Section Hiking Etiquette

[FlyPaper]

I usually pick a spot where I'm going to stop. If I see a person 50 yards away, I may project a point to step off the trail that will be when we are within about 5 yards.

More often than not the other person has already stepped off the trail before I reach that point. Boy Scouts seem to step aside when they're 20 yards away. Most others about 10 yards.

[FreeGoldRush]

I usually pick a spot where I'm going to stop. If I see a person 50 yards away, I may project a point to step off the trail that will be when we are within about 5 yards.
More often than not the other person has already stepped off the trail before I reach that point. Boy Scouts seem to step aside when they're 20 yards away. Most others about 10 yards.

Right. This is how it works. And in those rare instances where you encounter someone rude enough for it not to work, what makes you think they will follow some rule?

Just hike and be nice. This isn’t hard.

[CalebJ]

In 40 years of backpacking trails in the Southeast including the AT I never came close to getting run over by anyone, moron or not.

I'm not quite to thirty years on the AT, but same experience - no one has ever come anywhere near running me over. Of all the things to make a big deal about...

[Alligator]

I usually pick a spot where I'm going to stop. If I see a person 50 yards away, I may project a point to step off the trail that will be when we are within about 5 yards.

More often than not the other person has already stepped off the trail before I reach that point. Boy Scouts seem to step aside when they're 20 yards away. Most others about 10 yards.

Exactly. It costs about a second of time and even if I do this for 60 people in a day I have lost what 1 or 2 minutes but have been polite to 60 people. If it's a group, much easier for a single person to step out of the way rather than expecting multiple people to find a spot if it is narrow. And if the other person stops first, just say thanks.

[FreeGoldRush]

You also need those micro rest stops that come with letting someone pass. Even on my crazy big mileage days I welcomed the little break as I let someone pass or used the opportunity to chat. There’s really no penalty associated with letting someone pass you. Not surprisingly, other people feel the same way and are just as eager to get out of your way.

And always say, “Thank you” when the other person steps aside first and your preference is to keep your pace. It came out of my mouth about 5,000 times before I was done with the trail.

If you feel other people should follow a rule and are therefore obligated to take some action at certain times, then you will find yourself more often disappointed and less often appreciative.

[FlyPaper]

Right. This is how it works. And in those rare instances where you encounter someone rude enough for it not to work, what makes you think they will follow some rule?

Just hike and be nice. This isn’t hard.

It doesn't matter if they follow the same rule because I'll have stepped to the side before I find out that they weren't going to stop. Still, in over 1200 miles I haven't had a problem.

[Storm]

Been section hiking the trail since 2011. Have never had an issue with a thru hiker or day hiker. Golden rule always applies, treat other people like you would want to be treated. A little respect goes a long way.
On the issue of passing people on the trail , I usually try to step to the side first either up hill or down because I am very slow and usually need the rest. lol.

[sore ankle]

I have been sectioning since 2005 and am just about to Maine. In nearly 1900 miles I have never had an issue with this. Generally, I step aside and as the other hiker(s) go past they say "Thanks" and I reply, "I needed a break anyway." Stepping aside has also led to so some really good conversations in which trail info is shared.

[fastfoxengineering]

The only problem I've ever had is hikers not letting me pass them. It's most likely due to inexperience. However, when someone catches up to you from behind and it is clear (or I thought) their pace is faster than yours. It's typically no biggie and most people get it right away. However there has been a few times people turned around saw me flying down the trail. Stop. Look. And then just continue down the trail not letting me pass lol.. then I have to awkwardly ask if I can pass them even though its quite obvious that they shoulda just stepped to the left real quick. I got a snarly look once or twice by people who are now kind of irrritated I'm right on their butt.... but if they just scoot aside I'll be gone never to be seen again. I don't tailgate anyone intentionally. But man if someone catches you whos flying down the trail.. just let them cruise on by. I've even heard "why is he running down the trail?!" In a snarky tone by some older ladies. In reality. They were descending at 1mph. And I was closer to 3-4mph. No.. I'm not going to hike the rest of this hill down in a line with you at 1 mph. Rather I have another 15 miles to hike today!

[peakbagger]

I was in Maine once on a long puncheon bridge over swampy area. It was probably 200 feet of puncheons. It was decidedly wet on either side of the puncheons. Not a lot of options to step aside. We were more than half way across going south and a person who looked like a thruhiker came out the woods head down and started walking on the puncheons towards us. We were polite at first saying "hey" but she was clueless with head down, we finally yelled at her when she was 20 feet away and she got startled and stepped off into the mud. Turns out she had earbuds on with the tunes cranked and was oblivious to the rest of the world. We apologized and she just waited until we passed and stepped back on the puncheons with head down and tunes cranked.

The passing issue is getting to be bit of PITA on certain trails in the whites popular with trail runners as some runners seem to feel that they have the absolute right of way. Its not the majority but a very noticeable minority. Many are timing their runs and my experience is some get very impatient if someone is using the same trail they picked for a run. I have seen a few of them pass in very unsafe spots where they have stepped right in front of someone boulder hopping down the trail cutting them off in mid stride. The normal hiking method is the faster hiker undertaking a slower hiker usually says "excuse me" to alert the slower hikers. Many runners use the same technique but the one who dont are getting more noticeable.

Many are solo and dont make a lot of noise and its easy for them to catch up with slower hikers without the slower hikers noticing it. One day we discussed that the runners need bells on them

[fastfoxengineering]

I was in Maine once on a long puncheon bridge over swampy area. It was probably 200 feet of puncheons. It was decidedly wet on either side of the puncheons. Not a lot of options to step aside. We were more than half way across going south and a person who looked like a thruhiker came out the woods head down and started walking on the puncheons towards us. We were polite at first saying "hey" but she was clueless with head down, we finally yelled at her when she was 20 feet away and she got startled and stepped off into the mud. Turns out she had earbuds on with the tunes cranked and was oblivious to the rest of the world. We apologized and she just waited until we passed and stepped back on the puncheons with head down and tunes cranked.

The passing issue is getting to be bit of PITA on certain trails in the whites popular with trail runners as some runners seem to feel that they have the absolute right of way. Its not the majority but a very noticeable minority. Many are timing their runs and my experience is some get very impatient if someone is using the same trail they picked for a run. I have seen a few of them pass in very unsafe spots where they have stepped right in front of someone boulder hopping down the trail cutting them off in mid stride. The normal hiking method is the faster hiker undertaking a slower hiker usually says "excuse me" to alert the slower hikers. Many runners use the same technique but the one who dont are getting more noticeable.

Many are solo and dont make a lot of noise and its easy for them to catch up with slower hikers without the slower hikers noticing it. One day we discussed that the runners need bells on them

I've experienced this more and more in the whites. I've almost been run over once or twice by a trail runner. I'm pretty chill about moving out of the way for someone hauling ass... but I have definitely encountered the "get out of my way" trail runner. I understand they are out there racing themselves. But you can't get pissed at a group for slowing you down or are in your way for a few moments because you decided to run a marked trail.

I've seen it going up flume slide. A younger inexperienced couple doing fine but a little shaky. They had never hiked anything like that before. Someone practically climbed up the slide full steam and just went right by them. Would of even made me uncomfortable. At least let me find a nice place to park it for a moment before overtaking the trail. Especially on a rock slide where you could potentially get really hurt.

[Ashepabst]

Yeah, I hate the dudes that make you ask to pass —like it hurts their pride or something. They tend to be dayhikers that stick to the tourist trails, though.


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