Caring for Our Trails

The most basic Leave No Trace habit is also the simplest. Don’t litter. Everything you carry onto the trail comes back out with you, including wrappers, bottles, tissues, and the little corner you tore off an energy gel.

Carry a small bag just for your own trash. A plastic grocery bag works great. It weighs almost nothing, folds into a pocket, and keeps sticky wrappers from getting all over the inside of your pack.

Many hikers think an apple core or a banana peel is fine to toss because it is biodegradable. But in reality, it’s not a good idea to just toss it on the ground—for three specific reasons.

1. It takes longer to biodegrade than you think. Food scraps break down slowly on the forest floor, and a peel can sit beside the trail looking like trash long after your hike.
2. It draws in wildlife. Raccoons and other animals that find food along the trail learn to look for it there and lose their caution around people. That is bad for them and for the next hiker.
3. It can spread plants that don’t belong. Seeds from fruit can sprout and bring in species that aren’t native to our woods.

Put peels, cores, shells, and crumbs in your trash bag with everything else.

The trail tread is the surface you walk on, and it is easiest to damage when it’s wet. Soft ground holds every step, and those prints dry into ridges and holes that make the trail rough for everyone and channel water that wears it away.

Here is the test. If you are leaving shoeprints, don’t hike that trail today. Turn around, try a paved trail, or come back after it dries. Our Trail Etiquette guide has more on muddy trails. Not sure which trails are open to hikers? See our list of hikeable trails.

Puddles. The official guideline is to walk straight through a puddle, because stepping around it widens the trail. In reality, there is almost always firm, dry ground right beside a puddle on our trails, so walk on that. If the only way around is mud or brush, go through the middle.

Winter brings a special kind of wet trail. After a hard freeze, the ground thaws from the top down. That leaves a soft, wet layer of mud sitting on frozen soil that water can’t drain through. Foot traffic in that layer causes deep ruts and erosion that can last long after the weather warms up.

• Hike early. On a cold morning, go while the ground is still frozen solid, and finish before it softens.
• Or wait. Give the trail time to thaw all the way through and dry out.
• Use the shoeprint test. If you are leaving prints, the trail isn’t ready.

Our Winter Hiking guide covers cold-weather hiking in more detail.

You are often the first person to spot a problem, and a quick report gets it fixed sooner. Report downed trees, anything else blocking the trail, trail damage such as washouts, and damaged signs or structures like bridges and railings.

To report an issue, text Trailblazers at 479-231-1365. Trailblazers takes reports for trails in both Bella Vista and Bentonville. Include these three things.

1. The location. Send your GPS coordinates. Our guide on sharing your location shows how to find them.
2. The problem. Say what you see in a sentence, such as a tree down across the whole trail, and spell out the name of the trail it’s on. Even with GPS coordinates, the trail name tells the crew right away where to go.
3. A photo. A picture shows the crew what tools to bring.

If a tree or branch can easily be moved off the trail, feel free to move it instead of sending a report. If it can’t be moved, send the report and leave the job to the crews. Never cut up trees or branches with a chainsaw. Local law limits chainsaw use on the trails, and a report is the best way you can help.

You don’t need to join a work day to make a difference. Two small tools let you help on any hike.

1. Pick up litter. Carry a waterproof drawstring bag and pick up litter as you hike. The bag can even go over your hydration backpack, so your hands stay free. This works best with two people, one carrying the bag and one dropping litter in, so neither of you has to stop and take a pack on and off.
2. Trim vegetation. Carry pruning shears and trim small branches, vines, and briars that reach into the trail. Clearing them keeps the trail from narrowing and saves the next hiker from a scratch across the face or ankle. Know your plants first so you don’t grab poison ivy, and see our Hiking Safety guide for help telling them apart.

This guide is general information from a volunteer trail organization. Always follow posted closures and trail rules. In an emergency, call 911. See our Terms of Use and Trail Safety Disclaimer.