Tread
Lightly and Leave No Trace
Leave
No Trace
 Leave
No Trace is a simple idea: we can visit wild places in a manner
that records little or no sign of our passing.
The Leave No Trace
organization
(Leave No Trace, Inc., which is associated with the National Outdoor
Leadership School), is an international non-profit group dedicated
to building awareness, appreciation, and respect for wildlands
by promoting and inspiring thoughtful outdoor recreation through
education, research, and partnerships. Leave No Trace is more
than a campaign to clean up campsites; it is a program dedicated
to inspiring respect and thoughtful use of public lands.
Leave No Trace hopes to
influence the decisions people make
while visiting public lands. The program strives to educate people
about recreational impacts and techniques to minimize or prevent
impacts. Leave No Trace is best understood as an educational and
ethical program, not as a set of rules or regulations.
Leave No Trace uses
experienced
outdoor people to teach other
people the skills and benefits of responsible wildland recreation.
People experienced in their chosen form of recreation are the
best resource for effectively communicating no-trace ideas
to other people. To join the Leave No Trace organization or to
learn more about their program, visit the Leave
No Trace website or call 800-332-4100.
Seven Ideas About Leave-No-Trace
Wilderness
Travel
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Plan
Ahead and Prepare
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Be
prepared. Take extra clothes to protect you from adverse weather (heat,
cold, and precipitation). Take plenty of water (during summer, at least
one gallon per day per person). During colder months, carry a sleeping
bag in case you get stuck overnight. Learn first aid. Carry maps and
know how to use them. Tell someone where you are going and when you
plan to return. Prepare for your own rescue so that you don't need to
call the rescue team. Learn about the areas (including rules and
regulations) before visiting them by reading (books, websites) and
talking to people who have been there. |
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Travel
and Camp on Durable Surfaces
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Stay
on the main trail and walk single file to protect vegetation and
prevent widening of trails and multiple trailing; don't cut
switchbacks. Off trail, try to walk on hard surfaces (e.g., rocks and
ridges) or in washes. Keep natural areas looking natural; don't trample
flowers, shrubs, or cryptobiotic soil crusts. If damaged, cryptobiotic
crusts might never grow back. Use existing campsites or camp on hard
surfaces (e.g., flat rocks, bare dirt, or sandy areas) and keep your
camp small. Camp at least 100 yards from roads, trails, and water
sources. Campsites should not be set in places that compact or
otherwise damage vegetation (e.g., meadows). Don't dig trenches in your
campsite or alter the soil in any way. If you camp on a new site and
clear the ground to make a place to sleep, kick a few rocks and sticks
back over the area to make it look like it was never used. |
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Dispose
of Waste Properly
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Carry
out all trash. Leave the wilderness cleaner than you found it. Urinate
away from drainages. The Leave No Trace organization advocates putting
toilet paper and feces in plastic bags and carrying it out. Otherwise,
bury feces and paper in a small hole about 4-8 inches deep and 100
yards from water. Avoid the urge to burn toilet paper, a surprising
number of wildfires get started this way. Keep water clean by not
putting human waste, soap, food, or trash in water sources. |
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Leave What you Find
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Treat
resources with respect. When you find something interesting, enjoy it,
but leave it for others to discover and enjoy too. Antiquities and
artifacts are usually protected by law; leave them alone. Remember
things with pictures. |
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Minimize
Campfire Impacts
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Campfires
are not allowed in some backcountry areas (e.g., Mt. Charleston
Wilderness Area, Zion,
and the Grand
Canyon), so eat cold food or cook with gas stoves. In
areas where fires are permitted, use established fire rings and keep
fires small. Be sure that the fire is out cold before you leave, and be
sure to bury or scatter the cold ashes widely. Always be careful with
fires. |
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Respect
Wildlife
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Watch
wildlife from a distance and don't approach, feed, or follow them.
Feeding wildlife is unhealthy and often illegal. Protect wildlife and
your food by properly storing your food and trash. Where pets are
allowed in the backcountry, be sure that they don't harass the wildlife. |
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Be
Considerate of Other Visitors
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Everyone
in the wilderness is there to enjoy nature, but the fun you have should
not interfere with other people. Avoid yelling and making loud noises,
especially in canyons or across water where noise carries farther than
you might think. |
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