Montgomery Parks offers guidance on how to share trails safely  

Pedestrians, equestrians, and cyclists share trails at Wheaton Regional and other parks 

WHEATON, Md. – As we head into the Labor Day holiday weekend, Montgomery Parks is reminding trail users about the importance of trail etiquette. The guidance comes as some trails in Wheaton Regional Park have transitioned into shared-use trails that will now include mountain bike riders. The changes are the result of the recently adopted Wheaton Regional Park Master Plan. Trail crews have renovated, rerouted and improved the natural surface trail system in the park.

Trail names have changed, and new signage and maps have been installed along the routes. The rules of the road for shared use trails include:

· Equestrians have the right of way

· Pedestrians yield to equestrians

· Cyclists yield to pedestrians and equestrians

· Everyone yields to people using assistive devices

· Downhill users yield to uphill users

· Always keep dogs on leash

“Some encounters on shared use trails can be startling if you don’t expect them” said Montgomery Parks Trail Planner Kyle Lukacs. “A person walking their dog may be surprised to see a horse on the trail. Or a mountain biker may not be on the lookout for a slower moving pedestrian. Familiarizing yourself with these rules in advance takes the guess work out of using the trails safely.”

In addition to looking out for each other, park visitors should be mindful of trail conditions. Trails should not be used in inclement weather, muddy conditions, or snow.

Montgomery Parks operates a rainout line that provides the latest information on trail conditions. The rainout line can be accessed on the trails operating status web page or by calling the Rainout phone line at (240) 270-0008 .

For a full list of Montgomery Parks trails visit the trails webpage.

About Montgomery Parks      
Montgomery Parks manages more than 37,000 acres of parkland, consisting of 419 parks. Montgomery Parks is a department of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), a bi-county agency established in 1927 to steward public land. M-NCPPC has been nationally recognized for its high-quality parks and recreation services and is regarded as a national model by other parks systems.  
 
Accessibility  
Montgomery Parks, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, encourages and supports the participation of individuals with disabilities. Please contact the Program Access Office at 301-495-2581 (Voice), MD Relay 7-1-1 or 800-552-7724 or ProgramAccess@MontgomeryParks.org to request a disability modification. Visit Montgomery Parks Accessibility for more information.  

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