Trail Etiquette Toolkit

Introduction Trail Etiquette

Ma¹¹aclǹeÁÁ¹’ ¹la²ed`ǹe ¯aÁl ŒeÁޓ²‚ p¹ ùJøøø+ ‹p…e¹ aŒd g²“ÞpŒgJ ÞpÁl “Ýe² ýø% “f Ma¹¹aclǹeÁÁ¹ ²e¹pdeŒÁ¹ …pÝpŒg ÞpÁlpŒ ùø ‹p…e¹ “f aŒ eãp¹ÁpŒg Á²ap…I WpÁl ŒeÞ ¯Çb…pc ¹¯ace¹ c“‹e ŒeÞ Ç¹e²¹J deÝpce¹J aŒd Œeed¹I

Tlp¹ c²eaÁe¹ c“Œf…pcÁ¹ “Œ a c“Œ¹Á²apŒed ¹¯aceI

Ma¹¹Bp‚e c²eaÁed Álp¹ ²e¹“Dzce gÇpde Á“ ŒaÝpgaÁe Ále¹e p¹¹Çe¹ ¹“ eÝe²ä“Œe fee…¹ Þe…c“‹e aŒd ¹afe “Œ “Dz ¹la²ed Á²ap…¹N

SNj‹a²ä

PapŒ P“pŒÁ¹ & O¯¯“²ÁnjpÁpe¹

Legp¹…aÁp“Œ

Rap… T²ap… P“¹Áed SpgŒ¹

Eãa‹¯…e¹K RDže¹ & EÁp±ÇeÁÁe

T²ap… SpgŒ Te‹¯…aÁe

S¯eed Lp‹pÁ SpgŒ¹

CaÇÁp“Œ SpgŒ¹

Pa¹¹pŒg EÁp±ÇeÁÁe Eãa‹¯…e¹

IŒf“²‹aÁp“Œa… Eãa‹¯…e¹

DäŒa‹pc Feedbac‚ SpgŒ¹

P²pŒÁ & DpgpÁa… OÇÁ²eacl

Eãa‹¯…e G²a¯lpc¹

E`bp‚e¹ aŒd Mpc²“‹“bp…pÁä

Mpc²“‹“bp…pÁä & Kpd¹

EdÇcaÁp“Œ & C…a¹¹e¹

Rec“‹‹eŒdaÁp“Œ¹

AddpÁp“Œa… Re¹“Dzce¹

IdeŒÁpfä Ále ¯²“b…e‹

I‹¯…e‹eŒÁ Ále ¹“…ÇÁp“Œ

Mea¹Ç²e Ále “ÇÁc“‹e

P“¹Á Á²ap… eÁp±ÇeÁÁe ¹pgŒage ZÁlaÁ pŒc…Çde¹ …aŒgÇage ab“ÇÁ ebp‚e¹[ aÁ Á²ap… eŒÁ²aŒce¹ & pŒÁe²¹ecÁp“Œ¹

AdݓcaÁe aŒd ¯a²Ápcp¯aÁe pŒ Safe R“ÇÁe¹ T“ Scl““… ¯²“g²a‹‹pŒg

PapŒÁ ²ec“‹‹eŒded ¹¯eed¹ “Œ a¹¯la…Á

H“¹Á ¹cl““… eÝeŒÁ¹ …p‚e bp‚e bǹe¹ “² edÇcaÁp“Œa… g²“ǯ ²pde¹ Á“ Áeacl ab“ÇÁ bp‚e ¹afeÁäV²“ad ¹afeÁä

Pain Points & Opportunities

NeÞ aŒd njfa‹p…pa² deÝpce¹ aŒd f“²‹¹ “f ‹pc²“‹“bp…pÁä

laÝe c²eaÁed ¹afeÁä c“Œce²Œ¹J e¹¯ecpa……ä a²“ÇŒd ¹¯eed

p‹pÁ¹ aŒd Á²ap… eÁp±ÇeÁÁeI

Mpc²“‹“bp…pÁä la¹ ¹‚䲓c‚eÁed

Bp‚e B““‹ la¹ pŒc²ea¹ed “Ýe²a…… ²pde²¹lp¯

üø+ ‹p…e¹ “f SUP added pŒ úøúý

Tle Ma¹¹DOT S¯ecpa… C“‹‹p¹¹p“Œ “Œ Mpc²“‹“bp…pÁä p¹ pŒ

Ále ¯²“ce¹¹ “f defpŒpŒg fDzÁle² …aŒgÇage f“² C…a¹¹ û e` bp‚e¹J e`¹c““Áe²¹J aŒd “Ále² f“²‹¹ “f ‹pc²“‹“bp…pÁä aŒd

¹l“Ç…d laÝe a fDž… ²e¯“²Á bä Ále eŒd “f úøúýI

Legislation

A¹ “f AÇgǹÁ ùøJ úøúúJ Ále e`bp‚e defpŒpÁp“Œ …aŒgÇage Þa¹

¹pgŒed pŒÁ“ …aÞ a¹ a‹eŒd‹eŒÁ¹ Á“ Ále T²aŒ¹¯“²ÁaÁp“Œ B“Œd Bp

ZHIýùýù[ Á“ pŒc…Çde C…a¹¹ ù aŒd C…a¹¹ ú defpŒpÁp“Œ¹ f“² e`bp‚e¹I

CLASS ùK Bpcäc…e e±Çp¯¯ed ÞpÁl a ‹“Á“² ÁlaÁ ¯²“Ýpde¹ a¹¹p¹ÁaŒce “Œ…ä ÞleŒ Ále ²pde² p¹ ¯eda…pŒgJ aŒd ÁlaÁ cea¹e¹ Á“ ¯²“Ýpde a¹¹p¹ÁaŒce ÞleŒ Ále e`bp‚e ²eacle¹ úø ‹¯lJ ÞpÁl aŒ e…ecÁ²pc

‹“Á“² “f ÿýø ÞaÁÁ¹ “² …e¹¹I

CLASS úK Bpcäc…e e±Çp¯¯ed ÞpÁl a Ál²“ÁÁ…e`acÁÇaÁed ‹“Á“² ÁlaÁ cea¹e¹ Á“ ¯²“Ýpde a¹¹p¹ÁaŒce ÞleŒ Ále e`bp‚e ²eacle¹ úø ‹¯lJ ÞpÁl aŒ e…ecÁ²pc ‹“Á“² “f ÿýø ÞaÁÁ¹ “² …e¹¹I

Legpbp…pÁä

Rail Trail Posted Signs

Ab…e Á“ ²ead ¹pgŒ Þlp…e bp‚pŒg ¯a¹Á

RepÁe²aÁe pŒf“²‹aÁp“Œ pŒ “Ále² ‹edpa ZÞeb¹pÁeJ Á²ap

‹a¯J eÁc[

Age`pŒc…ǹpÝe & ²eadpŒg …eÝe… “f ýÁl`ÿÁl g²ade

pÁe²acä

T²aŒ¹…aÁp“Œ¹ ‹ade aÝap…ab…e

QR c“de¹

N“Á age`pŒc…ǹpÝe

CaŒ’Á be ǹed Þlp…e pŒ ‹“Áp“Œ

BeÁÁe² f“² c“ŒÁeãÁ ¹pgŒ “² Á²aŒ¹…aÁp“Œ ¹e²Ýpce¹

T“Œe

U¹e ޓ²d¹ …p‚e “A……“Þed” ‘C…a¹¹ ù & ú eBp‚e¹ A……“Þed’

Aݓpd ǹpŒg “P²“lpbpÁed” ÞleŒ ¯“¹¹pb…eI ‘C…a¹¹ û eBp‚e P²“lpbpÁed”

Examples: Rules & Etiquette

Trail Sign Template

Keä E…e‹eŒÁ¹ Á“ age`f²peŒd…äJ …egpb…e ¹pgŒageK

Ba²e MpŒp‹Ç‹ C“ŒÁeŒÁ

Hpgl C“ŒÁ²a¹Á

N“Œ`Ref…ecÁpÝe

MpŒp‹ÇŒ F“ŒÁ SpìeK ú"

La²ge Tä¯e

AÁ Eäe …eÝe

Ic“Œ¹ & TeãÁ

MpŒp‹Ç‹ SpìeK ù" ã úü"

Name of Rail Trail

Trail Etiquette

Class of eBikes allowed

On-leash pets only

No littering: carry-in, carry-out

Keep right, except to pass

Give audible warning when passing

Be alert of your surroundings

website name

Speed Limit Signs

GeŒe²a… S¯eed Lp‹pÁ ¹pgŒ¹K

WlpÁe ¹pgŒ¹ a²e eŒf“²ceab…e

Ye……“Þ p¹ a ²ec“‹‹eŒdaÁp“Œ

MA …aÞ a……“Þ¹ ‹ÇŒpcp¯a…pÁpe¹ Á“ ¹eÁ

Álep² “ÞŒ ¹¯eed …p‹pÁ¹ “Œ ²ap… Á²ap…¹J pf pÁ

g“e¹ Ál²“Çgl a ¯Çb…pc ¯²“ce¹¹I T“ daÁeJ

Œ“Œe laÝe d“Œe ¹“I He²e a²e ¹“‹e ¯“¹¹pb…e eãa‹¯…e¹ f“² ÞlaÁ fÇÁDze

¹pgŒage c“Ç…d …““‚ …p‚eI

N“ÁeK IÁ p¹ …ega……ä ¯“¹¹pb…e Á“ laÝe Áޓ

dpffe²eŒÁ ¹¯eed …p‹pÁ¹ f“² dpffe²eŒÁ Áp‹e¹

“f daä “² daä¹ “f Ále Þee‚J …p‚e a Scl““

Z“Œe “² “úý ‹¯l nj…e¹¹ ¯“¹Áed” ¹pgŒ¹I

Source unknown

DCR Ashuwillticook Rail Trail in Adams, MA

Carriage Road in Acadia National Park, Maine

Caution Signs

Yellow signs are cautionary, not legal speed limits.

Minuteman Bikeway

Passing Etiquette Examples

Cascade Club

Cochituate Rail Trail

MinuteMan Bikeway

Informational Examples

Bp‚e ABC¹ ABC QÇpc‚ Clec‚ bef“²e ä“Ç ²pde

Ap²K

IŒf…aÁe Á“ Ále ¯²e¹¹Ç²e …p¹ÁedI U¹e a ¯Ç‹¯ ÞpÁl a gaÇgeI Clec‚ f“² da‹age “² Þea²I

B²a‚e¹K

IŒ¹¯ecÁ ¯ad¹ f“² Þea²J Clec‚ pf Ále ¯ad p¹ ²ÇbbpŒg Ále Áp²eI Clec‚ pf ä“Ç caŒ fpÁ a fpŒge² njde² Ále b²ea‚ …eÝe²¹ ÞleŒ Áleä ¹±Çeeìe a…… Ále ÞaäI

ClapŒ & C²aŒ‚K Clec‚ ÁlaÁ Ále clapŒ p¹ f²ee “f ²Ç¹Á aŒd gnj‚I TÇg c²aŒ‚ aÞaä f²“‹ Ále bp‚eL pf pÁ’¹ …““¹eJ ÁpglÁeŒ Ále b“…ÁI

Cochituate Rail Trail

Blackstone Greenway Visitor Center

Dynamic Feedback Signs ùú

A feÞ “f Ále¹e a²e cDz²eŒÁ…ä bepŒg ǹed “Œ Á²ap…¹ pŒ Ma¹¹aclǹeÁÁ¹I

B²“clDze f“² ¹pgŒ¹

These signs are commonly seen around school zones but can also be used on Shared Use Paths. Tle feedbac‚ ¹pgŒ¹ caŒ be

Print & Digital Outreach

If ä“Dz eŒÁpÁä la¹ a ¹“cpa… ‹edpa ¯²e¹eŒce¹ “² d“e¹ ¯lä¹pca… ‹ap…pŒg¹J c“Œ¹pde² ¹la²pŒg ²e¹“Dzce¹ ä“Dz Á²ap… ǹe¹ Ál²“Çgl

Ál“¹e aÝeŒÇe¹I

Example Graphics

Wisconsin Bike Fed

Example Graphics

E-bikes and Micromobility

Tle Ma¹¹DOT S¯ecpa… C“‹‹p¹¹p“Œ “Œ Mpc²“‹“bp…pÁä ²ec“gŒpìe¹ a

Œeed f“² pdeŒÁpfäpŒg aŒd c…a¹¹pfpcaÁp“Œ “f ‹pc²“‹“bp…pÁä Ýelpc…e¹ ¹Çcl a¹ e`bp‚e¹J ¹c““Áe²¹J aŒd e`‹“¯ed¹I PeŒdpŒg pŒ úøúþJ

Ma¹¹aclǹeÁÁ¹ Þp…… laÝe c…ea² gÇpdaŒce “Œ ÞlaÁ deÝpce p¹ ÞlaÁI

He²e a²e ²e¹“Dzce¹ aÝap…ab…e f“² edÇcaÁp“ŒI

Pe“¯…eF“²Bp‚e¹ aŒd Ále LeagÇe “f A‹e²pcaŒ Bpcäc…p¹Á¹

Lea²Œ ab“ÇÁ Ále ޓ²…d “f e…ecÁ²pc bp‚e¹ bä Pe“¯…ef“²Bp‚e¹

Ma¹¹Ig“Ý M“¯ed “¯e²aÁp“Œ ²e±Çp²e‹eŒÁ¹

E…ecÁ²pc Bp‚e¹ Ýä CpÁä “f Ca²…¹bad

Pe“¯…e f“² Bp‚e¹ Þ²“Áe a û`¯a²Á ¹e²pe¹ “Œ Ále Á“¯pc f²“‹ a bp‚e pŒdǹÁ²ä ¯“pŒÁ “f ÝpeÞI

ùI Tle E`Bp‚e P²“b…e‹ p¹ aŒ E`M“Á“ P²“b…e‹ Z
VùVúý[

úI Tle HpddeŒ DaŒge²¹ “f I……ega… e`M“Á“¹ Z
VúþVúý[

ûI S“…ÇÁp“Œ¹ Á“ Ále E`M“Á“ P²“b…e‹ ZùøV
Vúý[

M“Á“²cäc…p¹Á ¯²“Ýpde¹ a c²pÁpca… c“‹¯a²p¹“Œ “Œ Ále dpffe²eŒce beÁÞeeŒ e` bp‚e¹ Zc…a¹¹ û[ aŒd ‹“Á“²cäc…e¹ “² …ac‚ Ále²e“fI

Micromobility & Kids

AcÁpÝe T²aŒ¹f“²‹aÁp“ŒK Y“ÇÁl Cäc…p¹Á¹ aŒd E`Bp‚e¹ bä Bp‚e Ea¹Á Baä

Street Smarts, Contra Costa Transportation Authority

Carlsbad, CA

This currently does not apply to Massachusetts; in 2026 we hope to have a similar resource.

Education & Classes

E‹¯la¹pìpŒg bp‚e ²pdpŒg ¹afeÁä aŒd ¹‚p……¹ f“² adDžÁ¹ aŒd

¹ÁÇdeŒÁ¹ caŒ c²eaÁe a ¹afe² eŒÝp²“Œ‹eŒÁ f“² bp‚e ²pde²¹I

Safe R“ÇÁe¹ T“ Scl““…¹ ZSRTS[ p¹ a Ma¹¹DOT ¯²“g²a‹ Þlpcl

¯²“Ýpde¹ bp‚pŒg edÇcaÁp“Œ pŒ e…e‹eŒÁa²ä aŒd lpgl ¹cl““…¹ aŒd

bÇp…d¹ bp‚pŒg pŒf²a¹Á²ÇcÁDze¹ Á“ ¯Çb…pc ¹cl““…¹ ¹“ ÁlaÁ ‚pd¹ caŒ bp‚e Á“ ¹cl““…I

W“²‚ dp²ecÁ…ä ÞpÁl Ma¹¹Bp‚e Á“ ¹cledDže c…a¹¹e¹ f“² ä“Dz c“‹‹ÇŒpÁäN

S‹a²Á Cäc…pŒg p¹ a Bp‚e LeagÇe ŒaÁp“Œa… ¯²“g²a‹ ÞpÁl “Œ`…pŒe aŒd pŒ`¯e²¹“Œ cäc…pŒg eÝeŒÁ¹I

Pa²eŒÁ¹ aŒd edÇcaÁ“²¹ aŒ ǹe T²affpc Ga²deŒ¹ a¹ a laŒd¹`“Œ a¯¯²“acl Á“ ÁeaclpŒg ¹afe bp‚pŒg ¯²pŒcp¯…e¹I

Bp‚e Bǹe¹ a²e ¹Áa²Áed bä c“‹‹ÇŒpÁä ‹e‹be²¹ aŒd Ále²e a²e ¹eÝe²a… “¯e²aÁpŒg pŒ Ma¹¹aclǹeÁÁ¹I Tle¹e ¯²“g²a‹¹ eŒc“Dzage ¹ÁÇdeŒÁ¹ Á“ bp‚e Á“ ¹cl““… ÞpÁl a ¹afe aŒd ¹Ç¯e²Ýp¹ed g²“ǯI

Recommendations

PapŒÁ ²ec“‹‹eŒded ¹¯eed¹ “Œ a¹¯la…Á

AdݓcaÁe aŒd ¯a²Ápcp¯aÁe pŒ Safe R“ÇÁe¹ T“ Scl““… ¯²“g²a‹‹pŒg

P“¹Á Á²ap… eÁp±ÇeÁÁe ¹pgŒage

ZÁlaÁ pŒc…Çde¹ …aŒgÇage ab“ÇÁ ebp‚e¹[ aÁ Á²ap… eŒÁ²aŒce¹ & pŒÁe²¹ecÁp“Œ¹

H“¹Á ¹cl““… eÝeŒÁ¹ …p‚e bp‚e bǹe¹ “² edÇcaÁp“Œa… g²“ǯ ²pde¹ Á“ Áeacl ab“ÇÁ bp‚e ¹afeÁäV²“ad ¹afeÁä

Additional Resources

He²e a²e addpÁp“Œa… ²e¹“Dzce¹ ²ega²dpŒg Á²ap… eÁp±ÇeÁÁeJ ¹pgŒageJ

aŒd “Ále² ²e¹“Dzce¹ f“² cäc…pŒg ¯²“g²a‹¹I

Fede²a… HpglÞaä¹K

F²a‹eޓ²‚ f“² C“Œ¹pde²pŒg M“Á“²pìed U¹e “Œ N“Œ‹“Á“²pìed T²ap…¹

aŒd Pede¹Á²paŒ Wa…‚Þaä¹

Pede¹Á²paŒ aŒd Bpcäc…e IŒf“²‹aÁp“Œ CeŒÁe²K

B²pef Mpc²“‹“bp…pÁä T䯓…“gä

Pede¹Á²paŒ aŒd Bpcäc…e IŒf“²‹aÁp“Œ CeŒÁe²I“²g

E¹¯…aŒade A¹¹“cpaÁp“ŒK

M“de… CpÁpe¹ T²ap… De¹pgŒ aŒd SafeÁä Re¯“²ÁK

P…aŒŒpŒg f“² EŒlaŒced Sla²ed PaÁl Eã¯e²peŒce¹

A²Ápc…e f²“‹ SeaÁÁ…e Bp‚e B…“g Head¯l“Œe PSA

NACTO U²baŒ SÁ²eeÁ De¹pgŒ GÇpde

E`bp‚e BaÁÁe²ä Recäc…pŒg GÇpde

Rap…¹ Á“ T²ap…¹ SpgŒage aŒd SDzface Ma²‚pŒg¹

Rap…¹ Á“ T²ap…¹ Sla²e Ále T²ap… Vpde“ Se²pe¹

LeagÇe “f MpclpgaŒ Bpcäc…p¹Á¹ E`Bp‚e EÁp±ÇeÁÁe aŒd T²ap… Acce¹¹

Contact