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THE SEVEN PRINCIPLES OF LEAVE NO TRACE PROVIDE A FRAMEWORK OF MINIMUM IMPACT PRACTICES FOR PEOPLE IN THE OUTDOORS. WHETHER YOU ARE OFF-ROADING, BACKPACKING, OR JUST OUT ON A NATURE WALK, IT IS IMPORTANT TO ABIDE BY THE LEAVE NO TRACE PRINCIPLES WHEN OUTDOORS. FOLLOWING LEAVE NO TRACE PRINCIPLES WILL HELP ENSURE THAT AREAS ARE PRESERVED AND CAN BE ENJOYED FOR YEARS TO COME. LEAVE NO TRACE IS NOT MEANT TO BE A TOOL TO JUDGE OR SHAME OTHERS IN THE OUTDOORS. EDUCATING OTHERS ABOUT THE LEAVE NO TRACE PRINCIPLES SHOULD BE DONE WITH KINDNESS AND UNDERSTANDING THAT EVERYONE MAKES MISTAKES.
PLAN AND PREPARE AHEAD: BEFORE A TRIP YOU SHOULD RESEARCH WHERE YOU ARE GOING, FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH THE LOCATION, AND OBTAIN A MAP OF THE AREA. IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER WEATHER, TERRAIN, LAND BOUNDARIES, REGULATIONS/RESTRICTIONS, REQUIRED SKILL LEVEL FOR TRAIL.
TRAVEL AND CAMP ON DURABLE SURFACES: WHILE TRAILS THEMSELVES IMPACT THE LAND, THEY ARE A NECESSARY RESPONSE TO THE FACT THAT PEOPLE TRAVEL THROUGH NATURAL AREAS. CONCENTRATING TRAVEL ON TRAILS REDUCES THE LIKELIHOOD THAT MULTIPLE ROUTES WILL DEVELOP, DAMAGING VEGETATION AND SCARING THE LANDSCAPE. STAY ON TRAILS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. DO NOT GO OFF TRAIL AND CREATE NEW ROUTES. IT IS GENERALLY BEST TO CAMP IN ESTABLISHED SITES THAT ARE SO HIGHLY IMPACTED ALREADY THAT FURTHER CAREFUL USE WILL NOT CAUSE NOTICEABLE IMPACT. ROCK, GRAVEL, AND SAND ARE THE MOST DURABLE SURFACES, AND THUS MOST APPROPRIATE FOR CAMP SITES. YOU SHOULD NOT CAMP ON VEGETATION AND LIVING SOIL. AVOID CAMPING CLOSE TO WATER AND TRAILS.
DISPOSE OF WASTE PROPERLY: PACK IT IN, PACK IT OUT! MAKE SURE TO SURVEY CAMP BEFORE YOU LEAVE AND PACK OUT ALL TRASH/GARBAGE AND KITCHEN WASTE/FOOD. FOR HUMAN WASTE, CAT HOLES ARE THE MOST WIDELY ACCEPTED MANNER OF HUMAN WASTE DISPOSAL. USE A TROWEL TO DIG A HOLE 6-8 INCHES DEEP AND 4-6 INCHES IN DIAMETER IN AN INCONSPICUOUS PLACE 200 FEET FROM WATER, TRAILS, AND CAMP. THE CAT HOLE SHOULD BE COVERED AND DISGUISED WITH NATURAL MATERIALS WHEN FINISHED. PLACING TOILET PAPER IN A PLASTIC BAG AND PACKING IT OUT WITH TRASH IS THE BEST WAY TO LEAVE NO TRACE.
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LEAVE WHAT YOU FIND: LEAVE ROCKS, PLANTS, ARCHAEOLOGICAL ARTIFACTS AND OTHER OBJECTS OF INTEREST AS YOU FIND THEM.
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MINIMIZE CAMPFIRE IMPACTS: IF POSSIBLE CHOOSE TO COOK WITH A STOVE OVER A CAMPFIRE. THE MOST IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION WHEN DECIDING TO MAKE A CAMPFIRE IS THE POTENTIAL DAMAGE TO TH BACKCOUNTRY. CONSIDER THE FIRE DANGER FOR THE TIME OF YEAR AND LOCATION, AS WELL AS IF THERE ARE ANY FIRE RESTRICTIONS IN PLACE. THE BEST PLACE TO BUILD A FIRE IS IN AN EXISTING FIRE RING. DO NOT BUILD FIRE NEXT TO ROCK OUTCROPPINGS WHERE BLACK SCARS WILL REMAIN FOR YEARS. KEEP THE FIRE SMALL AND BURNING FOR ONLY THE TIME YOU ARE USING IT. ALLOW WOOD TO BURN COMPLETELY TO ASH AND THEN EXTINGUISH IT WITH WATER.
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RESPECT WILDLIFE: DO NOT DISTURB WILDLIFE OR PLANTS. OBSERVE WILDLIFE FROM A DISTANCE SO THEY ARE NOT SCARED OR FORCED TO FLEE. DO NOT GET CLOSE TO, TOUCH, OR FEED ANIMALS. DO NOT MAKE LOUD NOISES OR MOVE QUICKLY AROUND ANIMALS. (ONE EXCEPTION IS IN BEAR COUNTRY, WHERE IT IS GOOD TO MAKE SOME NOISE SO AS TO NOT SNEAK UP ON AND STARTLE BEARS.) STORE FOOD SECURELY AND KEEP GARBAGE AND FOOD SCRAPS AWAY FROM ANIMALS.
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BE CONSIDERATE OF OTHER PEOPLE: EXCESSIVE NOISE, UNCONTROLLED PETS, AND DAMAGES SURROUNDINGS TAKE AWAY FROM THE NATURAL APPEAL OF THE OUTDOORS FOR MANY PEOPLE. CONSIDER HOW YOUR ACTIONS AFFECT THE WAY OTHER PEOPLE EXPERIENCE THE OUTDOORS. THE GENERAL RULE IS THAT ON A NARROW TRAIL, DOWNHILL TRAFFIC SHOULD YEILD TO UPHILL TRAFFIC TO PASS.
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