Heading out for an adventure in nature is an amazing way to unwind and reconnect. But with great exploration comes great responsibility! The 7 Leave No Trace principles offer a simple framework to minimize your impact on the environment and ensure a positive experience for everyone. From respecting wildlife to properly disposing of waste, these principles will guide you towards becoming a responsible and sustainable outdoor adventurer.
Plan Ahead and Pack Smart
✅ Swap single-use plastics for reusable containers.
✅ Use compostable bags to manage trash responsibly.
✅ Pack biodegradable soap and consider solid toiletries like shampoo bars.
✅ Plan meals to avoid excess packaging and unnecessary waste.
Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
✅ Stick to designated trails and established campsites.
✅ Camp 200 feet away from water sources like lakes and streams.
✅ In untouched areas, spread out activities to prevent impact.
Dispose of Waste Properly
✅ Pack out all trash, including food scraps and hygiene products.
✅ Dig cat-holes for solid human waste (6-8 inches deep, 200 feet from water and trails).
✅ Use biodegradable soap and scatter dishwater responsibly.
Leave What You Find
✅ Leave rocks, plants, and artifacts where you found them.
✅ Avoid altering the landscape—no digging trenches or building structures.
Minimize Campfire Impacts
✅ Use stoves for cooking and small, controlled fires when allowed.
✅ Stick to established fire rings and burn wood down to ash.
✅ Fully extinguish and scatter cool ashes after use.
Respect Wildlife
✅ Observe animals from afar—don’t feed or approach them.
✅ Keep pets on a leash or leave them at home.
✅ Avoid disturbing wildlife, especially during sensitive times.
Be Considerate of Others
✅ Respect other adventurers by keeping noise levels low.
✅ Camp away from trails and heavily trafficked areas.
✅ Leave nature as you found it for the next visitors.
Save this checklist for your next adventure and help protect the great outdoors!
Plan Ahead: Smart Packing for Low-Impact Adventures
Embarking on a hiking, camping, or backpacking trip? Thoughtful, eco-conscious packing can make a big difference in protecting the environments you explore. Start by swapping single-use plastics for reusable containers to store meals and snacks—they're sturdy, lightweight, and reduce waste. For managing trash on the go, pack compostable bags that break down naturally, minimizing your environmental footprint. If you’re bringing toiletries, choose biodegradable soap and consider solid alternatives like shampoo bars to cut down on plastic packaging. Planning meals carefully not only ensures you bring just what you need but also helps you avoid excess packaging. Whether you’re scaling peaks or pitching a tent by a serene lake, packing with care helps keep these landscapes pristine for future adventurers.
Read the 10 Essentials for Getting Outdoors Article Here
Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces: Protecting Nature’s Footprint
Embark on your outdoor escapades with a mission: explore nature without leaving a trace! Sticking to durable surfaces, like trails, campsites, or gravel paths, helps protect fragile ecosystems from damage. For camping, look for areas that are already well-used or devoid of vegetation—great campsites are discovered, not created. When venturing into untouched wilderness, spread out your activities to prevent new trails or campsites from forming. If you’re near water, keep your camp at least 200 feet away to preserve riparian zones and prevent erosion. Whether you’re hiking, camping, or simply enjoying a scenic lunch, these small choices make a big impact in keeping nature pristine.
Helpful Tips:
Stick to durable surfaces like established trails, campsites, rocks, gravel, dry grasses, or even snow.
Keep riparian areas pristine by camping at least 200 feet away from lakes and streams.
Remember, great campsites are discovered, not created—no need to alter the landscape.
In popular spots:
Stick to existing trails and campsites to keep the impact low.
Walk single file right down the middle of the trail, even if it's wet or muddy—embrace the adventure!
Keep campsites cozy and compact, focusing your activities in areas without vegetation.
In untouched areas:
Spread out to prevent new campsites and trails from forming.
Steer clear of spots where impacts are just beginning to show.
Dispose of Waste Properly: Keep Nature Pristine
No one likes to see trash in the great outdoors! Packing out all your waste—including food scraps and hygiene products—helps maintain the beauty and health of natural spaces. Plan ahead with compostable bags for easy trash collection, and always check your rest areas or campsites before leaving to ensure nothing is left behind. For solid human waste, dig a 6-8 inch cat-hole at least 200 feet from water sources, trails, and camps. Carry biodegradable soap for cleaning dishes and yourself, and scatter strained dishwater to minimize its impact. With these simple habits, you’ll leave your favorite spots as you found them—or better!
The Basics
Pack it in, pack it out: Leave no trace behind! Check your campsite and rest areas for trash or spilled food. Pack out all trash, leftovers, and litter. And remember, burning trash is never recommended.
Handle solid human waste like a pro: Dig cat-holes 6-8 inches deep, at least 200 feet from water, camp, and trails. Cover and camouflage the cat-hole when you're done.
Toilet paper tactics: Pack it out along with your hygiene products.
Stay fresh and clean responsibly: When washing yourself or your dishes, carry water 200 feet away from streams or lakes. Use a little biodegradable soap and scatter strained dishwater to minimize impact.
Leave What You Find: Preserve Natural Beauty for All
Nature is full of treasures, but leaving them where they belong ensures everyone can enjoy their beauty. Resist the urge to take rocks, flowers, or other natural objects as souvenirs—each has a role in the ecosystem. If you encounter artifacts or historical structures, admire them from a distance without touching or disturbing their placement. Avoid bringing home more than memories and photos, and take care not to introduce non-native species through your gear or shoes. By preserving what you find, you contribute to the enduring wonder of the wild for adventurers to come.
The Basics:
Preserve the past: Admire cultural or historic structures and artifacts, but don’t touch.
Nature’s treasures: Leave rocks, plants, and other natural objects as you find them.
Keep it native: Avoid introducing or transporting non-native species.
No DIY projects: Don’t build structures, furniture, or dig trenches.
Minimize Campfire Impacts: Safe and Sustainable Fires
Campfires bring warmth and ambiance to outdoor adventures, but they can leave lasting scars on the environment. Whenever possible, opt for a lightweight camping stove instead—it’s efficient and leaves no trace. If you do build a fire, use an existing fire ring, keep it small, and burn only downed wood that can be broken by hand. Once the fire is out, ensure all ashes are cool, scatter them, and leave the site looking untouched. By practicing these fire-safe habits, you’ll help protect the landscapes we all love.
The Basics:
Lighten up: Use a lightweight stove for cooking and a candle lantern for light.
Use established sites: Stick to established fire rings, pans, or mound fires where allowed.
Keep it small: Only use sticks from the ground that can be broken by hand.
Burn it down: Burn all wood and coal to ash, put out campfires completely, then scatter cool ashes.
Respect Wildlife: Coexist Peacefully with Nature’s Residents
The wilderness is home to countless species, and sharing these spaces means respecting their habitats. Observe wildlife from a distance—no selfies with deer or squirrels!—and never feed animals, as this disrupts their natural behaviors and diets. To further protect wildlife, keep pets leashed or leave them at home, and avoid loud noises that might startle nearby creatures. Whether you’re watching birds soar or spotting tracks in the mud, remember that peaceful coexistence is key to preserving the magic of the outdoors.
The Basics:
Keep your distance: Observe wildlife from afar. Don’t follow or approach them.
No feeding: Feeding wildlife harms their health and alters natural behaviors, exposing them to predators and other dangers.
Control pets: Keep pets on a leash or leave them at home.
Sensitive times: Avoid disturbing wildlife during mating, nesting, raising young, or winter.
Be Considerate of Others: Promote a Positive Outdoor Experience
Outdoor adventures are best enjoyed when everyone works together to preserve the experience. Be mindful of noise—let the sounds of nature take center stage—and keep campsites and trails tidy for others to enjoy. When hiking, yield to uphill hikers, and make space for faster travelers to pass. If camping, pitch your tent away from trails and busy areas for a bit of privacy and to avoid crowding. With these small acts of consideration, you’ll help foster a welcoming atmosphere for every explorer.
The Basics:
Respect and protect: Respect others and their experience.
Space out: Camp away from trails and other people.
Keep it quiet: Let nature’s sounds prevail. Avoid loud voices and noises.
By following these tips and embracing the Leave No Trace principles, we're not only preserving the beauty of our natural spaces but also ensuring that future adventurers can enjoy them too. Let's make every adventure memorable and impactful in the best way possible. Happy exploring and remember—nature's greatest gift is the chance to experience it responsibly. See you on the trails!