Non-motorized recreation on public land

Together with thousands of other users, your actions impact and disturb the landscape, vegetation, wildlife, waterways and other users. Irresponsible and/or unmanaged use can contribute to:

• Impact on others experiences
• Loss of vegetation
• Soil compaction, contamination and erosion
• Transfer of weeds
• Water contamination
• Wildfire
• Wildlife disruption

By acting responsibly, we collectively maintain our access privileges and preserve our public lands for future generations.

Trip and Trail 101: Basics for Everyone

• Plan ahead and be prepared
  • Know the following:
    • Applicable regulations
    • Ground and weather conditions
    • Terrain
    • Your route
  • Travel only on trails open for your activity.
• Stay off private and leased land unless permitted
  • It is your responsibility to know the regulations that apply to the land you are travelling on.
  • Leave all gates and fences as you find them.
• Travel in small groups
  • This helps to minimize soil compaction and vegetation damage.
• Use established, well-defined trails
  • Never short-cut or create your own pathways around muddy or rough areas. This leads to multiple or "bowled-out" trails.
• Avoid wet, sensitive and alpine areas whenever possible
• Choose routes with hardest, most durable surface
  • Hard surfaces can tolerate more use with less damage.
• Never litter
  • Dispose of waste properly, including human waste.
  • Pack out what you pack in.
• Be courteous
  • Share the trail with other legitimate users.
  • Report user infractions to local authorities.
• Be respectful
  • Don't disturb:
    • Artifacts
    • Fossils
    • Livestock
    • Property
    • Wildlife
• Don't harm or remove live native vegetation
  • If marking your route, do not mark or blaze your trail with axes or paint. If using flagging, remove it when you leave.

Activity specific tips

Hikers

• Don't mark the bark.
  • Step over, rather than on, exposed roots to prevent damage to bark.
• Spread out in alpine areas
  • Avoid travelling single file to minimize trampling of fragile vegetation.
• Yield the trail to horses.
  • Indicate how many are in your group when passing other users.

Mountain Bikers

• Ride only on open trails
• Building of ramps and permanent structures is prohibited except where written permission has been granted
• Ride in control
  • Never skid and always slow down when approaching other users.
• Yield the trail to other non-motorized users.
  • Indicate how many are in your group when passing other users.

Equestrian Users

• Use weed free supplemental feed to prevent overgrazing and non-native plant infestation
• Avoid soft or marshy banks when riding or watering horses
• Locate holding areas at least 100 metres (328 feet) from water
• Avoid tethering horses to live vegetation to prevent damage
• Be alert for other trail users
  • Indicate how many are in your group when passing other users.

Canoe and Kayak Users

• Respect the shorelands
  • Avoid launching/landing in soft or marshy areas.
• Don't disturb wildlife
  • Nesting waterfowl are particularly vulnerable to disruption.
• Manage your waste
  • Avoid urinating/defecating directly into water.

Climbers and Cavers

• Don't drill
  • Use existing or removable protection whenever possible.
• Approach with caution
  • Be sensitive to trail erosion on steep approaches and fragile alpine areas.
• Don't mark the bark
  • Avoid anchoring-to and stepping-on exposed roots and vegetation to minimize bark damage.
• Watch for wildlife
  • Avoid disturbing nesting birds, bats and other creatures.
• Behave in the caves
  • Cave formations and life are vulnerable to outside contamination. Avoid touching anything you don't have to.

Skiers and Snowboarders

• Ensure adequate snow cover.
  • Avoid travelling on top of trees and other vegetation that may be broken or damaged by direct contact with skis.
• Avoid disrupting alpine wildlife.

For overnight, campfire and waste disposal information, see:

• Camping

For a summary of appropriate non-motorized recreation guidelines that should be used on public lands, see:

• Respect the Land: Non-Motorized Users Guide