Winter Trail Etiquette

Over the last week the Hancock Trails Club installed no foot traffic signs across the network of groomed ski and snowbike trails – from city trailheads to more remote township trails.

The club knows that getting outside and being active is important in the winter for everyone, unfortunately groomed trails just do not hold up to foot traffic.  Boot walking churns up the surface and makes cross country skiing dangerous, it turns a smooth snow bike ride into a washboard experience, and it forces additional grooming to repair trails which strain financial resources and volunteers.

The club encourages all trail users to practice proper winter trail etiquette and to help get the word out by sharing this information and educating others on why foot traffic is discouraged.

If you do encounter someone walking on the groomed trail there is a good chance they don’t actually realize how damaging their foot traffic can be.  In these situations offerring some polite education and suggesting snowshoes on their next outing may be the best course of action. 

Posted on January 11, 2025 in General, Trail News.