Off-RoadX Trail Report #4 - Share the Trail, Save the Weekend
Labor Day weekend is almost here.
The weather is beautiful, the mountains are calling, and approximately everybody in Colorado has apparently decided to answer at the same time.
Trailheads will be crowded. Campgrounds will fill up. Popular routes will see everything from full-size 4x4s and side-by-sides to motorcycles, hikers, cyclists and horseback riders.
That doesn’t have to ruin the adventure.
A busy trail can still be a great trail—provided we communicate, remain patient and remember that public land is being shared with the public.
This week’s Trail Report is about helping everyone get into the mountains, enjoy the weekend and return home with good stories.
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THE TRAIL DOESN’T BELONG TO ONE GROUP
It doesn’t matter whether you arrived first, traveled farther, spent more on your suspension or brought 17 vehicles with matching radios.
Nobody owns the trail.
A designated motorized route may also be open to:
• Full-size 4x4s
• ATVs and side-by-sides
• Motorcycles
• Mountain bikes
• Hikers
• Runners
• Horseback riders
• Hunters and anglers
• Families trying to enjoy a quiet afternoon
Every person legally using that route has a right to be there.
We represent more than ourselves when we go off-roading. To many people, the one group they encounter that weekend becomes their impression of the entire motorized community.
Let’s make it a good one.
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GOOD ETIQUETTE STARTS AT THE TRAILHEAD
Before the trail becomes narrow and rocky, there is usually a parking or staging area.
That is also where the first traffic jam tends to form.
When preparing your vehicle:
Pull completely out of the travel lane
Leave room for vehicles and trailers to enter, turn around and exit
Unload OHVs without blocking access
Put ramps, straps and equipment away promptly
Air down somewhere that doesn’t trap everyone behind you
Hold the driver meeting away from the main entrance
Keep children and pets clear of moving vehicles
If your group needs additional time, that’s completely fine. Just choose a location that allows everyone else to keep moving.
The trailhead is a gateway, not a reserved conference room.
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WHO HAS THE RIGHT OF WAY?
The general rule between motorized vehicles is:
The vehicle traveling uphill usually has the right of way.
An uphill vehicle may lose momentum, traction or the ability to restart safely if it is forced to stop. The descending vehicle should use a safe turnout when one is available.
But trail etiquette requires judgment—not blind obedience to a slogan.
If the uphill vehicle is beside a perfect turnout and the downhill vehicle would need to reverse around a cliff, communicate and choose the safest solution.
Use eye contact, radios and clear hand signals. Never assume the other driver understands what you are planning.
The objective is not to prove who was technically correct.
The objective is to get both vehicles past each other safely.
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WHAT DO THOSE HAND SIGNALS MEAN?
When encountering another vehicle, drivers and riders commonly use their hands to communicate how many additional vehicles are behind them.
For example:
One finger means one more vehicle is coming
Two fingers means two more vehicles are coming
A closed fist means you are the final vehicle
This gives approaching traffic an idea of whether it should continue or wait at a wider location.
Make the signal clear and hold it long enough to be seen.
Every driver in the group should know the correct count. If the third driver says four vehicles remain and the fourth driver says seven, the approaching group may begin to suspect that your convoy is reproducing.
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YIELD TO NON-MOTORIZED USERS
Motorized vehicles should yield to hikers, runners, cyclists and horseback riders.
That means slowing down early—not flying toward them and locking the brakes at the final moment.
When passing hikers or cyclists:
• Reduce your speed
• Give them as much safe space as the route allows
• Keep dust and noise down
• Wait until they acknowledge you before passing
• Avoid accelerating aggressively immediately afterward
A friendly wave goes a long way.
Most trail users aren’t opposed to your vehicle. They simply don’t want to be covered in dust, frightened around a blind corner or forced into vegetation.
Fair enough.
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HORSES REQUIRE EXTRA CARE
A horse can weigh more than 1,000 pounds and still become alarmed by an unfamiliar sound, movement or vehicle.
If you encounter horses:
Stop with plenty of distance
Pull safely to the side when possible
Shut off your engine
Speak calmly so the horse recognizes you as a person
Follow the rider’s instructions
Allow the horse and rider to determine when it is safe to proceed
Restart and move away gently
Do not assume that a rider moving to the side is inviting you to pass. Stop and communicate first.
If approaching from behind, call out before getting close. Give the rider time to position the horse safely.
Once you are waved through, keep your speed and engine RPM low and steady.
Nobody wants to discover whether a horse has a Baja mode.
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MANAGE THE CONVOY
Large groups require more organization than simply following the vehicle ahead.
A well-managed convoy should have:
• A designated leader
• An experienced tail gunner
• A shared radio channel
• A plan for major turns and intersections
• A procedure for mechanical problems
• An accurate vehicle count
• Enough spacing to maintain visibility without eating everyone else’s dust
The leader should stop after major turns until the next vehicle confirms the route. Every driver should remain responsible for the vehicle behind them.
If the vehicle behind you disappears, slow down or stop somewhere safe. Do not assume it found another route, gained the ability to teleport or simply wanted some alone time.
On dusty roads, increase spacing. Driving bumper-to-bumper through a dust cloud reduces visibility and gives everyone’s air filters an unnecessary career-development opportunity.
Keep the group together without becoming one enormous moving roadblock.
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DON’T PARK DIRECTLY AFTER THE OBSTACLE
Obstacles naturally attract stopped vehicles.
Someone is spotting. Someone is filming. Someone is discussing tire pressure. Someone has opened a snack that apparently cannot wait another 40 feet.
Before long, every safe landing area is occupied.
When you clear an obstacle:
Continue far enough to leave room for the next vehicle
Park entirely within an established durable area
Keep the approach and exit open
Avoid standing in the travel path
Keep spectators away from rollover and recovery zones
If filming, designate one safe camera position. Don’t surround the obstacle with people and vehicles.
A driver needs room to approach, commit, recover and exit safely.
Applause is welcome.
A parking lot at the top of the ledge is not.
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GO OVER OBSTACLES—NOT AROUND THEM
Going around rocks, puddles and ruts may feel easier, but it widens the route, damages vegetation and increases erosion.
Use the established route whenever it can be traveled safely and legally.
If an obstacle is beyond your vehicle, experience or comfort level:
• Stop somewhere safe
• Walk it first
• Use a spotter
• Choose an established legal bypass if one exists
• Turn around when necessary
Turning around is not failure.
Creating a new trail through vegetation is.
If someone ahead needs extra time, be patient. Every experienced off-roader was once the person carefully attempting an obstacle for the first time.
Give them room to learn safely.
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CONTROL THE DUST
Dust is sometimes unavoidable on Colorado trails.
The amount you create is not always unavoidable.
Slow down when:
• Passing campsites
• Approaching hikers or cyclists
• Meeting another vehicle
• Traveling near homes or businesses
• Entering staging areas
• Visibility is limited
• Following another vehicle
Avoid spinning tires unnecessarily and accelerating aggressively near people.
Reducing speed protects visibility, improves control and helps keep dirt inside the trail instead of distributing it across every person, tent and sandwich nearby.
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CHECK RESTRICTIONS BEFORE THE WEEKEND
Fire restrictions and emergency closures are still changing across Colorado.
On August 20, the BLM reduced several Colorado field offices from Stage 2 to Stage 1 restrictions. On August 25, it reopened some areas affected by wildfire while modifying other closures.
That does not mean every destination now follows the same rules.
Before leaving:
Identify the land manager
Check the current closure page
Confirm the applicable fire restrictions
Verify whether campfires or cooking devices are allowed
Carry the required spark arrester on an OHV
Download current maps
Prepare an alternate route and campsite
A beautiful holiday weekend does not override a closure order.
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LEAVE THE TRAIL BETTER
Crowded weekends create more trash.
Bring bags for your own garbage—and consider collecting anything safe that someone else left behind.
Secure:
• Food wrappers
• Bottles and cans
• Recovery-gear packaging
• Zip ties
• Broken vehicle pieces
• Toilet paper
• Pet waste
• Cigarette butts
If you find a campsite filled with trash, take a photograph, report serious dumping to the land manager and remove what you safely can.
Nobody has ever complained that a trail was left too clean.
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THE LABOR DAY TRAIL CHECKLIST
Before heading out:
Verify that the route is open to your vehicle.
Check current closures and fire restrictions.
Choose a radio channel and brief the group.
Designate a leader and tail gunner.
Review hand signals and vehicle count.
Keep the trailhead and obstacles clear.
Give uphill traffic priority when safe.
Yield to hikers, cyclists and horses.
Control your speed, dust and noise.
Stay on the designated route and pack everything out.
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THE OFF-ROADX BOTTOM LINE
Labor Day weekend is popular because it gives all of us another opportunity to enjoy the places we love.
The trails may be crowded.
The staging areas may be busy.
Someone may need extra time on an obstacle.
Another group may be traveling faster—or slower—than yours.
That’s okay.
Communicate clearly. Exercise patience. Make room when it is safe. Help when help is needed. Protect the trail and respect everyone using it.
The best trail etiquette isn’t complicated.
Share the trail.
Save the weekend.
And make sure everyone gets to go home talking about the adventure—not the traffic.
—Off-RoadX
OFFICIAL RESOURCES
Stay the Trail—Trail Tips and Etiquette:
Stay the Trail—Frequently Asked Questions:
Stay the Trail—Passing Other Vehicles:
Stay the Trail—Staging:
Stay the Trail—Obstacles:
U.S. Forest Service—Sharing Our Trails:
Colorado Parks and Wildlife—Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation:
BLM Colorado—Current Fire Information:
What is the single most important piece of trail etiquette you wish every driver knew? Drop it in the comments!
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