filed under: user management
The Trails Safe Passing Plan
Horses are prey animals and naturally can be afraid of unfamiliar people and objects. Horses have natural "flight“ survival instincts and prefer to move their feet towards an exit route. Therefore, people with horses should pass at a walk while other trail users remain STOPPED until passed.
by Equine Land Conservation Resource
According to a study by the Outdoor Industry Association, 8.1 million more Americans hiked in 2020 than in 2019. The dramatic increase in outdoor recreation adds increased pressure on trails and emphasizes the need for a trails safe passing plan for all trail user groups on public and private lands.
The TRAILS SAFE PASSING PLAN: STOP, SPEAK, and STAND BACK is an action plan and educational resource developed to help all trail users understand the importance of yielding to people with horses since horses are prey animals and naturally can be afraid of unfamiliar people and objects.
Published June 2022
The Equestrian Land Conservation Resource (ELCR) is a national, not for profit organization whose mission is to advance the conservation of land for horse-related activity.
Visit Equine Land Conservation Resource
ORV – Social & Management Issues
Off-road vehicles can have a substantial impact on the experience of other non-motorized visitors on trails that are shared or even on adjacent forest or park settings.
This research investigated the influence of several use-related, environmental, and managerial factors on soil loss on recreational trails and roads at Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, a unit of the U.S. National Park Service.
All-Terrain Vehicle Sustainability Assessments
The sustainable management of ATV use is an expensive proposition requiring careful design, construction, and maintenance of ATV trails.
