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The Leave No Trace Principles of outdoor ethics form
the framework of Leave No Trace's message:
- Plan Ahead and Prepare
- Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
- Dispose of Waste Properly
- Leave What You Find
- Minimize Campfire Impacts
- Respect Wildlife
- Be Considerate of Other Visitors
-
Plan Ahead and Prepare
- Know the regulations and special concerns for the area you'll
visit.
- Prepare for extreme weather, hazards, and emergencies.
- Schedule your trip to avoid times of high use.
- Visit in small groups. Split larger parties into groups of 4-6.
- Repackage food to minimize waste.
- Use a map and compass to eliminate the use of marking paint, rock
cairns or flagging.
-
Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
- Durable surfaces include established trails and campsites, rock,
gravel, dry grasses or snow.
- Protect riparian areas by camping at least 200 feet from lakes and
streams.
- Good campsites are found, not made. Altering a site is not
necessary.
In popular areas:
- Concentrate use on existing trails and campsites.
- Walk single file in the middle of the trail, even when wet or
muddy.
- Keep campsites small. Focus activity in areas where vegetation
is absent.
In pristine areas
- Disperse use to prevent the creation of campsites and trails.
- Avoid places where impacts are just beginning.
-
Dispose of Waste Properly
- Pack it in, pack it out. Inspect your campsite and rest areas for
trash or spilled foods. Pack out all trash, leftover food, and litter.
- Deposit solid human waste in catholes dug 6 to 8 inches deep at
least 200 feet from water, camp, and trails. Cover and disguise the
cathole when finished.
- Pack out toilet paper and hygiene products.
- To wash yourself or your dishes, carry water 200 feet away from
streams or lakes and use small amounts of biodegradable soap. Scatter
strained dishwater.
-
Leave What You Find
- Preserve the past: examine, but do not touch, cultural or historic
structures and artifacts.
- Leave rocks, plants and other natural objects as you find them.
- Avoid introducing or transporting non-native species.
- Do not build structures, furniture, or dig trenches.
-
Minimize Campfire Impacts
- Campfires can cause lasting impacts to the backcountry. Use a
lightweight stove for cooking and enjoy a candle lantern for light.
- Where fires are permitted, use established fire rings, fire pans,
or mound fires.
- Keep fires small. Only use sticks from the ground that can be
broken by hand.
- Burn all wood and coals to ash, put out campfires completely, then
scatter cool ashes.
-
Respect Wildlife
- Observe wildlife from a distance. Do not follow or approach them.
- Never feed animals. Feeding wildlife damages their health, alters
natural behaviors, and exposes them to predators and other dangers.
- Protect wildlife and your food by storing rations and trash
securely.
- Control pets at all times, or leave them at home.
- Avoid wildlife during sensitive times: mating, nesting, raising
young, or winter.
-
Be Considerate of Other Visitors
- Respect other visitors and protect the quality of their
experience.
- Be courteous. Yield to other users on the trail.
- Step to the downhill side of the trail when encountering pack
stock.
- Take breaks and camp away from trails and other visitors.
- Let nature's sounds prevail. Avoid loud voices and noises.
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