Multi-use trails—where hikers, bicyclists and equestrians share the trail—function best when people work together, follow the rules, and get along, says Riverside State Park Foundation board member Ken Carmichael. An equestrian who has ridden in Riverside State Park for 35 years, Carmichael points to the basic guidelines for bike and horse encounters on the trail as an important starting point for getting along.

As noted on trail triangle signs posted at many multi-use trails and trailheads, bikes yield to horses and hikers, and hikers yield to horses. “That is all well and good and as equestrians we appreciate this,” notes Carmichael, “But also, we encourage equestrians to move off the trail where possible when meeting bikes. After all, if possible, we do not want to be responsible for a good man, or woman, loosing that momentum.”   

Carmichael adds that there are other actions that also make multi-use trails more functional. When equestrians see someone else approaching, they should be hollering out “horses” to alert other trails users that they are there. Likewise, when mountain bikers or hikers are approaching a horse, he recommends talking to the horse and rider to help let the horses know you are human. 

Blind corners are always a concern, he says, and slowing down is a big help. Equestrians also like to know how many are in your group, he says. “If we have swung off the trail to let you pass, it helps to know if there are stragglers that we should wait for.” Equestrians also need to tell others how many are in their group, he adds. 

Carmichael also recommends looking the horse rider in the eye and waiting for them to recommend the best course of action for safely passing each other on a trail. “In my case I will let you know what to do. Some horses are more concerned about bikes and more effort may be necessary to control them. In my case I will wave you through as we circle off the trail where safe,” he says.  

Trail users also need to be aware which areas are open to them, he says. Most of Riverside State Park is open to all non-motorized trail users; however, bikes are not allowed in the area of the park known as the equestrian area. 

A good way to learn about any restrictions and the great trails in the park is to have the new trail map produced by the Riverside State Park Foundation, adds Carmichael. The maps are available at park headquarters, REI, and many bike shops and equestrian tack stores and map sale funds support the park. 

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Such displays of indifference to coronavirus-era social norms can be disheartening, but then again even the best intentioned among us are bound to have our lapses. Case in point. One of the worst displays of social distancing trail etiquette unfolded the other day on an outing I organized, thanks to my two bullheaded trail companions.  

I was excited about a 5-mile run on a Spokane County Conservation Area trail that I hadn’t been to in years. And after so many solo outings over the past two months, it was nice to have some company for a change. It became clear right away, however, that social distancing was going to be a problem for my crew.  

Out in front, our leader swerved back-and-forth like a drunken sailor from one side of the trail to the other, making no effort to give the occasional hikers we encountered their fair share of space. And when it was time for a gear adjustment or sip of water, he plopped himself down in the middle of the trail like it was his own private parlor and proceeded to rummage through his backpack oblivious to passersby. 

Next in line, the gregarious one of our bunch bounded down the trail like a jackrabbit from hell. She charged ever forward like a maniac driven by unseen demons, only pausing at each opportunity to greet and invade the precious space of hikers unfortunate enough to encounter our rag-tag band of trail aficionados.  

Taking up the rear, it was left to me to pick up the pieces and dole out the apologies for my companions’ boorish behavior. Thankfully, the handful of hikers we encountered that day seemed more than understanding, with many of them seemingly delighted by our antics. And there were some good reasons to cut our rambling, trail-hogging freakshow some slack.  

Our self-absorbed leader may be prone to middle-of-the-trail picnics, but when a five-year-old on a bike says it’s time for a snack, he means right here, right now. The excessively chummy teenager, on the other hand, has some compulsions of her own thanks to her ancestors’ unique occupation. A mutt that’s a good part rat terrier, her predecessors were bred to catch rats and hunt small animals. Hence her squirrel-behind-every-bush disposition. Reigning in these two has its challenging moments for sure, but I’m ever grateful for the amazing trails I share with them and the kind and tolerant humans we encounter along the way. 

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