Hiking etiquette rules that should be common sense but apparently need to be spelled out for some people

John Radzwilla, who runs Hook & Barrel magazine, feels parents need to focus on getting outside and spending time with their children away from screens.

One of the things I love most about hiking is the escape.

For a few hours, there's no doom and gloom on the news, no family drama, no Slack notifications, no people fighting about dumb stuff on social media. It's just you, the trail and whatever nature decides to throw your way that day.

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There's a certain simplicity to it.

Put on some decent shoes. Bring some water. Get outside. Don't be a jerk.

Unfortunately, that last part seems to trip some people up.

A family hikes together in the Dolomites mountains. (piola666 / Getty Images)

So in the interest of preserving everyone's sanity — and keeping our trails enjoyable for the people who come after us — I’ve compiled a few hiking etiquette rules that should be common sense, but apparently aren't.

Yield to uphill hikers on narrow trails

This is probably the most universally ignored rule on the trail. So if you didn’t know, now you know: Hikers going uphill have the right of way. 

They're working harder, they're huffing and puffing, they’re desperate to get to cheeseburgers and post-hike beers, and breaking that momentum on a steep climb is genuinely miserable. If you're leisurely heading down, step aside and let them through.

Keep your music and your podcasts to yourself

Nobody drove two hours, paid a park fee and hiked five miles into the woods to listen to Morgan Wallen blaring from your backpack. In fact, part of the reason people hike is to hear, well... nature.

If you need to listen to your true crime podcast while meandering next to a mountain stream, then be my guest.