TTRAVEL RESPONSIBLY

RRESPECT THE RIGHTS OF OTHERS

EEDUCATE YOURSELF MOUNTAIN
By practicing the Tread Lightly! principles,
you not only care for the environment and AAVOID SENSITIVE AREAS BIKING
DDO YOUR PART
reduce conflicts among recreationists, you
help protect access to recreational areas for
years to come.

Tread Lightly!® is a national nonprofit

organization with a mission to promote
responsible recreation through ethics
education and stewardship. It is considered
the nation’s signature ethics message for
outdoor enthusiasts that use motorized
vehicles while enjoying trails and waterways.
Tread Lightly! offers unique training and
restoration programs strategically designed
to instill an ethic of responsibility in a wide
variety of outdoor enthusiasts and the
industries that serve them.

ON LAND AND WATER

To learn more, contact Tread Lightly! at

Phone: 800-966-9900
Email: treadlightly@treadlightly.org
Or visit us on the web at www.treadlightly.org

Download The Tread Lightly! Guide to

Responsible Mountain Biking for more useful
information for riding in the great outdoors
at www.treadlightly.org.

Brought to you by

TREAD LIGHTLY!’S
RESPONSIBLE RECREATION TIPS
TTRAVEL RESPONSIBLY aa When encountering horses on the trail, move
to the side of the trail, stop, remove your
Travel responsibly on designated roads
and trails or in permitted areas.
helmet and speak—you want the horse to
know you are human. Ask the rider the best DDO YOUR PART
way to proceed. Do your part by modeling appropriate
aa Avoid trails that are obviously wet and muddy. aa Keep the dust down. behavior, leaving the area better than
aa Cross streams slowly, at a 90-degree angle to you found it, properly disposing of waste,
the stream. minimizing the use of fire, avoiding the
spread of invasive species, and restoring
aa When climbing, use a gear that provides
comfortable momentum and maintains
traction.
EEDUCATE YOURSELF degraded areas.

Educate yourself prior to your trip by

aa When descending, avoid locking your bike’s
obtaining travel maps and regulations aa Carry a trash bag on your bike and pick up
wheels, which gauges the trail.
from public agencies, planning for your litter left by others.
aa Ride in the middle of the trails to minimize
trip, taking recreation skills classes, and aa Pack out what you pack in.
widening of the trails. Avoid sideslipping,
which can lead to erosion. knowing how to operate your equipment
aa Practice minimum impact camping by using
safely. established sites and camping 200 feet from
aa Slow down when sight lines are poor.
aa Maintain a reasonable distance between you water resources and trails.
and your fellow riders. aa Obtain a map of your destination and aa Observe proper sanitary waste disposal or
aa Make your presence known when approaching determine which areas are open to mountain pack your waste out.
others and going around blind corners. bikes. aa Before and after a ride, wash your mountain
aa Comply with all signs and respect barriers. aa Make a realistic plan and stick to it. Always bike and support vehicle to reduce the
aa Buddy up with two or three riders, reducing tell someone of your travel plans. spread of invasive species.
vulnerability if you have an accident or aa Contact the land manager for area restrictions, aa Build a trail community. Get to know
breakdown. closures, and permit requirements. other types of recreationists that share your
aa Listening to headphones or ear buds can make aa Check the weather forecast. favorite trail.
it difficult to hear and communicate with other aa Be sure your mountain bike is properly
recreationists. In some areas it is illegal to maintained.
operate bikes with both ears covered. aa Prepare for the unexpected by carrying
aa Don’t mix riding with alcohol or drugs. emergency items.
aa Wear a helmet, eye protection, and other
safety gear.

RRESPECT THE RIGHTS OF OTHERS

Respect the rights of others, including
private property owners, all recreational
trail users, campers and others so they
AAVOID SENSITIVE AREAS Ride slowly around Ride over obstacles,
Avoid sensitive areas such as meadows,
can enjoy their recreational activities blind corners. not around.
lakeshores, wetlands and streams, unless
undisturbed. on designated routes.

aa Be considerate of others on the road or trail.

aa Leave gates as you find them. aa Other sensitive habitats to avoid, unless on
aa If crossing private property, be sure to ask designated routes, include cryptobiotic soils
permission from the landowner(s). of the desert, tundra, and seasonal nesting or
aa Yield the right of way to those passing you or breeding areas.
traveling uphill. aa Do not disturb historical, archeological, or
aa Proceed with caution around pack animals. paleontological sites.
Sudden, unfamiliar activity may spook aa Avoid “spooking” livestock and wildlife you Slow down around Don’t cut switchbacks.
animals—possibly causing injury to animals, encounter and keep your distance. hikers and wait for
handlers, and others on the trail. aa Motorized and mechanized vehicles are not them to move off trail
allowed in designated Wilderness Areas. before passing.