Being Respectful while Hiking
The title of this section is self-explanatory but in case anyone needs to hear about it...let’s talk about RESPECT. While out on any trail or in a state park or at a grocery store, be respectful to each other. It's really not that hard, don’t be a jerk. Take a moment out of your day for two seconds to consider how the other person might feel in a given situation. Or better yet think about how you would like to be treated and go from there.
For the most part everyone on hiking trails are super nice and very helpful. Now that I’m thinking about it, I don’t think I’ve ever come across a mean person while out hiking. However here are some tips to being respectful while enjoying what nature has to offer: staying to one side of the trail so people can pass, cleaning up after yourself, and NOT taking a deuce right beside the trail and not covering it up (happened while on a trip to Yonah- whoever did that, gross!).
These are some tips that will ensure that you are doing the right thing and won’t upset anyone in the process. If you don’t want to be respectful then you do you bruh, it is what it is. The choice is yours. The same thing can be said when being respectful to nature in general. Don’t go into a hike or a campsite with the assumption that you are going to be chopping down trees. You could potentially destroy animal dwellings and hurt yourself or others.
Another HUGE topic to discuss would be setting fires where they shouldn’t be set. Be smart. Use the fire rings/fire pits created specifically to be used while camping. When you’re finished at the campsite(s) make sure the fire is out completely. Think of Smokey the Bear in these instances. To go off from that, if you need firewood look for fallen branches and sticks. Do NOT cut down trees for some firewood while out on the trail. This is a big no no and if you’re caught doing this you could get fined. Which is well deserved. Most of these topics here are understandable to most but I’m just throwing this out there for all to see.