Trail Safety Tips

This post has been authored by guest blogger Raphael Sutiono, a local high-school student.

Spending time outdoors in the woods is a wonderful way to connect with nature, observe local wildlife, and enjoy peaceful trails close to home. To help everyone make the most of their visit, here are some simple safety reminders that enhance the experience and help protect this special place for everyone.

Keep your distance from wildlife (especially babies)
If you see wildlife such as deer, turtles, frogs, or birds, enjoy observing them from a distance and avoid feeding or approaching them. Getting too close can disturb wildlife and disrupt their natural behavior. If you notice a parent with its young, give them extra space, as the parents will normally be aggressive and protective of their children.

Stay on marked trails
Staying on the trails is important for both visitors and wildlife. Visitors who venture off the trails might inadvertently cause an animal to feel threatened, especially if it’s protecting its nearby nest or family. Additionally, areas off the trails are not maintained for the purpose of human access and might have uneven terrain, thorns, poisonous ivy, and other hazards. Adhering to the trails is especially important along the pond and lake to prevent falls.

Protect yourself and your pets from tick bites
Ticks are found in wooded areas and grassland on leaves, in high grass, or in low-growing bushes. Walking in the middle of the trail, rather than brushing by the surrounding bushes or grass, can help prevent contact. Wearing long sleeves, long pants, a hat, and closed shoes, and tucking the legs of your pants into your socks also makes it more difficult for ticks to get in contact with your skin. You could also use EPA-approved repellents containing active ingredients such as DEET, picaridin, and oil of lemon eucalyptus on your skin, or you could permeate clothing and shoes with 0.5% permethrin, which is even more protective and lasts through several washings. Furthermore, you can also purchase clothing and gear that already has permethrin bonded to the fabric.

After spending time hiking the trails, perform a complete body tick scan on yourself, your family, and your pets, as well as turning your clothes inside out and tossing them in a hot dryer for a few minutes to kill any ticks that might still be crawling on them. Eradication of ticks using the tip of a fine-tipped tweezer and taking measures to avoid tick bites altogether are essential to protect humans and pets alike from tick-borne diseases like Lyme disease, a bacterial infection that health experts in New York say is becoming more common as tick season gets longer and heavier. Learn what to do in the event of a tick bite.

Learn to spot poison ivy and avoid skin-irritating plants
When on the trails, you may encounter poison ivy, whose unique identifying feature is the presence of three leaflets on a stem, which is sometimes shiny and green during the summer months and sometimes reddish during spring and fall, giving credence to the proverb “leaves of three, let it be.” It may grow as a low plant or a climbing vine. Contact with the plant can cause your skin to break out in an itching rash. Long pants (and, preferably, long sleeves) are recommended for protection.

Wear trail-appropriate footwear and clothing
The trails at Sheldrake are not paved. Expect a variety of surfaces including boardwalks, tree roots, mud, hills, and, in some cases, puddles or slippery areas. Therefore, sturdy, close-toed shoes with good traction are recommended.

Keep dogs leashed
Dogs must be kept on a leash at all times, as this is not only Sheldrake’s policy but also required by local law. Keeping your dog leashed helps ensure a comfortable and respectful experience for other visitors while protecting any wildlife that may be startled by roaming pets. It also helps your dog stay safely on the trail and prevents unintended disruptions to the natural environment. A leash is a simple way to support a peaceful visit for everyone.

Watch the weather and trail conditions
Sheldrake’s wooded trails provide abundant shade, helping to keep walks cooler and more comfortable during hot weather. Because of this shade, some sections of the trail may remain wet or muddy for a while after rain, so wearing waterproof footwear may be advisable for longer than in other areas. If you hear thunder while on the trail, begin making your way back toward the entrance/exit or a safe indoor location and wait for the storm to pass before continuing your visit.

With preparedness and know-how, trail experiences can end on a high note!

Sources: 

1. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
2. Road Scholar
3. Larchmont Reservoir
4. NYC Health Hospitals
5. NYS Department of Health
6. Upstate Medical University
7. Sheldrake Environmental Center
8. Conservation Corps
9. NYC Health
10. CDC
11. Global Lyme Alliance
12. Daniel Cameron, M.D.
13. American Museum of Natural History
14. Northeast IPM Center
15. Scout Shop
16. Bearfoot Theory