Points on Hiking Etiquette

 I suspect that you love hiking if you are reading this. You love going out there, walking, observing the beauty of nature, and just taking it all in. All the energy that you get from being out there fills up your body, and you feel alive again. However there are some people who still manage to make hiking a less than pleasant experience. I would like to address some behaviors that I have come across, and I had to deal with throughout my hikes that absolutely drove me crazy.

Be silent

This is probably what drives me crazy the most. People that go around thinking that they if they just walk around on the trails, shouting all kinds of things, they will not affect the comfort of other people. This is a lie. Other people are on the trail, and they want to enjoy being out there as well. Please do not make more noise than it is necessary. I don't want you to be absolutely silent, not talking to each other, but I have problems with people listening to loud music on the trail. Why did you even go out into the wild if you want to listen to David Guetta instead of birds and the sounds of nature. It is not even a problem if you want to listen to music, but please use headphones.

Don't throw away your trash

Seriously, do I have to still write about this issue in 2014? I understand that there are no trashcans on most trails, but it is not a big ask of you to put away your trash into your backpack. You can then throw your trash out when you get home, or you arrive at a gas station or at a trash bin upon returning to the city.

Leaving your trash on the trail can ruin the experience of other hikers because it looks bad, and it reminds them that other people are on the trail and they are not alone. The garbage can also destroy the wildlife of the areas. Small critters or birds might get trapped in the garbage, or the wild animals might start eating the garbage. This can have two results. Either the animal will die because it can't consume the trash and it destroys the interiors of the animal, or the animal can get hooked on garbage, and it might refuse to consume its previous foods. This can lead to the breakdown of the local food chain.

Keep your dog on a leash

A strain dog can be annoying to all of us. If you have a dog free, without a leash it will run around the forest, and scare the hell out of other hikers. Even if it means no harm a dog running at you at full speed and jumping on you can scare the hell out of you. I don't even care that much if you don't have your dog on a leash, but you have to train it then. You have to make sure that the dog is respectful to other hikers, stays by your side all the time, so that everyone can enjoy the experience that nature provides.

Conclusion

Nature and wildlife are resources that belong to all of us. But we can enjoy it to its full extent only if we let each other do so. Be respectful, make sure that you are not annoying other people, and everyone will be a lot better off. If you want to read more about hiking etiquette, you can do so here.