How to Stay Safe and Have Fun on Busy Pathways

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With so many people out on the pathways right now, a lot of whom might not regularly use pathways and are perhaps a little rusty on their pathways etiquette, Friends of Pathways and the Jackson/Teton County Pathways program would like to remind the community of pathways usage guidelines that help keep all users safe and make sure everyone has an enjoyable experience on our community trails.

Pathways Usage Guidelines during Coronavirus (and all other times too)

  • We encourage everyone to travel at a safe speed and make sure you give other pathway users a comfortable amount of space, especially with the current concerns about COVID-19 and social distancing.
  • Travel on the right half of the pathway, pass on the left—and only when it’s safe to pass with no oncoming traffic.
  • Faster riders yield to slower users—it is always the responsibility of the faster-moving user to pass safely.
  • Signal audibly BEFORE passing. Ring your bell or say “on your left” and make sure the person has heard you and knows you’re passing.
  • Travel at a safe speed. Watch out for little kids, older folks, and less experienced users who may be less predictable and less steady on their feet or bikes.
  • Be alert. Keep an eye out for users approaching from behind, and make sure you can hear and respond to others on the pathway (mind the ear buds!)
  • Don’t block the trail. If you’re with a group, make sure to stay on the right half of the pathway. When stopped, please step completely off the side of the path and keep the trail clear for other users.
  • Keep dogs under control and clean up after pets. Dogs are required to be on leash on Town of Jackson pathways and under voice control on County pathways. Please bag AND DISPOSE OF your dog’s waste using the Mutt Mitts and the many trash cans provided for your convenience.

We are truly fortunate to have such a connected and accessible pathways system that allows people of all ages and abilities to travel and recreate safely and enjoy some time out of the house. While we’re all coping with the impacts of COVID-19 on our normal daily routine, we remind the community to expect to see many more users on our pathways than usual and to please remember that many of them may not have a lot of experience on shared-use paths. And we encourage everyone to travel safely and be patient and respectful toward your fellow path users.