During this pandemic, it has been challenging to remain engaged with some of the activities we normally enjoy. Fortunately, the city parks, including North Cheyenne Cañon, have remained open throughout this crisis, providing an essential retreat for many who are otherwise mostly homebound.

The community is encouraged to continue keeping fit by taking hikes and enjoying our fresh air and abundant natural scenery — with appropriate precautions. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the Covid-19 virus is believed to be spread primarily through respiratory droplets. Being outdoors in the sunshine helps minimize that risk, but it is important to observe safety practices.

Those who are infected should definitely remain home and postpone hiking until they are beyond the infectious stage, generally two weeks after their last symptom. (Follow doctors’ recommendations.)

Hikers should strongly consider wearing a face mask or covering, such as a bandana or buff, over their mouth and nose when in close proximity to others, as required by state mandate. This reduces the chance of their breath infecting others, and also reduces the chance of catching the virus from fellow hikers. This may hinder normal breathing, so adjust pacing and stop as needed.

Hikers should continue to maintain an appropriate physical distance from others on the trails. This may require hikers to reduce their normal pace and hang back from individuals or groups in front until reaching a wider spot on the trail. Hikers should also give as wide a berth as possible when passing others traveling in the opposite direction.

It may seem unfriendly, but exchanging normal hiker greetings when in close quarters should also be minimized. It’s best to extend greetings from a greater distance.

While respiratory transmission appears to be most common, the virus may also be spread by contact with surfaces touched (or coughed upon) by an infected individual. This is why hand washing and disinfectants are strongly encouraged. With this in mind, park visitors should resist touching surfaces such as handrails and rock features to the extent possible. Also, consider wearing protective gloves.

To further help in maintaining social distancing, the city parks department has designated some popular trails, such as the one from Helen Hunt Falls to Silver Cascade Falls, as a “suggested” one-way loop.

Taking these precautions is not just about protecting yourself and those you live with. It’s about limiting the spread of the disease in order to protect the most vulnerable members of our community.

“Our state has some of the most beautiful natural open spaces in the world and we want Coloradans to enjoy our vast, great outdoors. While we are all still safer at home, we are also able to practice greater social distancing in our great outdoors than in confined indoor spaces,” said Governor Jared Polis. “It may feel like we are getting back to normal, but the virus is still here, and it could surge back the moment we let our guard down.

“We are still far from normal,” he added. “Coloradans have to remain diligent, and must continue staying home or in the great outdoors away from others as much as possible, wearing masks when we leave the house, and washing our hands. Over these next few weeks, each and every one of us has a responsibility to protect ourselves and others, especially as we begin venturing out onto our trails and open space.”

More tips on how to safely hike in the time of Covid-19 can be found on the American Hiking Society website.

Thank you for doing your part to preserve the safety of all visitors to Cheyenne Cañon.

If you have ideas for topics to cover in future Cañon Echo articles, send them to Rob@cheyennecanon.org.