Love Where You Ride

Know before you go — ride bike-legal trails, be aware of seasonal closures, directional trails, and permits or fees for parks and parking. Bikes are never allowed on trails in Wilderness Areas (ridden, pushed, or carried).
Know where you are, where you’re going, and if evacuation routes exist. Carry a downloaded GPS file, have maps saved for offline use, or carry paper maps (and have backup means of navigation in case of navigational failure). If riding solo, tell someone where you’re headed.
Plan for the unplanned! Carry repair items, light, water treatment, first-aid, ample water capacity, shelter, and layers to keep you warm and dry in unanticipated conditions.
Following wet weather or winter/spring, check with local trail organizations or bike shops for current trail conditions. Know what happens to the surface if rain occurs while you’re riding — some routes become impassable when wet or will be damaged by riding when wet.
When planning a route, especially for newer bikepackers (regardless of cycling experience) plan to ride significantly less mileage than you would unloaded.
If riding an e-bike, know what trails they are legal on — do not ride trails closed to e-bikes. If riding non-motorized trails, assume e-bikes are prohibited until you learn otherwise.
Wear a helmet. It could save your life and reduce the need for search and rescue.

Durable surfaces for cycling include dry, established trails, authorized slickrock areas, dirt/gravel roads, pavement.
Avoid riding off-trail unless local regulations permit.
Keep singletrack single! When encountering water, ice, or mud ride through it rather than around. Ride or walk an obstacle rather than ride around it.
The best camps are found, not made!
Ride on dirt, not mud. Avoid wet trails — when your tires leave large divots or create deep ruts it’s too wet to ride.
Especially on backcountry trails that receive minimal maintenance, prevent erosion by braking carefully — slow down before making a turn rather than in the middle of a turn, and do your best to avoid skidding.
When leaving the trail for other users, breaks, or scenic viewpoints, walk your bike rather than riding it.
Durable surfaces for camping include established sites, bare dirt, dry vegetation, and rock. Avoid camping on live vegetation, and never on living (cryptobiotic) soil.
Make your camp on already impacted sites to concentrate impacts. If no existing sites are available try to minimize your camp’s footprint.
Camp at least 200 feet (70 big steps) from water sources like streams and lakes.
Know the land ownership across the route you’re riding. Camp/bivy ONLY where it is permissible. Stealth camping in unauthorized locations, or bivvying on private land, creates negative impressions about bikepacking and can lead to reduced access.

Pack it in, pack it out. Pack out all food waste, toilet paper, hygiene products, and wrappers.
When restroom facilities are not available, deposit solid human waste in catholes 6-8” deep, dug at least 200 feet from water sources and trails. Pack out toilet paper. Cover and disguise your cat hole.
Urinate 200’ away from camp and water sources and out of sight of other trail users.
Bag and pack out dog waste. Alternatively, move dog waste far away from trails and water sources, and bury it in a 6-8″ hole.
Leave the environment better than you find it and pick up trail trash.

Observe but do not touch cultural or historic structures and artifacts. Leave rocks, plants, and other natural objects as you find them.
Wash your bike and gear between rides to prevent the transportation of non-native species.
Do not build unauthorized trail or trail features. Work with land managers and trail advocacy organizations to engage in trail stewardship and building.
Be gentle on trails.

Campfires can cause long-lasting impacts on the environment. Use lightweight stoves, shelters, or candles as alternatives.
When building a fire, use existing fire rings, keep fires small and burn wrist-sized or smaller dead and downed fuel. Avoid creating large fire rings.
Attend fires until all wood is burned to ash. Ensure the ash in your firepit is cool enough to touch before leaving it unattended
Know the status and level of current fire bans. Alcohol stoves are not permitted during fire bans. Some fire bans prohibit any type of open flame, including camp stoves.

Observe wildlife from a distance. Do not follow or approach them.
Avoid disturbing livestock. Running cattle is a legal offense in many ranching areas.
Never feed animals. Feeding wildlife affects their health, alters natural behaviors, and exposes them to predators. Pack out all food waste and scraps!
Control pets at all times or leave them at home.
Avoid wildlife during sensitive times: mating/nesting season, winter, dusk, and dawn.
In bear habitat, use caution and consider carrying bear spray. Avoid solo travel and make noise to prevent surprise encounters.
Negative bear-MTB interactions will risk MTB access to trails and lead to preventable bear management (relocation or euthanization).
Store your food appropriately for your area to prevent wildlife encounters. Bear canisters are highly recommended and far less prone to error than bear hangs.
Be able to hear your surroundings.

Always ride in control and within your limits.
Cyclists always yield to hikers and horses. Default to stopping and dismounting for oncoming traffic.
When passing, announce your presence with your voice or a bell and ask to pass. Share how many other cyclists are in your group or if you’re solo.
Talk to equestrians and ask for their instructions. Speaking and making eye contact helps ease the horses. Step to the downhill side for stock to pass by.
Downhill cyclists yield to uphill cyclists. Descend in control and be cautious riding in areas with poor lines of sight and around blind corners.
Contain your pets. If dogs are allowed off-leash make sure that they stay close and are well behaved.
When riding in groups, travel together to reduce noise and strung out passing for other users. Adjust your speed to keep dust down. Keep the size of your group reasonable.
Keep music to yourself and make sure you can hear your surroundings.
Step off the trail for breaks, to fix mechanicals, or adjust layers so other travelers can pass easily.
Be friendly! Greet people politely. Talk to other users and land managers about responsible bikepacking and be a good ambassador.

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