Hiking and walking are popular activities in the Grand Valley but, honestly, it's not always the most pleasant experience because of the disrespectful things some people do.

Bad Apples Can Spoil Your Colorado Hike

Western Colorado is blessed with some awesome hiking trails as well as the ever-popular Colorado Riverfront Trail. We love to be active and enjoy the scenic beauty of the region whether it's on the Grand Mesa, the Colorado National Monument, Mt. Garfield, Bangs Canyon, or some other local trail. Unfortunately, there are a few bad apples that can spoil it for everybody else with their rude and disrespectful behavior.

I mention this quite frequently, but one that I think is very disrespectful is when dogs aren't kept on a leash when they are on trails that require it. Maybe I'm overreacting, but I feel very uncomfortable when I'm passing someone with an unleashed dog. I don't know how that animal is going to react to me running past them. It makes me nervous and it makes me feel uncomfortable.

Get our free mobile app

Rules For Common Courtesy?

As far as hiking trails go, they are public property, but that doesn't give users the right to do whatever they want. There are rules and there is common courtesy. While some trails have particular rules for dogs, there really aren't written rules for common courtesy. I think most people on the trail exercise courtesy and etiquette, but there are always a few that don't.

Top Disrespectful Things People Do on Colorado Hiking Trails

Recently, I asked our listeners who use local trails to tell us about something disrespectful they have seen on a Colorado hiking trail. In the gallery below, we'll talk about some of the responses and I'll throw in a few of my own.

Western Colorado's Best Hikes: The Grand Mesa's Trail to Lost Lake

Each year, hikers in western Colorado have to wait until at least June to be able to visit the Mesa Lakes trail on the Grand Mesa. After checking on it a couple of different times this spring, we are happy to say that the snowmelt is mostly finished and you can now hike the trail to Lost Lake.

10 Best 'Easy' Hikes in Colorado According to Alltrails

If you're looking for an easy Colorado hike, here you go. Good news: A hike right out of the Grand Valley is at #2 on the list.

More From ESPN Western Colorado