Can’t We All Just Get Along? A Mountain Biker’s Take on Trail Conflict

First off: this is just my opinion and thoughts on a topic that is very close to me. This topic I see debated within the community is trail etiquette, and I want to share my perspective. We can all do better, but I’m not just calling out one user group – I’m calling out everyone. We’re all part of the problem, but we’re all also part of the solution.

There’s really no clear fix to the issue, as it’s human nature to find some form of conflict, even in something as seemingly simple as playing outside. But as a lifelong fan of having fun outdoors and being nice to people who enjoy doing the same, I think there are some things to keep in mind to help everyone have a better experience on the trails.

The Issue: It’s An Attitude Problem

This might be a gross oversimplification of the root cause, but from my years of doing trail work, hiking, running, and of course, mountain biking, this is what I’ve noticed. We could all be more respectful and understanding – not just towards each other, but the outdoor spaces we choose to enjoy. We’re all visitors to these places, and there should be no entitlement, just respect. Respect the plants, animals, water, soil, and each other, and it’ll all be easier.

Most trail systems are mixed-use, and it’s rare that your local trails will be used solely by a single user group. We’re all out there enjoying recreation, and we’re all trying to make life better or our days less bleak. Being friendly and respectful is the best way to keep that goal achievable for everyone, and all too often do I see poor attitudes and hate from both sides towards the other; hell, it’s even common within the same user groups. As the saying goes, “one bad apple spoils the bunch.”

I ride bikes, hike, or run the same trails all the time, so I might have a unique perspective on this issue, and I want to help everyone enjoy the trails we all love with more fun and less stress. Who doesn’t want that? I know this will not land with everyone, and I might be looking through some rose-tinted optics, but I might as well put it out there.

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Tips For All User Groups

For Those On Two Wheels

We should all do our part to say hello (or “howdy,” in my case), announce ourselves, and move aside when possible to abide by the right-of-way policies on your trails. We might not like it, but that’s the way the system works. Mountain bikers, by majority, do more trail work and maintenance than hikers, and this often comes with a sense of entitlement (justifiably) on the trail, but not everyone sees it that way, and that’s okay.
I always try to see it from the perspective of the hikers we encounter. If I were out hiking the trails I ride, I would typically yield to mountain bikers because I understand it, but most don’t. They stick to the rule that hikers have the right of way, and that’s fair. For the most part, hikers see or hear us coming, move out of the way, and are happy to do so. All too often, I see this happen with almost no acknowledgment or thanks from the mountain biker who was given the right of way. And that’s just rude. Saying thanks and slowing down a bit is completely free and helps paint us in a nicer light as a user group.

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We’re faster and (usually) have a larger impact/precense on the trails, so it makes sense that we would feel like we own the place. But we don’t – no one owns it – we all share it. Unless you’re in a race (in which case it would be weird to see a hiker), or on a “bike-only” trail, there’s no reason we shouldn’t do our part to make the trails safer and more welcoming. No matter how annoyed you might be about giving the right of way or having to stop, I’m sure crashing into someone or getting into an argument would be less of a hassle than yielding.

For Those On Foot

Mountain bikers often move fast, and sometimes stopping to yield to uphill traffic can be incredibly dangerous depending on the trail. Although we would like to stop and yield, we sometimes just can’t (sorry). Being aware that we are typically moving a little faster, some of us might be learning or not be familiar with the trail; this is just part of using mixed-use trails. If you can find it in you to be patient and respectful, it will usually be reciprocated; if not, then someone is just having a shit day or their mama didn’t raise em right.

I can only speak for myself here, but I really enjoy being on the trails and make a point of being respectful to all user groups. So, I’m sorry for all the meatheads you might encounter wearing noise-canceling earbuds and blasting past you on the trails without a heads-up or a hello, and thank you in advance for your understanding. But I also advise you not to be in your own world (headphones, scrolling social media, etc.) if you’re out on a trail where you might encounter mountain bikers; it’s the responsibility of both parties to be aware and alert.

I understand the distaste for mountain bikers disrupting your solitude or potentially endangering you on the trail – I’ve been there myself – but I would wager a guess that it’s not intentional, and I find that killing with kindness is always a good approach, no matter how hard it might be to subdue a temper. I just try to treat others as I would want to be treated.

For Everyone

Say hi, be respectful, and remember that we’re all in this together and have more in common than you might think. If you’re out on the trails, go prepared, and for the love of god, please take at least one earbud out of your ear and get off your damn phone. Oh, and please pick up your trash and dog poop (take it with you rather than leaving a bag of feces in the woods to ferment).

I have had my fair share of abrasive run-ins with mountain bikers, hikers, and equestrians, both as a mountain biker and on foot, so there’s really not one user group who’s at fault – it’s all of us – and I think that Hanlon’s razor is quite appropriate here: “Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.”

The Electric Elephant in the Room

Electric mountain bikes are such a divisive topic these days, and everyone has something to say about them and how fun, or destructive, they are to trails – or how obnoxious they are to other trail users. Personally, I think it comes down to how you ride them. If you’re respectful and aren’t blasting ass uphill and gapping people or putting pressure on other riders not on electric mountain bikes, then I think they mostly go unnoticed, but it’s the outliers here that make the topic of eMTBs on trails more of an issue. It comes down to being self-aware and having a modicum of respect towards everyone else on the trail. I think eMTBs are a great litmus test of self-control for that reason. Just because you can doesn’t mean that you should.

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E-Bikes have come a long way, and some are almost indistinguishable from a regular mountain bike, but they are able to put out wicked amounts of power and torque, oftentimes more than should be available to average riders, in my opinion. They let people ride beyond their limits, reducing control and putting other riders and trail users in danger, not to mention accelerating wear on the trails when ridden incorrectly.

I think there needs to be blanket rules for all new eMTBs being shipped out that educate riders on how to behave like a decent person on the trail when you have World-Tour-level watts at your disposal without the awareness to control yourself and the bike. But that’s just a daydream, and people are going to do what people do.

Parting Thoughts

The same rules apply to everyone, and I urge everyone to consider how they interact on the trails to see whether they might be the problem. I notice a lot of conflict on the trail and tension between hikers, runners, equestrians, and mountain bikers that is, for the most part, unnecessary if we can all figure out a way to get along – but hey, I might be smoking something strong that’s making me totally delusional here.

I think we can all get along if we want to, but as we’ve seen time and time again throughout history, humans get a kick out of conflict, and I hope we can all figure out how to avoid bringing conflict to outdoor spaces. The first step is to approach with respect and awareness, and to try to see things from a perspective other than your own.

I’ll wait for a certain independent researcher to drop a comment on this article. But for everyone else, I hope this helps.