Lamorinda has some spectacular trails. The Lafayette Reservoir loop. The Lafayette-Moraga Trail. Briones. Sibley. We’re spoiled. We know this.
But with great trails come great responsibility. And a surprising amount of passive-aggressive tension about who’s supposed to move for whom.
The Hierarchy (Allegedly)
Trail guidebooks will tell you there’s a clear right-of-way hierarchy:
- Horses
- Hikers
- Bikes
In practice, here’s the actual hierarchy:
- The person who looks the most confident
- Dogs (they answer to no one)
- Everyone else, making awkward split-second decisions
The Dog Situation
Speaking of dogs: yes, every dog on the trail is “friendly.” Yes, their owner will tell you so while the dog investigates your pocket with unsettling intensity. Yes, you will pet the dog anyway because, come on, look at that face.
The leash rules are technically clear. In practice, they are treated as gentle suggestions, interpreted freely based on how well-trained the owner believes their dog to be. (Spoiler: optimism runs high.)
The Approaching Cyclist
A bike approaches. You hear the ding-ding of a bell, or the shouted “on your left!” The correct response is to move right. Simple.
Except: which right? Your right? Their right? The direction of the oncoming cyclist? You hesitate. They hesitate. You both move the same direction. You do that little dance where you’re both trying to get out of each other’s way and somehow making it worse.
This happens every single time. It will never stop happening.
The Nod
When passing a stranger on a Lamorinda trail, you nod. It’s a small nod. An acknowledgment. A “hello fellow human, we are both choosing to be outside on purpose, well done.”
Failure to nod is noticed. Failure to nod is remembered.
Peak Hours
Saturday and Sunday mornings, 8-11 AM, every trail becomes a parade. If you want solitude, you have two options:
- Go at 6:30 AM
- Wait until 2 PM when everyone’s eating brunch
There is no third option. The trails are ours, and we’re going to use them.
Stay on the trail. Pack out your trash. Nod at strangers. Pet the dogs. You’ll do fine.