The leave no trace
principles
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 cat holes dug 6 to
8 inches deep at least 200 feet from water,
camp, and trails. Cover and disguise the cat
hole 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, and 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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