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Being a Good Neighbor

All hikers take with them a responsibility not only for their own safety, but for being good stewards of the natural environment. Be respectful of the land you are visiting, and leave it in the same condition as you found it. Common sense should make the following rules obvious: never litter; never pick wildflowers; never cut switchbacks; and never let your dog or children chase wildlife. Less obvious guidelines help not only to preserve the resource but to leave it in even better shape than before you arrived. One easy thing to do is to pick up any litter left by others. You should also do some minor trail maintenance as you hike by removing rocks, limbs, and debris from the path.

These rules are either common courtesy or carry the force of law: avoid disturbing other hikers and wildlife with shouts or any other unnatural sounds; leave all plants, mushrooms, logs, and even rocks where nature put them; do not damage or remove any item of historic or archaeological interest, such as Native American vision-quest sites or pits, old trapper cabins, pottery, or arrowheads, all of which are protected by federal law; stay on the trail and avoid trampling plants, especially delicate meadows and streamside locations that tend to draw crowds.