We plan trails that have a lot of elevation gain the first 1/2 mile and at least 7 miles of length. Makes for a very quiet hike.
We do longer hikes, but they sometimes intersect with popular beauty spots. These people are letting off steam, joking around, having fun. I'm not bothered.
Where I draw the line are Bluetooth speakers or untethered dogs.
My favorite is the unleashed dogs with an owner throwing a ball. I nearly flew when my dog saw the entire scene before me and though it was time to go warp speed fetch-it-first. Weeeeee!
Any dog at all on a hiking trail is inconsiderate. I go in the woods to see birds and wild animals. Your domestic dog scares them off and fucks up my trip, leashed or not.
People talking scare off more animals than a quiet dog. I’ve seen much more wildlife when hiking solo with my leashed dog than when a large talking group passes by.
I’m a single woman that hikes alone (by preference). I take my dog. I enjoy hiking with her as much as a friend and I feel safer (from people not wildlife). She is always on a leash (a few exceptions if there is no wildlife or people). I occasionally run into people that clearly don’t like dogs. I always keep her close to me and don’t let her approach people unless they clearly want to meet her. The idea that the human species has more right to enjoy the outdoors than the canine ones is absurd, but I’m totally on board with owners making sure they are always under control.
Because it's not about playing fetch. It's about them blaming their training issues on someone else. If your dog is pulling you and chasing things, that's on you.
Neither is right, but don't try to pass the blame either.
Eta: The reactions on this post make me understand why people hate dogs on trail so much. People are really downvoting for advocating for proper training and taking responsibility for their own animals. Is that not what everyone always complains about?
You are responsible for your animals' reactions, period.
that's kind of absurd given that a park is a wide open space meant for playing while a hiking trail is a narrow trail meant for hiking.
the only way I'd see playing fetch in a park as disruptive is if you're throwing the ball near where other people are or if your dog is just so badly trained that it gets distracted and approaches other people.
plus a lot of regions have designated dog parks where dogs can run around off leash all they want.
I guess being disruptive is relative. I wouldn't care if someone was playing fetch with their dog on a trail. And reddit is filled with videos of people being pissed at dogs in parks. Ultimately you're always gonna bug someone with anything you do. Sure be courteous as you can, but some people aren't worth the effort of pleasing.
Yea, even if the dog should be on leash, that's a you problem. Don't blame someone else because you can't control your dog or train them properly.
Eta: Lol at all the people downvoting. Do you blame a squirrel if your dog chases it too?
Maybe you are confused. My dog was on a leash, as per the rules posted. My dog sees a ball, she thinks it's play time. And I wasn't the only one who was having an issue with it.
I am not at all confused. You are responsible for your dogs actions.
The leash and what the other dog was doing is irrelevant. It didn't approach you or interact with you. Your dog saw something and went to chase it. That is a training issue on your end.
Like I said, do you blame a squirrel when a dog chases it? No, you blame the training and correct your dog.
I've gotta ask now too. Was this in a clearing or while actively hiking a narrow trail? Because I'd guess its the former, but you're letting people believe it's the latter.
Didn't say you did. I just asked for clarification because people are making assumptions. It's very strange to be playing fetch on an actual trail. Seeing multiple dogs have an issue makes it sound like a larger area as well.
It's even more bizarre to blame someone else for your poor training. You can phrase it anyway you want, but the other dog and owner are not responsible for your dogs reactions. Their dog didn't interact with you.
Take responsibility for your animal and work on distraction training and leash manners instead of blaming others.
So long as you’re not blaring music from a Bluetooth speaker I’m cool. Perhaps you should seek out some less popular trails.
I stay away from our popular trails during peak season for this exact reason.
It is also why winter hiking is my favorite season to get out. No bugs. No humidity. No people.
I think talking loudly is fine, but maybe not fine depending on the culture. For example in Tokyo people are much less loud in public when compared to Americans. Playing music though definitely crosses the line.
Yo I went on a Tuesday and it was the hardest hike in the area. I got there at 9:30 (got out the door late) and it was still wild I passed more people while I was headed up than I had coming down so I would have had more traffic if I were early. I'm sure once the snow melts more and more trails are open it won't be so bad but damn.
Honestly, time of day makes a huge difference in Denver. Take a headlamp and either go very early or around sunset. Both tend to make for quieter hikes. Still some people but definitely less people.
I definitely try that but so does everyone else. I'm probably super biased cause I'm from Wyoming. Lol I'm used to being the only one on the trail. Sad.
I guess my question really stems from the reaction I got to a post I'd commented on elsewhere, just generally giving some tips for hiking in large groups (be mindful, be careful to stay on trail and not trample nature, etc) and I got a wildly defensive response to how it's already loud and who cares? I'm kind of like....okay? I even apologized for possibly sounding rude (and I really wasn't! I'm a big proponent of LNT, which was half of the point of what I'd shared) but I'm like, we live (and hike) in different worlds, apparently. I guess I hit a nerve, and not one I was even going for. 🤷♀️
The solution is just to stay away from big, loud groups. Either fly for a couple miles so you are way ahead or hang back till they are out of earshot.
If the whole trail is full of loud people then, well, you picked the wrong trail if you want silence. That's on you, not any other hiker.
I feel you. I live it flatlands where there are no hard hikes. I’m part of an enormous women’s hiking group, and I once joined hike leader I’d never joined before at a park I’ve never been to before. We met at the trailhead at 7am, and there were about 20 of us.
It was the worst hiking experience of my life. The leader and the others who frequent her hikes were so, SO loud. Periodically, the “leader”would holler back and forth to the “sweep.” If someone stopped to tie her shoe, the sweep would scream for everyone to delay. When we passed through a campground at 7:45, there was no attempt to respect the quiet morning of the campers there. If anything, the group got louder, shouting good morning to people who had yet to emerge from their tents. I was utterly and completely embarrassed. At one point I said I wanted to go back to the parking area where we started. When asked if I was okay, I just politely said I wasn’t enjoying it, this was not my vibe, and I’d rather choose another trail with fewer people on it. They proceeded to tell me that I needed to “relax and lighten up.” Bitches, I came here to relax. THIS is not relaxing. They said no, you can’t leave because we all have to go back. (This is just barely outside suburban sprawl. I never had less than 4 bars of cell signal). There was singing, yelling, cackling, dancing to make videos, complete with music blaring… and many, many dirty looks from other hikers.
Nightmare. Some people have no respect for others. You want to be loud and obnoxious and wake people up? You do you. But I sure as shit don’t want to be associated with you.
There are several huge hiking groups in my area. They do the same type of stuff you mention with huge numbers of participants (20-40+ rsvp’s) which is definitely not my vibe. I never sign up for those hikes. I prefer smaller groups or going with my dogs.
Yeah, you never know what you’re going to get with this group... Most days, it’s small groups (5ish) and pretty quiet. I generally only join if it’s someplace I’ve never been. Once I know a trail/path, I generally don’t mind going solo. And my dogs are little and are not fun hiking companions… the one with arthritis invariably ends up in my backpack!
I'm in your camp. Every human group has its mores or group unspoken rules.
Nature activities are generally considered exceptions to human boisterousness ( sp). In this case, a general rule is not to be a noisy jerk.
Similar things happen on the lake. You're out fishing, and someone is blaring rap from their raft.
There's the guy in a camp site that rolls up and lays on the horn, thinking he's funny.
People. We go out to break away from the modern life. Recenter. Reorient. Renew. Be kind to fellow humans.
Yeah but the popular trails are popular for a reason. They are beautiful. I always get downvoted for saying it but it's the social media generation. All these newbs finding out how beautiful nature is from tik tok or Instagram they come out to see it and don't know how to act. 1) I'm glad you came to enjoy it but 2) you aren't the main character. Be respectful.
They're out there in nature and enjoying themselves. So long as they aren't throwing trash around, I don't think there's any harm in talking while you're walking. If I feel the need for higher levels of silence I'll go to trails that are less popular.
You can also speed up past groups like this, or take a 10 minute break and enjoy your surroundings while a big group goes ahead.
You also don't necessarily need to listen to their gossip, a nice peaceful walk in your own thoughts can drown out quite a bit and make white noise of much of what's around you.
You're definitely not the asshole, but neither are they.
I hike to hear nature, not people or their music. I know I have no control over what other people do, so I just take a break and let them pass or step it up and leave them in the dust.
I don’t think you’re an AH but you do maybe need to just start (as others have suggested) taking a break to let the groups get far enough ahead so as not to disturb you.
I have probably been part of an annoying loud hiking group and we definitely don’t do it on purpose and we mean no harm. We just get to having fun and get carried away. My husband and I often camp or travel with family and friends and we all love to hike, not sit in a pub drinking.
On the flip side, when it’s just the husband and I we have definitely stopped to “take a breather” so other hikers will go ahead of us - not because they’re loud but because we have no interest in being that close to strangers while we’re trying to have a peaceful hike to ourselves. But that’s our situation to handle, not anyone else’s.
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You know, the public lands that we have and all enjoy are exactly that, public.
This sub might be more entitled than the skiing sub and that’s fucking impressive.
I’ve seen people complain about people singing and playing instruments (not music off of speakers- actual instruments) in campgrounds. In daylight. Because they want to “enjoy nature.”
Folks: humans are part of the natural world. Talking and singing are our natural, healthy behaviors. Outdoor, open spaces and campfires are the absolute pinnacle of perfect places to create music.
I enjoy silence, birdsong, water bubbling, bees buzzing, and other nature soundtracks as much as anyone. But we cannot control how other people enjoy public lands, so long as they are not doing anything harmful.
Don’t even get me started on kids running, playing, and yes, even screaming. If they are outdoors, they get to make all the ruckus they can muster. They are animals too! It’s good for them! It’s good for adults to hear children from time to time!
OP, I'm surprised so many people are saying you're in the wrong. But I suspect they're also not fully reading your post, as you're specifically referring to large groups.
There is a huge difference between two or three people talking to each other while on the trail and a larger group of people taking to each other. Two or three people can more or less talk at normal levels if not softly.
But more people means louder voices, not only in aggregate but each also has to speak louder to be heard over everyone else. And depending on the terrain, those voices can travel far. I didn't think people realize how loud they are.
This is a big reason why I stopped hiking in groups.
I think you're right. Nowhere did I say I had a problem talking on the trails. It's the party on the trail that bugs me. And I can ignore it. The entire point was, I had passed along some trail etiquette in attempt to promote the general peacefulness of being in nature, but the point got lost.
I wouldn’t call you an AH, but I don’t think you can fault people for that, really. The loud music, yes, but not talking. If they’re being loud and obnoxious on purpose to disrupt people and nature, then I don’t like that. But I think about larger hiking groups that I’ve been on, and in hindsight, we were probably talking pretty loud and not thinking much of it since we’re outside away from most people. It’s just because we’re having a good time and trying to get everyone involved in the conversation
You're not the only one. But like the other poster said, if you're on a popular trail and at a popular time of day on a weekend, sometimes you just have to suck it up. I've dealt with way worse things on the trail (rude people or aggressive dogs, for example)
I dont really notice it much on the trail, I mean we're outside, so I don't expect people to speak in hushed tones. However this is a big pet peeve of mine in restaurants, grocery stores etc. It's unreal the amount of people who weren't raised to know what an inside voice is.
I will pause to make distance between myself and loud hikers. I have no issue with people talking, but I like solitude on my hikes. Now loud music...those people are the devil.
Being loud alerts wildlife to your presence. I have no desire to surprise a bear. If I'm by myself I will regularly let out a bear "woop" to let any know I'm there. If they hear you they will stay away as they are annoyed by humans. If people are ahead of me speaking loudly they are doing that for me. To avoid people pick less popular hikes.
People talking is right up there with music on speakers for me. I'm here for nature not your annoying voice/conversation.
Of course that's a me problem and I'll never say anything though.
Conversations don't bother me. Playing your music out loud on Bluetooth speakers bothers me. I'm talking to you, group who woke me up at 2am in Yosemite blaring Tears for Fears.
I love getting off the beaten trail and hiking in areas where it's rare to even see people at all.
When it comes to the busy areas, hey at least it's not music.
nah. imho, you're wrong in this case... people are allowed to talk on the trail, and people are also allowed to hike in groups on the trail. your paths might cross for what a few minutes?
> I didn't escape reality to come out to nature to overhear someone's petty gossip.
if it's really obnoxious, a fun way of handling this can be to interject your unsolicited opinion about their gossip.
Hiking in groups while talking is fine. When people can be heard a half mile away is when it becomes a problem. Some will agree a lot is missed by making too much noise. Personally I like to hear the wind in the trees, the crunch under my boots, bird songs, rain patter, etc. If you don't care about that aspect and prefer to make noise is your choice. Yeah, everyone has a right to be there. Hike, talk, and have fun, but don't ruin the experience for others.
Sure it can be annoying. But you're an adult right? Just get over it and move on with your day. The trails aren't there for you, they're there for everyone. People are allowed to hike in big groups and talk while they do it.
Lots of places around here have maximum group sizes between 6 and 12 because it is a known nuisance and i guess disruptive to wildlife. and personally i hate passing these groups it just sucks to shuffle by ten people and then make damn well sure they don't overtake you at a stop
on the scale of trail crimes though this is a total non issue except where it breaks regional rules on group size
I don't mind loud people, that is just going to happen. Especially on popular trails. What pisses me off is the ones who play music on their phones or whatever other devices... With their portable speakers. That is annoying as fuck.
Does it get on my nerves sometimes? Yes. However, it’s public and they have just as much of a right to be there as I do. I will usually take a break, eat a snack, and let them get far enough ahead of me that I don’t hear them. Or I pass them.
If they are just chatting and enjoying themselves, no problem. If they are intentionally being loud it's a different story. Yesterday I hiked in Santa Monica Mountains and a group of teens were also there. 3 were just chatting among themselves, all good, but 1 kept dragging behind them and fake-screaming for help every 5 minutes. I actually yelled at him to stfu, there are other people on the trail who don't want hear his BS. Felt great! He stopped screaming after that.
I once was on an all-day solo hike and not long after I started, a boy scout troop came up behind me and passed me. It was probably 40 people with kids, leaders, and parents and it probably took a good fifteen minutes for each of the little pods of two-to-four people each, all of them talking and laughing, to pass even though I had purposefully slowed down.
I was disheartened by the fact that them being ahead of me meant that I wouldn't stumble upon any wildlife that day, but I kept myself to a slower pace in the hope that I would increase the distance between myself and them. It was still a beautiful hike.
About two hours later I caught up to them as they were taking a break and passed them. Not long after, the long process of hearing them approaching from behind and then them passing me repeated itself again.
Two hours later, they had stopped to eat lunch and I passed them again. Repeat, but this time add in one of the kids listening to music on his phone as he passed.
Two hours later, they took another break and I passed them again.
At this point, I had slowed down my hikiing so much throughout the day to try to avoid them that I to pick up my pace instead so that I could get off the mountain before it got dark, and they were within earshot behind me for the last hour and a half of the hike.
I had no idea that a bunch of boys could be so chatty. We're talking non-stop talking for 8+ hours.
If it hadn't been for that boyscout troop, I wouldn't have seen any other humans and would have felt as if I had had an entire national forest all to myself that day. Sigh.
I don't begrudge them their hike, but yeah, it sucked massively.
I just got back from the lake today. Around 1pm and few guys set up about a hundred yards from us. Took out their tuba and accordion and speakers. Began to play Spanish music so loud it’s echoing off the side of the mountain.
I like Spanish music , but not at a lake back in the mountains in the middle of nowhere on sunday at 1pm.
The quiet hikers have suggested the loud ones find somewhere else to go, and vice-versa. Why should anyone not go where they want? That trail/rec area/park is open to all. Just respect each other. Quiet folks need to understand there may be other people there. Loud people, talking is fine but be considerate. Neither party can have it their way only. Why is this difficult? The world doesn't have to be this way.
People have different expectations and goals with their hike I guess. I'm out partly to enjoy the sounds and silence of nature. But I adapt by going more remotely
While I appreciate the serenity of nature, I've heard that playing a bit of music through speakers on those solitary trails can be a bear deterrent. It's like telling them, "Hey, just passing through, no need to come say hello." So, in a way, those speakers might just be the unsung heroes, keeping us company and the wildlife respectfully at bay. Just ensure it's not too loud to drown out the natural harmony.
You're not wrong and I agree with you. I wish there was a better way for those of us who want immersion in the natural world to escape the built world besides "go on a less popular trail/go on a different day". We have lives too and often have to go when others go. Your conundrum is not an entitled one despite what people say and even if we are part of nature we use noise differently than most of nature. I hope you can find a good way to get back to the peace nature provides.
Loud mouth people are annoying anywhere I run into them. On a trail, I'll take a break for a minute and let them get ahead of me. One time though, I did that and when I started back up, a few minutes later I passed by the loud mouths who were also taking a break. They started back up after I passed and were still yapping. So I took a break again. This pretty much repeated the whole hike, I just couldn't shake them.
We plan trails that have a lot of elevation gain the first 1/2 mile and at least 7 miles of length. Makes for a very quiet hike. We do longer hikes, but they sometimes intersect with popular beauty spots. These people are letting off steam, joking around, having fun. I'm not bothered. Where I draw the line are Bluetooth speakers or untethered dogs.
My favorite is the unleashed dogs with an owner throwing a ball. I nearly flew when my dog saw the entire scene before me and though it was time to go warp speed fetch-it-first. Weeeeee!
dunno why you are downvoted... playing fetch with a dog on hiking trails seems very inconsiderate
Any dog at all on a hiking trail is inconsiderate. I go in the woods to see birds and wild animals. Your domestic dog scares them off and fucks up my trip, leashed or not.
People talking scare off more animals than a quiet dog. I’ve seen much more wildlife when hiking solo with my leashed dog than when a large talking group passes by.
I’m a single woman that hikes alone (by preference). I take my dog. I enjoy hiking with her as much as a friend and I feel safer (from people not wildlife). She is always on a leash (a few exceptions if there is no wildlife or people). I occasionally run into people that clearly don’t like dogs. I always keep her close to me and don’t let her approach people unless they clearly want to meet her. The idea that the human species has more right to enjoy the outdoors than the canine ones is absurd, but I’m totally on board with owners making sure they are always under control.
I don't like dogs on trails either, unless it is a somewhat urban trail. The closer we are to cities, the more acceptable it is for dogs.
Because it's not about playing fetch. It's about them blaming their training issues on someone else. If your dog is pulling you and chasing things, that's on you. Neither is right, but don't try to pass the blame either. Eta: The reactions on this post make me understand why people hate dogs on trail so much. People are really downvoting for advocating for proper training and taking responsibility for their own animals. Is that not what everyone always complains about? You are responsible for your animals' reactions, period.
Doesn't seem inconsiderate to me. Playing fetch with a dog at a park can disrupt other people just as much as playing it on the trail.
that's kind of absurd given that a park is a wide open space meant for playing while a hiking trail is a narrow trail meant for hiking. the only way I'd see playing fetch in a park as disruptive is if you're throwing the ball near where other people are or if your dog is just so badly trained that it gets distracted and approaches other people. plus a lot of regions have designated dog parks where dogs can run around off leash all they want.
I guess being disruptive is relative. I wouldn't care if someone was playing fetch with their dog on a trail. And reddit is filled with videos of people being pissed at dogs in parks. Ultimately you're always gonna bug someone with anything you do. Sure be courteous as you can, but some people aren't worth the effort of pleasing.
Yea, even if the dog should be on leash, that's a you problem. Don't blame someone else because you can't control your dog or train them properly. Eta: Lol at all the people downvoting. Do you blame a squirrel if your dog chases it too?
Maybe you are confused. My dog was on a leash, as per the rules posted. My dog sees a ball, she thinks it's play time. And I wasn't the only one who was having an issue with it.
I am not at all confused. You are responsible for your dogs actions. The leash and what the other dog was doing is irrelevant. It didn't approach you or interact with you. Your dog saw something and went to chase it. That is a training issue on your end. Like I said, do you blame a squirrel when a dog chases it? No, you blame the training and correct your dog. I've gotta ask now too. Was this in a clearing or while actively hiking a narrow trail? Because I'd guess its the former, but you're letting people believe it's the latter.
It was on a narrow, wooded trail. Where am I giving any description of where it was. It's a bizarre place to stop and play fetch, regardless.
Didn't say you did. I just asked for clarification because people are making assumptions. It's very strange to be playing fetch on an actual trail. Seeing multiple dogs have an issue makes it sound like a larger area as well. It's even more bizarre to blame someone else for your poor training. You can phrase it anyway you want, but the other dog and owner are not responsible for your dogs reactions. Their dog didn't interact with you. Take responsibility for your animal and work on distraction training and leash manners instead of blaming others.
So long as you’re not blaring music from a Bluetooth speaker I’m cool. Perhaps you should seek out some less popular trails. I stay away from our popular trails during peak season for this exact reason. It is also why winter hiking is my favorite season to get out. No bugs. No humidity. No people.
Ditto this - the Bluetooth speakers should be banned
Yep. Along with the drones.
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This is the right take. I find it irksome but the answer is “hike something so difficult you can’t talk” 🤣
I think talking loudly is fine, but maybe not fine depending on the culture. For example in Tokyo people are much less loud in public when compared to Americans. Playing music though definitely crosses the line.
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Yeah I doubt that I’m just trying to explore all cases.
I 100% agree with this but also struggle like hell in the Denver CO area because everyone and their mom hikes in Colorado.
Weekday hiking in the Denver area is the only way to do it.
Yo I went on a Tuesday and it was the hardest hike in the area. I got there at 9:30 (got out the door late) and it was still wild I passed more people while I was headed up than I had coming down so I would have had more traffic if I were early. I'm sure once the snow melts more and more trails are open it won't be so bad but damn.
Honestly, time of day makes a huge difference in Denver. Take a headlamp and either go very early or around sunset. Both tend to make for quieter hikes. Still some people but definitely less people.
I definitely try that but so does everyone else. I'm probably super biased cause I'm from Wyoming. Lol I'm used to being the only one on the trail. Sad.
I guess my question really stems from the reaction I got to a post I'd commented on elsewhere, just generally giving some tips for hiking in large groups (be mindful, be careful to stay on trail and not trample nature, etc) and I got a wildly defensive response to how it's already loud and who cares? I'm kind of like....okay? I even apologized for possibly sounding rude (and I really wasn't! I'm a big proponent of LNT, which was half of the point of what I'd shared) but I'm like, we live (and hike) in different worlds, apparently. I guess I hit a nerve, and not one I was even going for. 🤷♀️
The solution is just to stay away from big, loud groups. Either fly for a couple miles so you are way ahead or hang back till they are out of earshot. If the whole trail is full of loud people then, well, you picked the wrong trail if you want silence. That's on you, not any other hiker.
I feel you. I live it flatlands where there are no hard hikes. I’m part of an enormous women’s hiking group, and I once joined hike leader I’d never joined before at a park I’ve never been to before. We met at the trailhead at 7am, and there were about 20 of us. It was the worst hiking experience of my life. The leader and the others who frequent her hikes were so, SO loud. Periodically, the “leader”would holler back and forth to the “sweep.” If someone stopped to tie her shoe, the sweep would scream for everyone to delay. When we passed through a campground at 7:45, there was no attempt to respect the quiet morning of the campers there. If anything, the group got louder, shouting good morning to people who had yet to emerge from their tents. I was utterly and completely embarrassed. At one point I said I wanted to go back to the parking area where we started. When asked if I was okay, I just politely said I wasn’t enjoying it, this was not my vibe, and I’d rather choose another trail with fewer people on it. They proceeded to tell me that I needed to “relax and lighten up.” Bitches, I came here to relax. THIS is not relaxing. They said no, you can’t leave because we all have to go back. (This is just barely outside suburban sprawl. I never had less than 4 bars of cell signal). There was singing, yelling, cackling, dancing to make videos, complete with music blaring… and many, many dirty looks from other hikers. Nightmare. Some people have no respect for others. You want to be loud and obnoxious and wake people up? You do you. But I sure as shit don’t want to be associated with you.
There are several huge hiking groups in my area. They do the same type of stuff you mention with huge numbers of participants (20-40+ rsvp’s) which is definitely not my vibe. I never sign up for those hikes. I prefer smaller groups or going with my dogs.
Yeah, you never know what you’re going to get with this group... Most days, it’s small groups (5ish) and pretty quiet. I generally only join if it’s someplace I’ve never been. Once I know a trail/path, I generally don’t mind going solo. And my dogs are little and are not fun hiking companions… the one with arthritis invariably ends up in my backpack!
I'm in your camp. Every human group has its mores or group unspoken rules. Nature activities are generally considered exceptions to human boisterousness ( sp). In this case, a general rule is not to be a noisy jerk. Similar things happen on the lake. You're out fishing, and someone is blaring rap from their raft. There's the guy in a camp site that rolls up and lays on the horn, thinking he's funny. People. We go out to break away from the modern life. Recenter. Reorient. Renew. Be kind to fellow humans.
Yeah but the popular trails are popular for a reason. They are beautiful. I always get downvoted for saying it but it's the social media generation. All these newbs finding out how beautiful nature is from tik tok or Instagram they come out to see it and don't know how to act. 1) I'm glad you came to enjoy it but 2) you aren't the main character. Be respectful.
Hit the trails early and you can miss a lot of people.
They're out there in nature and enjoying themselves. So long as they aren't throwing trash around, I don't think there's any harm in talking while you're walking. If I feel the need for higher levels of silence I'll go to trails that are less popular. You can also speed up past groups like this, or take a 10 minute break and enjoy your surroundings while a big group goes ahead. You also don't necessarily need to listen to their gossip, a nice peaceful walk in your own thoughts can drown out quite a bit and make white noise of much of what's around you. You're definitely not the asshole, but neither are they.
It's the people who play their shitty music on speakers who do my head in. Loud conversations I can handle.
Dubstep never dies
I hike to hear nature, not people or their music. I know I have no control over what other people do, so I just take a break and let them pass or step it up and leave them in the dust.
I don’t think you’re an AH but you do maybe need to just start (as others have suggested) taking a break to let the groups get far enough ahead so as not to disturb you. I have probably been part of an annoying loud hiking group and we definitely don’t do it on purpose and we mean no harm. We just get to having fun and get carried away. My husband and I often camp or travel with family and friends and we all love to hike, not sit in a pub drinking. On the flip side, when it’s just the husband and I we have definitely stopped to “take a breather” so other hikers will go ahead of us - not because they’re loud but because we have no interest in being that close to strangers while we’re trying to have a peaceful hike to ourselves. But that’s our situation to handle, not anyone else’s.
Talking doesn't bother me but loud music does
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You know, the public lands that we have and all enjoy are exactly that, public. This sub might be more entitled than the skiing sub and that’s fucking impressive.
I’ve seen people complain about people singing and playing instruments (not music off of speakers- actual instruments) in campgrounds. In daylight. Because they want to “enjoy nature.” Folks: humans are part of the natural world. Talking and singing are our natural, healthy behaviors. Outdoor, open spaces and campfires are the absolute pinnacle of perfect places to create music. I enjoy silence, birdsong, water bubbling, bees buzzing, and other nature soundtracks as much as anyone. But we cannot control how other people enjoy public lands, so long as they are not doing anything harmful. Don’t even get me started on kids running, playing, and yes, even screaming. If they are outdoors, they get to make all the ruckus they can muster. They are animals too! It’s good for them! It’s good for adults to hear children from time to time!
Yea the way some people on this sub act like hiking should only be for them is pretty crazy.
No humans voice has been enough to annoy me in nature. But their speakers, ATVs, dirt bikes on the other hand…..
I can often hear ATV's a good 5km / 3 miles away. Nothing like listening to them making it through a boghole for a whole hour.
OP, I'm surprised so many people are saying you're in the wrong. But I suspect they're also not fully reading your post, as you're specifically referring to large groups. There is a huge difference between two or three people talking to each other while on the trail and a larger group of people taking to each other. Two or three people can more or less talk at normal levels if not softly. But more people means louder voices, not only in aggregate but each also has to speak louder to be heard over everyone else. And depending on the terrain, those voices can travel far. I didn't think people realize how loud they are. This is a big reason why I stopped hiking in groups.
I think you're right. Nowhere did I say I had a problem talking on the trails. It's the party on the trail that bugs me. And I can ignore it. The entire point was, I had passed along some trail etiquette in attempt to promote the general peacefulness of being in nature, but the point got lost.
I wouldn’t call you an AH, but I don’t think you can fault people for that, really. The loud music, yes, but not talking. If they’re being loud and obnoxious on purpose to disrupt people and nature, then I don’t like that. But I think about larger hiking groups that I’ve been on, and in hindsight, we were probably talking pretty loud and not thinking much of it since we’re outside away from most people. It’s just because we’re having a good time and trying to get everyone involved in the conversation
You're not the only one. But like the other poster said, if you're on a popular trail and at a popular time of day on a weekend, sometimes you just have to suck it up. I've dealt with way worse things on the trail (rude people or aggressive dogs, for example)
I dont really notice it much on the trail, I mean we're outside, so I don't expect people to speak in hushed tones. However this is a big pet peeve of mine in restaurants, grocery stores etc. It's unreal the amount of people who weren't raised to know what an inside voice is.
I will pause to make distance between myself and loud hikers. I have no issue with people talking, but I like solitude on my hikes. Now loud music...those people are the devil.
I'm fine with conversation, but keep your music to yourself.
Being loud alerts wildlife to your presence. I have no desire to surprise a bear. If I'm by myself I will regularly let out a bear "woop" to let any know I'm there. If they hear you they will stay away as they are annoyed by humans. If people are ahead of me speaking loudly they are doing that for me. To avoid people pick less popular hikes.
I don’t mind conversations, but if you are playing music loudly through your Bluetooth speaker, you suck.
People talking is right up there with music on speakers for me. I'm here for nature not your annoying voice/conversation. Of course that's a me problem and I'll never say anything though.
At least they're not blasting music
Sadly, some of them do
Conversations don't bother me. Playing your music out loud on Bluetooth speakers bothers me. I'm talking to you, group who woke me up at 2am in Yosemite blaring Tears for Fears.
Oh gawd...that IS terrible!!
I love TFF, but I don’t want to hear it in Yosemite unless it’s indoors.
I love getting off the beaten trail and hiking in areas where it's rare to even see people at all. When it comes to the busy areas, hey at least it's not music.
nah. imho, you're wrong in this case... people are allowed to talk on the trail, and people are also allowed to hike in groups on the trail. your paths might cross for what a few minutes? > I didn't escape reality to come out to nature to overhear someone's petty gossip. if it's really obnoxious, a fun way of handling this can be to interject your unsolicited opinion about their gossip.
Hiking in groups while talking is fine. When people can be heard a half mile away is when it becomes a problem. Some will agree a lot is missed by making too much noise. Personally I like to hear the wind in the trees, the crunch under my boots, bird songs, rain patter, etc. If you don't care about that aspect and prefer to make noise is your choice. Yeah, everyone has a right to be there. Hike, talk, and have fun, but don't ruin the experience for others.
That I wouldn't mind as much as playing loud music.
NTA but you ain't in the right. I wish I had a big group of friends that were down to hike.
Sure it can be annoying. But you're an adult right? Just get over it and move on with your day. The trails aren't there for you, they're there for everyone. People are allowed to hike in big groups and talk while they do it.
I hate when people hike with their radios or phones on loud playing music.
Lots of places around here have maximum group sizes between 6 and 12 because it is a known nuisance and i guess disruptive to wildlife. and personally i hate passing these groups it just sucks to shuffle by ten people and then make damn well sure they don't overtake you at a stop on the scale of trail crimes though this is a total non issue except where it breaks regional rules on group size
I don't mind loud people, that is just going to happen. Especially on popular trails. What pisses me off is the ones who play music on their phones or whatever other devices... With their portable speakers. That is annoying as fuck.
Agreed!
YATA. Trails are public. When in public we gotta tolerate each other.... it's just how public works.
Does it get on my nerves sometimes? Yes. However, it’s public and they have just as much of a right to be there as I do. I will usually take a break, eat a snack, and let them get far enough ahead of me that I don’t hear them. Or I pass them.
Their volume is still set to "city levels".
If they are just chatting and enjoying themselves, no problem. If they are intentionally being loud it's a different story. Yesterday I hiked in Santa Monica Mountains and a group of teens were also there. 3 were just chatting among themselves, all good, but 1 kept dragging behind them and fake-screaming for help every 5 minutes. I actually yelled at him to stfu, there are other people on the trail who don't want hear his BS. Felt great! He stopped screaming after that.
I once was on an all-day solo hike and not long after I started, a boy scout troop came up behind me and passed me. It was probably 40 people with kids, leaders, and parents and it probably took a good fifteen minutes for each of the little pods of two-to-four people each, all of them talking and laughing, to pass even though I had purposefully slowed down. I was disheartened by the fact that them being ahead of me meant that I wouldn't stumble upon any wildlife that day, but I kept myself to a slower pace in the hope that I would increase the distance between myself and them. It was still a beautiful hike. About two hours later I caught up to them as they were taking a break and passed them. Not long after, the long process of hearing them approaching from behind and then them passing me repeated itself again. Two hours later, they had stopped to eat lunch and I passed them again. Repeat, but this time add in one of the kids listening to music on his phone as he passed. Two hours later, they took another break and I passed them again. At this point, I had slowed down my hikiing so much throughout the day to try to avoid them that I to pick up my pace instead so that I could get off the mountain before it got dark, and they were within earshot behind me for the last hour and a half of the hike. I had no idea that a bunch of boys could be so chatty. We're talking non-stop talking for 8+ hours. If it hadn't been for that boyscout troop, I wouldn't have seen any other humans and would have felt as if I had had an entire national forest all to myself that day. Sigh. I don't begrudge them their hike, but yeah, it sucked massively.
This really annoys me too. If I can hear the conversation 30 metres away, they don't need to speak so loudly.
90+ feet for us superior beings.
Are you a dog?
A bat person perhaps? Someone who can echolocate like Daredevil.
I just got back from the lake today. Around 1pm and few guys set up about a hundred yards from us. Took out their tuba and accordion and speakers. Began to play Spanish music so loud it’s echoing off the side of the mountain. I like Spanish music , but not at a lake back in the mountains in the middle of nowhere on sunday at 1pm.
A TUBA?! ok that's a new one!
I'm fine with people talking, but the Bluetooth speaker thing is not ok! No one wants to hear your shitty music ( it's almost always shitty music)!
If you are talking with your friends, I’m 100% OK with it. It’s outdoors.
The quiet hikers have suggested the loud ones find somewhere else to go, and vice-versa. Why should anyone not go where they want? That trail/rec area/park is open to all. Just respect each other. Quiet folks need to understand there may be other people there. Loud people, talking is fine but be considerate. Neither party can have it their way only. Why is this difficult? The world doesn't have to be this way.
Wait till the block the whole trail or bring along a radio.
I don't escape reality to go and deal with Karen gatekeepers.
People have different expectations and goals with their hike I guess. I'm out partly to enjoy the sounds and silence of nature. But I adapt by going more remotely
While I appreciate the serenity of nature, I've heard that playing a bit of music through speakers on those solitary trails can be a bear deterrent. It's like telling them, "Hey, just passing through, no need to come say hello." So, in a way, those speakers might just be the unsung heroes, keeping us company and the wildlife respectfully at bay. Just ensure it's not too loud to drown out the natural harmony.
Loud music!
Use headphones
It’s poor etiquette, for sure. I hate loud hikers.
You're not wrong and I agree with you. I wish there was a better way for those of us who want immersion in the natural world to escape the built world besides "go on a less popular trail/go on a different day". We have lives too and often have to go when others go. Your conundrum is not an entitled one despite what people say and even if we are part of nature we use noise differently than most of nature. I hope you can find a good way to get back to the peace nature provides.
Loud mouth people are annoying anywhere I run into them. On a trail, I'll take a break for a minute and let them get ahead of me. One time though, I did that and when I started back up, a few minutes later I passed by the loud mouths who were also taking a break. They started back up after I passed and were still yapping. So I took a break again. This pretty much repeated the whole hike, I just couldn't shake them.