I'm researching were in Colorado to do some backpacking and hiking, and I came across the Hermosa Creek Trail (info here: https://www.durangoutdoors.com/trails/hermosa-creek-trail.htm). This looked real promising so the next thing I did was do a Google Image search for it. That's when I discovered that the trail is heavily used by mountain bikers.

What do you guys think about choosing a trail for hiking that is also used a lot by mountain bikers? This trail I have in mind will be well-worn and I think it will be fairly wide. There will be lots of small trails to branch off of, and that is how we could make it a loop and come back to the starting point.

Would we be getting in the way of the bikers? Will they be running us over? Do mountain bikers and back packers play nicely together?

here's some pics of the trail I'm thinking about hiking on:

There has been some unhappy debate and discussion in recent years between hikers and mountain bikers who want permission to bike on the PCT (where it's disallowed). Read much of this and you could get the impression that bikers and hikers are enemy tribes who scowl at the sight of one another.

In the real world, bikers sometimes hike, and hikers sometimes bike, and issues are rare. I've encountered many many bikers while hiking, and never had a problem. I do think that bikes and horses don't share trails particularly well, and certainly there's an issue if a bike comes bombing along fast and smacks into you; I think the risk is low, however, and you learn to be intuitive about this based on bikes encountered recently and the geometry of the terrain.

Unless there's a sign saying "bikes only, no hikers" (which I've never seen), then I'd go for it. If possible, however, you might try to avoid weekends. Certainly if there are lots and lots of bikes around it could get tedious waiting for them to go by or having them have to suddenly slow down until you can get off trail.

Now --- ATVs, motor bikes --- that's a whole 'nother issue. Wider tracks where 4-wheeled ATVs go wouldn't bother me a lot, and I encountered a lot of 4-wheel ATVs on the CDT. Narrower dirt bike trails though, I'd prefer to avoid those. The few places I've seen where dirt bikes illegally use hiking trails shows how much damage these can do to the track.

If hiking/backpacking is allowed, go for it... Just don't pitch a tent on the middle of the trail which is generally poor trail etiquette anyway. You'll hear bikers yell when they come barring from behind. Enjoy and take ton of a pictures for us to view!

I'd say go for it but mountain bikers on solely backpacking completely unethical. That has huge damage to trails. That's why most bike trails have a lot of rock or have a lot of trail maintenance.

Longer trails like the PCT should never have bikers period. Unless you want it ruined then by all means.

I have never had a problem with bikers on trails. Always courteous, and just like all hikers, will sometimes stop and chat. I had a really good, long, conversation with one guy who gave me some really good secret trail knowledge.

The only concern would be if the trail was designed for mountain biking, instead of being designed for walking, but allowing biking. The one trail that I have been on that was made by dirt bikes had almost no switch backs, but was instead practically straight up and down on the steep parts.