GENERAL RULE:

There are five basic principles in the words TREAD lightly!

T ravel only where permitted.

R espect the rights of others.

E ducate yourself.

A void streams, meadows, and wildlife, etc.

D rive and travel responsible.

Tread lightly also means leaving no trace of your visit.

• Pack it in... pack it out! Leave only your tracks.
• Leave what you find - Picture and trash are the only things you should take.

STAY ON THE TRACK

Don't drive off through "untracked" wilderness trying to be the first one to ever drive your rig "where no man has gone before." Don't make your own short cuts on the track.

REPECT WHAT ISN'T YOURS

• If you go through a gate, leave it as you found it. Nothing makes a landowner more upset than when a gate's position is changed, cutting off livestock from food or water, or allowing them to escape.
• If you are about to enter or need to enter private land, be sure to get permission first.
• Take a track down the middle of the track if you can.
• Avoid widening the track.
• Cross streams only at suitable points.

KEEP THE NOISE AND DUST DOWN

Both are a form of pollution and you should respect others who are on the track with you.

COURTESY

Yield the right of way to bikers, hikers, and people on horseback. Be especially careful when around animals. Pull to the side of the track; turn off your engine and be quiet, not making any sudden movements until they pass. Also yield the right of way to drivers on the up hill grade or those who are overtaking you.

SAFETY

• Buckle up! In some places this isn't a suggestion...it is mandatory that everyone be properly secured in the rig.
  
• Travel with a group and preferably with someone who has been on the track before.
• Have a UHF radio. Establish the channel you will be using as a group. Having a cell phone can also be helpful, but the coverage may be very limited.
• Don't drink and drive. The correlation between consumption and damage or injury is significant. Besides, it's against the law.
• Build plenty of time into your schedule so that you don't have to drive after dark.
• Keep a reasonable distance between rigs. Give those around you plenty of room to maneuver.
• Do not speed or use the track as a racetrack.
• Minimize the use of fire. A wildfire can change an area for hundreds of years. Use fire wisely and safely.

IMPORTANT ITEMS

• A 4x4 rig that is equipped to handle the challenges of the track.
• Sleeping bag
• Tent or trap
• Personal items
• Prescriptions
• Flashlight
• Towel
• Toilet paper
• Camera and film
• Extra clothes
• Jacket
• Rain gear
• Extra rig keys
• First aid kit
• Shovel
• Hachette
• Tools
• Fire extinguisher
• Heavy-duty jack
• Tow strap
• Duct and electrical tape
• Snatch block, straps
• Extra parts

MOST IMPORTANTLY

Have fun, enjoy and respect the land, and get to know some of the other offroaders. Most people are really glad to lend a hand and help out with advice or track repair. Beer and driving don't mix even on tracks. Some would disagree but I don't believe in drinking if I'm going to drive. Wait for the campfire festivities to open the beer.