make some noise if in bear or cougar company… Have actually stopped a loudly squealing kid by explaining she was imitating hurt prey(we first thought she was a dying rabbit!) and might Attract Predators. This might make some kids
Squeal more, but it sure shut her up and made her Mom tell her to be quiet!😂
What an awesome list Miranda! That was super helpful being a newbie hiker myself. Yours and Rainer’s reenactments were on point and hilarious! You guys rock!!
I really appreciate how you keep the beginner in mind and give people the benefit of thr doubt. ❤
I am over 70 and have been hiking since early childhood. I have also been a guide including very large groups.. Thank you for making this video. Its an excellent list.
I hike with my dogs on the lead all the time. Have a waist belt lead so I can be hands free whilst we walk :)
Other great idea for poo bags, I use a 75mm pipe that's around 300mm long. Sealed on one end and screw top on the other. Pick up poo and then bag goes in to tube and seals up. Fits in my roll top or side pocket of bag. Saves carrying bags in my hand the whole way 😁😁
Excellent video and topic Miranda! It's following a few simple rules of etiquette (and common courtesy) that makes the hiking experience enjoyable for all :) Huge congrats on 100k by the way... well deserved! 👍
Well made and spoken video! Places like Facebook groups and reddit have shown there's a lot of jaded gatekeeping hikers who forget the part about everyone starts and learns at a different pace.
Another trail etiquette I would add, is don't just stop and take break in the center of a trail, move over to the side 1st. It's so annoying to have to try to step over or go off trail to get around a group of people who just decide to sit down right on the trail. Also with the Trail running part, I had someone run past us on Angel's landing in Zion national park with out saying anything. That was the scariest part of the whole hike.
Inventing pointless fears is really immature.
@@johnsmith1474the trail runners that go up angels landing is pretty bonkers
Those sitting on trail must be snowboarders. :)
@@johnsmith1474when referring to one of the deadliest trails on the continent, that is not an irrational fear by any stretch. In fact the biggest threat to people in the forest is other people.
As for me I would likely have a different response: I would be rightfully pissed at such rudeness on that trail and might even go Lonesome Dove Tommy Lee Jones on somebody some day, so don't be that rude guy.
Yesterday during a hike in 4 miles of sand in the Cape Cod National Seashore, I encountered some people who were not on the trail, but rather stomping along through the vegetation. I understand why it was tempting for them, the soft sand is slow going and the areas with vegetation provide firmer footing. But erosion is such a concern out here! With every step as we approached, I debated and struggled with speaking up. Ultimately, my conflict avoidance kicked in and I simply said, “Hello.”
Thank you for a great video. I love your goofiness, but I also absolutely love your honest and heartfelt moments with the camera.
"youre Almost there". I have never thought bad of anyone who says it as I know that they are being nice and trying to be encouraging which I appreciate, but I'm so happy that Miranda mentions this especially as:
1. People who say "you're almost there" are almost always wrong! Its a well known joke eg. I've been given the "you're almost there" literally 4 hours from the end of a marked trail. Its almost never true 🤣. Folk coming downtrail often judge the distance they've already covered differently.
2. Its funny because they never know what the persons end destination is (I often dont go straight to a high-traffic summit), because they often dont know what they're talking about they can seem a little silly for assuming they know my plans.. 😅.
3. People hike at different speeds, what others assume is "almost there" is for me, a very slow hiker, usually nowhere close, and its not enjoyable to be regularly reminded (I got told 7/8 times two days ago on Scafell Pike in the UK) how much slower I am than seemingly everyone else around me. It ends up haveing the exact opposite affect than it was intended. ie.I get told that Im almost there, an hour later I get told again, and then 20 mins later I get told again. I begin to believe that the end is so much farther than I had anticipated.
4. People hike differently, eg. many dont like to listen to music or track their coverage so closely. Some like to immerse myself in the hike and not be counting down the miles to the top. I love being surprised by a view and feel like I ease up prematurely if I know the end is close. "youre almost there" significantly detracts from some peoples enjoyment.
5. People rarely go on trail without knowing some idea of the distance and time they are covering. "youre Almost there" does not convey much useful information other than "I have decided that you look like you need the encouragement" (many hiking for fitness will hear "youre stuggling, you're weak").
6. As a very large person from a demographic that doesn't typically enter these spaces, it's always a reminder to me that others think of me as struggling, not used to this, inexperienced, that I stand out and dont quite belong or may not be able to achieve my goals without their benevolent "support". To many people in these comments, it comes accross as very condescending.
I know it's not a huge deal, but I agree with Miranda that in this instance it can be better to hold back your opinion or information on someones journey unless they ask you for it. Personally, I still appreciate the intent of the phrase and usually have postivie interactions with anyone that says it. - I just might do a video on this phrase myself!!
The most important thing isn't being welcoming. It's *safety*, as in, you're out in the wilderness and see someone being a jackass, make your default behaviour to always be to ignore and walk on, and lead by example. I hike (backcountry and front country) with two kids, and I've stopped even considering saying anything because of some dodge-y interactions. For example, we arrived at an alpine lake to camp during a devastating wildfire season and a fire ban, only to find people having a campfire. Rather than say anything and risk pushback while tenting alone with my kids, we kept to ourselves.
Awesome video, Miranda! Should be required viewing for anyone going further than the side of the road for a pee.
Yes - taking care of yourself and your safety is the most important thing 💚
Thanks for making this video! It covers the most important things for sure. In our region (mid Atlantic), the parks are small and the chances of running into a volunteer trail steward are high. Similar to keeping one ear open, it's a good idea to keep half a mind open to the work being done to maintain the trail. There can be hundreds of reasons for the work being done, and sometimes folks criticize before asking why or offering to help. The lack of appreciation can lead to volunteer burnout and then, the trails aren't as nice for everyone.
This was so helpful! And I love how you emphasize being welcoming and having grace for beginners and people learning.
I do t even hike very often, but I love your videos. Your energy is infectious!
Great video - I’d happily share this with my kids / scouts who are trying to learn trail etiquette. Leaving no trace should be a lifestyle - not just what you do on the trail.
Yay! Always a good weekend with a Miranda video!
🥰 thank you!!
You should do a video on the unspoken rules once you're at camp. I took my wife backpacking for the first time and there was a group of people that went skinny dipping at the lake we were nearby and then stayed up very late being very loud. I also heard some of them as they want past talking about how much they like to take an "aqua dump"
Congratulations on 100k! That’s awesome!👏👍👏😁💛
YAY thank you!!! 🥳
Great advice on how to deal with someone breaking hiking etiquette. That advice also works well for life in general!
Congrats on getting to 100,000 subscribers! Your channel ROCK 🙂
What a great video, thanks for the useful tips Miranda!
While on the way down from a hike in Zion this summer, lots of people I met going up asked me to tell they were almost there! 😂 It was a deceivingly hard trail 👣 It created great laughs and helped with the sucky parts! (I understand it's not for everyone)
Every time I've heard it, it always made me feel great, every time I've given it the person looked like they took it very well.
I'm always confused about the mountain biker one. I've never had a biker yield to me, ever. They just yell when they are approaching (fast) and expect me to move regardless of the direction. I don't always want to get splashed by mud when I am slow to react. I've had so many bad experiences with bikers that I'd rather find trails where I'm less likely to encounter them. :(
Most of our trails here are shared with bikers. They move fast and often don’t yell out that they are coming. I have to stay extra alert so I can leap out of the way as they come zooming down the trail or around a corner. Trails are pretty narrow too so I have to jump into the weeds off trail and hope there’s no parsnip or poison ivy. Gets frustrating and somewhat dangerous
This is why everyone should just yield to the bikers. Even if we're not "bombing" the trail its still much harder for us to stop going downhill. Up hill is different.
@@SpacemanXC this seems counterintuitive to me: up hill you are invested and harder to restart. Downhill: you should be able to stop (right?) and easier to continue on. IDK, it is an interesting conversation for sure. I mostly just ramble around the woods, so I may not have a good understanding😸
@@kat.p.b.5193 I'm happy to stop if I'm pedaling uphill. I'm in shape but I'm not David Goggins. I dont think there's anything wrong with taking breaks.
Downhill we have momentum, plus the uncertainty of traction. What if you expect me to stop and I hit a slippery patch of dirt, which could have been rolled over, but since I braked it makes me fall? This isn't some random hypothetical btw, this can happen on my motorcycle too.
@@SpacemanXC Thanks for the reply! I never even considered that a rider may not have control of their bike: good to know😸Happy Trails!!
Hey, Miranda, thank You for another great video ❤and congrats on reaching 100k🍄!
Much love and respect sent to you Miranda. Great job.
Your final tip reminded me of a funny story... i was backpacking Catalina island, on my way back to the ferry to get home, I was a bit behind schedule so I was running with my whole pack on and very sweaty… I come across a Jeep tour full of people and when they see me coming they all start giving me an applause. they were trying to be encouraging or something but it was just really embarrassing
#1 and #7 are probably my biggest pet peeves. Thankfully I don't encounter loud music as often as I did a few years ago when there were understandably a lot more people enjoying the trails.
Dogs and leashes and poo bags though, that is very much an issue all the time. My dog loves meeting other pups most of the time, she does not like being snuck up on by a random doodle while their person yells "oh it's okay, he's nice!" 😒
And the poo bags..I still cannot for the life of me understand why someone takes the time to bag it up only to throw it on a tree branch. Is it a science experiment? Art installation? Help me understand. Or just like, take it with you instead please 😁
Or atleast flip it into the woods. I find piles IN the middle of the trail and poo bags? Literally, nobody wants to clean up your mess! Its your puppy, be responsible.
I think they don't want to carry it along and put it somewhere visible, telling themselves they'll remember to grab it on the way out. Not defending this choice, because no one else wants to look at that, and it's WAY too easy to forget.
Enjoyed this video! Great tips delivered in a fun way. Laugh meter definitely had some hits.
Congratulations on 100k subscribers!! 🎉🎉
Thank you so much!! 🥰
Having a good time is important trail etiquette 😄 Thanks for bringing up these rules! A good refresher before prime hiking season in my state 🌵 I learned the importance of not feeding the wildlife when I saw the squirrels at the Grand Canyon when I was a kid.
Those Squirrels tried to crawl IN my backpack sitting beside me when I stopped for a break on the North Rim Trail. Sure, they're adorable, and I totally understand the compulsion to want to take care of something small and adorable and have a Disney Princess moment. However, it's not about what we want, it's about what's best for the Wildlife. And last I checked, the Squirrels in the Grand Canyon do not need a can of Pringles and a Snickers. 😂
Good video, which backpack are you using? Looks like a Gregory??
I worked there years ago and we had squirrels on the south rim by an ice cream store that could hold the cone in their lil hands. Not a normal activity for them
another reason for leashing your dog! I met a guy whos off leash dog ran off a cliff while hiking. he was just trying to save his dog when he also fell, he barely survived the fall but his dog didn't survive... leash your dog they don't know the terrain and they're curious they could easily find themselves in precarious positions
i knew someone who had to evacuate a dog that drowned while the owner corralled the children, so...dragging your dead dog out of the woods with two crying kids in tow is also an option
Very informative. I’ve gone off trail but not on purpose. Sometimes the blazes lead you the wrong way because they are nonexistent so you’re not sure which way to go. Happy trails.🤘🏻🥾⛰️
Thank you so much. Everyone needs to know these rules. I learned a thing or two as well thanks for the video.
I found a canister online called a Dog Doo Tube. It’s a smell proof and leak proof canister you can clip to your pack to easily carry out your dog poop bags. It makes carrying dog poop much easier. The only downside is if you forget to empty it and leave it the hot car 😅 I have 2 small dogs and it can carry a few bags.
Thanks for sharing!
Love this!! OMG yes baking your dog poop in a hot car doesn’t sound like a pleasant problem to deal with later 😅
Enjoying your videos Miranda,. With #6, what to do when you do get off trial by mistake, what to look for if the trail is not well marked, and how to not to end up lost and bushwacking the rest of the day.
Great video, and I wish all hikers could see it! As for yielding to horses, I was taught that if on a hill, you should stand downhill from the horse, not uphill, as they find that threatening.
Great information!! Thank you!
Thank you for mentioning the 'you're almost there' and 'you can do it' or whatever comments. I'm a middle-aged slightly overweight hiker who does struggle sometimes and people saying that to me is not encouraging, it makes me extremely self conscious. I know they probably mean well. Also, when people say 'you're almost there', they're almost always lying.
As someone who pretty frequently looks like they’re struggling on trail, I only appreciate “almost there” comments if they are very specific. “Hey! You have like 2 switchbacks to the lake.” Then its more info and less subjective/judgmental. 😊
Thank you for the tips! 😊
As a new hiker, thanks for the informative video!
Every dog owner needs to hear: Your dog is not as friendly as you think. I was attacked by a dog while riding my bikes in the woods... a "super friendly" dog according to it's owner, but it had never seen a mountain biker before and went into primal mode. The girl was screaming at her dog but it would simply not stop growling and lunging at me. So yeah... just put your dog on a leash. If it bites someone, more than likely it'll be put down, so don't risk it!
Human beings aside, there is no mammal more deadly and injurious to people than pet dogs, massively so. Fearing other forest animals more than dogs is less logical than fearing to fly commercial while wrecklessly driving everywhere in an old car without seatbelts. Familiarity may breed contempt but it does not increase safety, only a false delusion of safety.
One "Pet" peeve is the people who let their dogs run up on people and say "oh he's friendly" only to have the dog attack another dog or the hiker. It is a foreign environment and dogs may act differently than they do at home.
Yes I hate this as well!! They have no respect for others space.
Agreed. İt also ignores the fact that while your dog may in fact be friendly, but everyone wants a friendly dog jumping on them with muddy paws or slobbering on them in excitement. At the very least they are going to break your stride!
Woohooo!!! 100K!!! I love this list. Especially the dogs on leash.
Great tips. Thank you
Love your videos keep up the great content
Thank you!! I will 🥳
Great video and thanks for educating folks. I'd like to mention one other thing. If someone is hiking faster than you (in the same direction), move out of the way once you realize it and they are getting close to you. It's really frustrating when folks who are moving slower than you (especially groups of people) refuse to move out of the way for people who are hiking at a faster pace. I've had this happen so many times, when the slower person or people knew full well I was going faster and they try to speed up to stay ahead or just straight up refuse to move aside on the trail, forcing me to go around then off-trail. Everyone moves at their own pace, so there is no shame in moving out of the way for someone moving faster (I always move out of the way for faster hikers to pass). Trying to speed up doesn't work and refusing to get out of the way when you know someone wants to pass is really rude and inconsiderate. I am very appreciative of folks who do move out of the way. And I will definitely judge you if you try to speed up to stay ahead and/or refuse to move and make me have to go awkwardly around you. Also, groups of people really should try to more aware of how much space they are taking on a trail and that there are other people using these shared spaces. Thanks again!
Congratulations on 100K subscribers!!!!! 🤩
Great video! Congratulations on hitting 100000 subs!
One time while mountain biking I was huffing and puffing on a tough climb, when I happened to pass a large group of hikers.. who upon seeing me went on to very over-enthusiastically cheer and clap for me lol. My first thought was “damn I must look like a sad sack of $hit”
The number one thing I'd like more people to consider is the angle at which they're pointing their trekking poles (or ice axes!) - I've had them waved too close to my face too many times
I am absolutely going to encourage everyone and anyone. Hiking is hard!
Thank you Amanda. Not only all the dogs things you mentioned, but dogs can get themselves into trouble by eating things they shouldn’t. I have an older dog, and we had a lot of issues of getting rid of giardia…..so she never is off leash now. I feel bad I can’t let them off leash, but they have a safe yard to be off leash.
I hope more people see this RE: right of way! When I did the Whites on the AT, maneuvering around day hikers on Mt. Washington was my least favourite thing. I think spatial awareness is a definite skill to learn 😅
I agree with all those items. My dad and I almost had to get physical when we came across an empty campsite with 20+ beer cans sitting around and a little try chopped down and put into a fire. The site was empty with an open fire. We stopped when leaving the area to clean the campsite and put out the fire. These two hillbillies drove up yelling and cursing until we pulled our pistols. We contacted the Rangers when we left and they let us down the trail. They asked if we're okay and thanked us, and then asked for pics of the men. They emailed us the following week to tell us those guys had been arrested.
It's good that you carry. Not enough people do.
wow. I'm from New Mexico, and we get similar guys who move there to get away from Black people and the American Government. We have both, and the ignorance of these losers is matched only by their sheer nastiness.
Yesterday, I was hiking up a trail in the San Gabriels, and took a minute to rest at a primitive campsite. Some hikers had built a fire pit for later (looked like they were out hiking) and some older hikers came up and tore it apart.. Campfires are strictly forbidden here, because, well, Southern California, and it’s dry as a bone in the summer, even with all the rain we’ve had.
This happens to be one of the most beautiful spots in the San Gabriels (Ice House Canyon) and to see it get torched because of some idiots campfire would be heartbreaking. Also, the town below in the valley essentially only has one way in and out. Some people have zero common sense
Every experienced hiker that I know kicks apart random rock circles. They do not give you permission to make a fire. I’m sick to death of putting out wildfires. It happens on every trail these days. And I want to be clear I am not exaggerating. There is no reason to ever make a fire. Learn to use your gear to get warm.
Woooo 100K subscribers, well done! 👍
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for this video!
When hiking in Acadia, a maybe 12 year old with his parents went past and said "your not even close!"😂. My group had such a good laugh that we forgot how hard that section of trail was. But yah, a greeting might have been more appropriate.
That would be my kind of humor.
Another rule is don't take anything with you out of the woods or off the trail. Like leave the rocks where they are, and don't cut branches off trees to make a cool wizard staff.
Always good reminders even for seasoned hikers 😊
😆 “cool wizard staff” YES. Leave it be!! You can be a wizard without chopping branches off trees. So I’ve heard.
@@MirandaGoesOutside I'm pretty sure Gandalf's staff was made from dead fall 😁
Absolutely agree! It’s starting to be a challenge in the Adirondacks. People creating little gnome houses or painting rocks with watercolors. Cute (maybe), but not good when you’re out in nature. Leave it be. Nature is beautiful on its own!
@adkonmymind yes, it's cute, but definitely not LNT. Maybe if CZcamsrs stop showing them on their channels, people will stop leaving them 🤔 😉
In Arizona, people want a dead saguaro rib as a hiking stick. Leave the dead sticks alone, too!
Since I solo hike a lot my personal rule on ROW is not that I want/expect ROW going uphill it is that I will yield to a group and let them pass either direction. That mindset also encourages me to find the most comfortable layby to do so.
Congratulations on 100K🎉❤
The thing about leashing your dog for their own protection can be very true. Besides being able to pull them back away from a poisonous snake or porcupine, there’s also what happened to my wife and I. We were hiking with our dog on leash and she walked across an unseen icy sloped rock and slid off a ledge that was not survivable if you went over. Luckily my wife yanked her right back up over the edge. It happened in a blink of an eye, but because of the leash, we still have our four legged hiking partner.
MGO reached 100k!! 🎉 congrats crew ❤
Will you be reviewing day packs in a future video? I've noticed that you've been using a few different packs, Gregory, Cotopaxi, REI, perhaps to test them out??
Thanks for telling us about the apple cores and banana peels!
Communicating about unexpected trail hazards (washed-out trail, venomous snakes etc) and other trail events (like lost pets) seems like good etiquette.
Number 6 made me think of a video idea: how to identify trails as a new hiker/backpacker. I can’t count the number of times in your videos where you’ll be hiking and you point out something on the trail in front of you and I’m just like 👁️👄👁️ what trail???
Great video! Sunflower seed shells are my pet peeve for “compostable trash” people leave behind. Though I suppose it’s not as bad as dog poop bags on the trail, so thanks for calling that one out.
That was such an authentic "Miranda just snuck up on me" face he made!!! Well done, Dude!!! 😂
Thank you for the etiquette list. I recently hiked the Russian Gulch State Park Trail. I was appalled with the toilet paper along the trail. I kept saying pack out your toilet paper. The used toilet paper ruins the environment and scenery. 😢
I keep a few baby wipes in a ziplock bag with another ziplock bag tucked inside for the used wipes. Super gross to come across used tp on trail.. also I have come across dirty boxers and underwear 😳🤢
@AllThingsConsidered333 I think back, I should have said something to the Park Ranger when I left the park. Maybe they could post a sign by the entrance to the trailhead. It just gets me in the wrong way because there is a bathroom at the trailhead and a pot toilet halfway along the trail.