How Not To Be A Jerk On Colorado Trails

Hiking is a great way to reconnect. With you yourself, with nature, and it's an awesome way to achieve some life balance and decompress from this everyday grind that we call life itself.

With that being said, most of the people I encounter - whether it be on a mellow hike or a strenuous climb on a 14'er - are fantastic human beings and very nice people.

But, just like anywhere else, there are jerks out there and I'm here to help you not be one of those jerks while you're enjoying the great outdoors in our beautiful state of Colorado.

There are several things that you can do while out hiking that prove to people that you indeed are one of those jerks. Now, for a couple of these things, it could be an honest mistake to a newbie hiker or someone who's just getting started on their outdoor adventures and that's perfectly fine.

This is simply a guide to help you understand the proper etiquette for trail use and being respectful of others and our great outdoors.

So let's get to it - a nice little guide for hikers, backpackers, cyclists, mountain bikers, horseback riders, dirt bike riders, etc. We can all just get along. Outdoors lovers in Colorado use trails in a lot of different ways, and conflicts are inevitable. Here are a few things to keep in mind and some tips to avoid being a jerk on the trail.

Because we escape to the mountains to get away from the craziness and jerkiness we experience in our everyday lives, let's not bring that kind of stuff to the mountains.