TREAD PRINCIPLES
Travel Responsibly
- Travel on designated roads, trails, and areas.
- Go over, not around, obstacles to avoid widening the trails.
- Cross streams only at designated fords. When possible, avoid wet, muddy trails.
- On water, stay on designated waterways and launch your watercraft in designated areas.
Respect the Rights of Others
- This includes private property owners, all recreational trail users, campers, and others, so they can enjoy their recreational activities undisturbed.
- Leave gates as you found them.
- Yield right of way to those passing you or going uphill.
- On water, respect anglers, swimmers, skiers, boaters, divers, and those on or near shore.
Educate yourself before your trip by obtaining travel maps and regulations from public agencies. Plan for your journey, take recreation skills classes, and know how to operate your equipment safely.
Avoid Sensitive Areas
- Avoid on land such as meadows, lake shores, wetlands, and streams. Always ride with caution anytime water is present.
- Wet soils are more susceptible to damage. Riding along river and stream beds causes erosion and habitat destruction.
- Stay on designated routes, which protect wildlife habitats and sensitive soils from damage.
- Don’t disturb historical, archeological, or paleontological sites.
Do Your Part
by modeling appropriate behavior, leaving the area better than you found it, properly disposing of waste, minimizing the use of fire, avoiding the spread of invasive species, and repairing degraded areas.
