With winter weather kicking up in the Puget Sound region, King County Parks urges all trail visitors to practice safety when venturing out on any of our trails, both our paved regional trails and backcountry trails.

Windy days can bring falling tree branches and other debris that can block a trail. When walking or hiking, make sure you can adequately see the trail in front of you, especially in low light conditions.

If commuting by bike on a regional trail, make sure you have a headlight to illuminate the trail in front of you, watch out for fallen tree branches and any leaves that have been blown across the trail which can create a hazardous condition.

Above all, be aware of your surroundings, look out for debris and puddles, and make sure you share the trail with other users. Give adequate warning when biking past someone walking, and always walk on the right side of the trail with enough room for others to pass.

If you do see something that needs to be cleared up, like large branches, or other large piles of debris, use SeeClickFix to alert the proper crews.

Don’t let the weather stop you from exploring #YourBigBackyard, just be safe and have fun!