Public land absorbs an enormous and growing number of visitors. The difference between a place that stays worth visiting and one that doesn't is the aggregate of small decisions made by everyone who goes there.
The seven Leave No Trace principles are the shorthand for those decisions. None are difficult. The point is applying them when it's inconvenient.
Plan ahead and prepare
Knowing the regulations, weather, and terrain prevents the improvised decisions that cause damage — building an emergency fire, cutting a new trail, camping in a fragile meadow because you ran out of daylight.
Repackage food into reusable containers to cut trash volume before you leave home. Travel in small groups, and split larger parties into groups of four to six. Use a map and compass so you don't need to mark trees or build cairns.
- ›Check permit requirements, fire bans, and food storage rules before every trip.
- ›Schedule trips to avoid peak use where you can.
- ›Bring enough food and clothing that you're never forced into a damaging improvisation.
Travel and camp on durable surfaces
Durable means established trails, existing campsites, rock, gravel, dry grass, and snow. In popular areas, concentrate use — walk single-file in the middle of the trail even when it's muddy, because walking around widens trails into scars that take decades to heal.
In pristine areas, do the opposite: disperse use so no single spot gets established. Camp at least 200 feet from lakes and streams, and move camp daily rather than settling in. Good campsites are found, not made — if you're rearranging the ground, you're in the wrong spot.
- ›Walk through the puddle, not around it.
- ›Cryptobiotic soil crust in the desert takes decades to recover from a single footprint.
- ›Wear soft camp shoes around the site to reduce vegetation damage.
Dispose of waste properly
Pack it in, pack it out — and that includes food scraps. Orange peels, apple cores, and pistachio shells take months to years to break down, look like litter the whole time, and teach animals to associate trails with food. There's no such thing as a biodegradable exception on a trail.
For human waste, dig a cathole 6 to 8 inches deep, at least 200 feet from water, trails, and camp. Cover and disguise it. Pack out toilet paper and hygiene products in a sealed bag — buried paper gets dug up. In alpine, desert, and canyon environments, and on many rivers, human waste must be packed out entirely; check the local rules.
- ›Carry a lightweight trowel and a dedicated sealed waste bag.
- ›Strain dishwater, pack out the solids, and scatter greywater 200 feet from any source.
- ›Use soap sparingly and far from water, even biodegradable soap — it's only biodegradable in soil.
Leave what you find and minimize fire impact
Leave rocks, plants, artifacts, and antlers where they are. Don't build structures, dig trenches, or hammer nails into trees. Cairns beyond official route markers confuse navigation and should not be built.
For fires, use an existing ring where one exists, keep the fire small, burn only dead and down wood you can break by hand, and burn it completely to ash. Better still, use a stove and carry a lantern for light — the ambiance of a fire has a real cost in dead wood removed from an ecosystem that needs it.
- ›Never move firewood between regions; it spreads invasive insects.
- ›Put fires dead out with water and stirring — cold to the touch.
- ›Scatter cool ashes widely and dismantle any ring you built yourself.
Respect wildlife and other visitors
Observe from a distance, never feed animals, and store food securely. Feeding wildlife — deliberately or by carelessness — alters natural behavior, exposes animals to predators and disease, and frequently ends with the animal being killed. Control pets or leave them home.
For other visitors: yield to uphill hikers and to horses, keep voices and music down, camp away from trails and other groups, and take breaks well off the trail. Most people are out there for quiet, and sound carries far further outdoors than most realize.
- ›Give wildlife room; if an animal changes its behavior because of you, you're too close.
- ›Bluetooth speakers on the trail are the single most reliable way to annoy everyone around you.
- ›Say hello and let people pass. Small courtesies define the culture of a place.
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Backpacking trowels
EssentialA proper cathole is 6–8 inches deep, which is genuinely hard without a trowel.
Wag bags & waste kits
Required in many areasRequired in many alpine, desert, and river environments where burying isn't allowed.
Biodegradable camp soap
Best for cleanupConcentrated soap that's safe to use in soil, well away from any water source.
Trash & odor-proof bags
Most usedSomewhere to put food scraps and micro-trash so it actually leaves with you.
Collapsible wash basins
Best for camp kitchensLets you strain dishwater and scatter greywater properly instead of dumping it.
Frequently asked questions
Is it really bad to leave an apple core?+
Yes. It takes months to decompose, looks like litter, and teaches animals to associate people and trails with food — which usually ends badly for the animal.
How do I go to the bathroom outdoors?+
Dig a cathole 6–8 inches deep, 200 feet from water, trails, and camp. Cover and disguise it, and pack out the toilet paper. In some areas all waste must be packed out.
Can I use biodegradable soap in a lake?+
No. Biodegradable soap breaks down in soil, not water. Wash in a basin at least 200 feet from any water source and scatter the greywater.
Should I build a cairn?+
No. Unofficial cairns confuse navigation and disturb the habitat under the rocks. Leave route marking to land managers.