The 7 Leave No Trace Principles

Most avid outdoors people have heard the term: Leave No Trace. Most non-outdoors people have heard some variation of the popular, “take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints,” quote. Leave No Trace is a set of outdoors ethics that are seemingly intuitive and simple but easily overlooked. Pre the outdoor enthusiast/obsessed hiker girl that I am now, I wasn’t always aware of the principles and I cringe at some of the mistakes I’ve made in the past.

“Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, kill nothing but time.”

-Aliyyah Eniath

Now that I’m hyper aware of them, it’s easy to see the fault in others but, often, people don’t break Leave No Trace maliciously, they’re just unaware of some of the important outdoors ethics. There are seven basic Leave No Trace principles to be conscious of every time you go outside.

1.) Plan Ahead and Prepare

This might be the most common faux pas of outdoors adventuring. As a species, humans are pretty full of ourselves. We love to say that we conquered the mountain; we boast our wins and trivialize our shortcomings. But confidence will not make up for inexperience and poor planning. Getting lost in the outdoors is not only dangerous but also damages land and resources. If in need of a rescue, it also imposes risk on others, not to mention the use of special resources. Proper knowledge and planning helps minimize risks and allows people to enjoy nature safely.

Important Tips and Notes

• Be honest and realistic with your skill set and the skill set of everyone on the trip.
• Research the area ahead of time and ask questions. All National Parks have park rangers and visitor centers in which this is part of their purpose. They will know what areas have the most accidents, which areas of the trail may be washed out, ect. Utilize those resources.
• Be flexible. Every trip I’ve planned since 2016 I have had more than one trip itinerary. Nothing crazy, but multiple ideas to be able to switch gears and adjust if need be. It has seriously come in handy on multiple trips. In Zion National Park, my fellow traveler and I actually were able to do more than what we anticipated. On the flip side, in Yosemite, my friend strained his hamstring muscle and we had to switch gears to an easier trail. In both scenarios adjusting the plan was easy because enough research had been done ahead to know what was feasible.
• Look into regulations and restrictions. Every area is different and, with the increasing interest in National Parks and the outdoors, more reservations are needed for more outdoor spaces and activities.
• Keep weather in mind. It’s an element we can’t control and significantly varies from place to place. Just because weather is good at the bottom of a mountain doesn’t mean it’s good at the top.

2.) Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces

Trail Use

You know how, sometimes, you go hiking in a really popular area and the trail is so wide a car could drive down it? (Yes, I know, my MINI is small, but you catch my drift). This isn’t good. Or intentional. This is because the trail has been used so much that it slowly widens over time. First, people start walking side by side and the edges along the trail get so trampled that, eventually, all the plants die and then it turns to dirt and a wider trail. Then it’ll rain and puddles will form on the trail and people will want to save their shoes and walk around it, into the vegetation and, yup, before you know it, there’s an even wider trail. So. Don’t do that. I know it doesn’t sound fun to walk through puddles but your outdoors shoes are meant for outdoors. And, honestly, it’s kind of liberating to just slosh through water.

Camping

Before starting my thru-hike of the AT, I remember being paranoid about where to camp. There seemed to be so many rules and what if I couldn’t find a good spot? It proved to be simpler than I thought. The basic rule of thumb is to camp on one of the two extremes: totally dead or totally flourishing land. Totally dead is the ideal. You will find flat, dirt areas that have clearly been used over and over again by travelers. Re-use them. This takes flexibility. Sometimes you might be planning on another mile or two that day but, if you find that perfect spot, it’s a good idea to hunker down. If you truly can’t find a worn down spot, the next best option is a flourishing one. Strong vegetation will be able to withstand the weight of a tent and sleeping human for a night.

Important Tips and Notes

• Traveling off-trail at some point will be a necessity (hello bathroom breaks). Just be conscious. Similarly, when passing people, someone has to step off trail. When this happens I try and step onto a rock and not vegetation to move out of someone’s way.
• Knowledge is key. For example, as I mentioned before, you are supposed to walk through water on the trail instead of forming a new side trail. However, in desert areas, it’s important to avoid trampling through water as those desert puddles are often used for the livelihood of wildlife. Know before you go.
• Some surfaces are obviously more durable than others. Researching ahead of time will be helpful here.

3.) Dispose of Waste Properly

This should be the easiest one and yet, somehow, it isn’t. Disposing of waste means your garbage and, yes, that waste too.

Don’t Litter

This is a pretty literal aspect of Leave No Trace. I mean, don’t we all know this one? Parents teach their kids this whether or not they’re planning on going anywhere (I hope). The outdoors mantra is: “Pack it in, pack it out.” And yet, the amount of trash that litter our outdoor spaces is appalling. Sometimes it’s sheer laziness. But, sometimes, it’s a total accident or a lack of knowledge (i.e. biodegradable things should still be packed out).

On just my last hike I tripped and fell and a few things fell out of my pack. I thought I had picked everything up and it wasn’t until I returned to my car that I realized that I missed a piece. There was no way I’d be able to find that spot again and the (clear) piece of garbage. But I do my absolute best and it’s important that we all do. The garbage left in the woods can be downright dangerous to an animal.

Unfortunately, too often it’s not a mistake. We can’t control others but I like to bring a small garbage bag with me hiking so I can pick up any trash I find.

Human Waste

This is where it gets messy (ha). It’s not the most fun part of Leave No Trace but is important to know in order to avoid polluting water sources or spreading disease. The basic guidelines are as follows:

• Minimum of 200 feet from water, camp, or trail.
• Cat holes – the most accepted method is burying waste. 6-8 inches deep for most locations and a bit more shallow for desert (4-6 inches because desert soil has a harder time breaking down waste but the sun will aid it).
• Outhouses – at some designated camp sites or shelters there will often be a primitive outhouse available. By primitive I mean primitive. It’s really just an outdoor hole disguised as a toilet and has walls (usually). Top thing to know here: you should really only use it if you have to. Urine slows down the decomposition process so, if that’s all you’re doing, it’s best to find your own spot elsewhere.
• Toilet Paper – In most scenarios you can bury your toilet paper along with your waste. However, as more and more people flock to the wilderness with not everyone digging a proper cat hole, you can imagine what’s happening here. In recent months I’ve seen some very popular areas suggest or require that people start packing out their TP.

Important Tips and Notes

• Every bit of garbage is to be packed out. Often people think that something natural and biodegradable, such as an apple core, can be tossed in the woods. This is unnatural and affects the wildlife and their eating habits. Pack it out.
• Special scenarios – There can always be particular scenarios for certain places. An example of this is if you’re backpacking The Narrows in Zion. On that hike you will never be far enough from the water and it is required that you pack out your human waste as well. If you get a permit to do the hike, the park will provide you with a proper bathroom bag.
• Feminine products – obviously these need to be packed out. Everyone will find a method here that works for them; the most popular I’ve seen is an empty peanut butter jar or the like.
• Don’t rinse or wash dishes in water sources. Often people don’t see little bit of food scraps as littering but it is and, when so many people do it, can cause a problem. If you want to clean your dishes in the backcountry, use a clean container to collect water and carry it well away (200+ feet) from the water source. Strain any bits of food out and pack out the scraps and, when discarding the dirty water, spread it out.
• Avoiding dishes – this isn’t for everyone but is my preferred method and was very popular on the AT. After using my cup/bowl for food I would dump water into it to rinse the remnants and then drink it. Doesn’t taste great but dishes is my least favorite chore even at my house and this method is simple and easy and safe.

4.) Leave What You Find

This principle includes leaving what you find and leaving it how you found it. Don’t nail things into trees for hanging stuff at camp. Don’t carve your initials into trees or write on things. Just don’t. On my AT thru-hike I passed an overlook that had, “will you go to prom with me?” spray painted on the rocks on the way up. I wonder what year that was from because that paint is going to be on those rocks long after they’ve gone to prom. And college. And broken up and started dating other people.

Leaving things how you found it also includes not moving things around unnecessarily. Don’t move rocks around to create a makeshift chair at camp. Don’t break twigs or branches off vegetation that hang over the trail. Things along these lines. There will be some commonly used campsites that will already have a fire ring. Don’t dismantle it but leave it; if it’s a commonly used site it’s best for everyone to be continually using the same one and not creating a new one for every camper.

Another part of this principle is leaving natural artifacts behind. And this is where I am guilty. Guilty, guilty guilty. I have broken this too many times before realizing this was part of Leave No Trace. Cool rocks, shed antlers, or small pieces of petrified wood can all be so tempting to collect and bring home. I have a small collection of rocks but I have stopped collecting. I’m sorry Mother Nature! (Additionally, in all National Parks and in some other protected lands, it’s actually illegal to take these things).

5.) Minimize Campfire Impacts

Unpopular opinion here: fires don’t really do it for me. Some people can’t imagine camping without a campfire. I could really take them or leave them; on my entire AT thru-hike I sat at only a couple of them and definitely because it was someone else’s idea to start one. With the rise in backcountry stoves, fires are no longer necessary but are, instead, for experience and enjoyment.

Which makes Leave No Trace a priority upon building a fire. The most important part of building a fire is potential damage. The most obvious example is not building a fire in a drought. This is (I hope) obvious. A less obvious example is evaluating how much wood is available. It should be plentiful enough that the removal of some will go unnoticed.

Important Tips and Notes

• Know any fire rules and regulations before you go. Many states and areas have specific rules and, in some areas, they won’t be allowed at all.
• Collect any wood from the ground as opposed to pulling pieces off standing trees. This includes dead trees because they still serve as homes for birds and insects.
• If using bought firewood, buy it when you get there. Do not bring wood from home.
• Burn all wood completely.
• Never leave a fire unattended.
• Thoroughly extinguish.

6.) Respect Wildlife

Another one that is seemingly obvious is to respect wildlife. But this one is screwed up. A lot. The human urge to get close to an animal for a great picture is uncanny. But keeping a distance from wildlife is safer for you and for them. Even if there is no “incident”, creeping closer stresses animals out and changes their behavior.

Respecting wildlife also means proper food storage. Don’t feed wildlife. It can make animals aggressive getting food from more humans in the future, change their behavior and habits, or negatively affect their health.

Important Tips and Notes

• Be especially cautious around young animals. Most people understand this to be because mama bears (and other animals) can be protective and, therefore, aggressive, which is true, but this statement is important in every aspect. Sometimes well-meaning people think they are helping an animal, but putting your scent on an animal may cause the parents to abandon it. If you see an animal that you think is in trouble, contact a park ranger or land owner/manager.
• Properly storing food means all scented things like toiletries and insect repellent.

7.) Be Considerate of Other Visitors

This is a pretty large encompassing Leave No Trace principle. It includes everything from keeping camping sites clean to not affect others, to not being loud and obnoxious, to following proper etiquette in nature, and more.

The clearest example of this principle is noise. We all know the guy. You’re out for a hike trying to enjoy yourself and someone hikes along with portable speakers playing music. It’s the WORST. Everyone has their own style, and if you want to listen to music hiking, fine, but don’t make everyone else listen to it too. Use headphones (ideally only one because you still need to be aware of other noises including other hikers coming to pass behind you).

Important Tips and Notes

• Technology is obviously changing the outdoors. It is fine if you want to be tech-y out there and it’s fine if you don’t. Either way, just be considerate (a struggle for humans these days, I know). If someone has a tripod and is trying to get a good shot, get out of the way. If they’re not bothering you, don’t be judgy just because you don’t like the tech. Similarly, if you’re the tech-y one, don’t be obnoxious about it. If you’re at a designated camp area or lean-to and want to listen to music, ask fellow campers first if they’re ok with it.
• Don’t talk on the phone. Admittedly, I’m a little biased on this one; a personal pet peeve of mine (not just in the outdoors but in life) is people talking on the phone around others. I find it incredibly rude. In the outdoors space, I find it especially irritating. Noise carries. While thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail I, far too frequently, could hear half of the phone conversation of a hiker that was well out of my sight range. It drove me absolutely bonkers. Why are you out hiking anyway if you’re just going to chat on the phone?
• Be mindful of trail etiquette. General etiquette states that hikers hiking downhill yield to hikers hiking up. Be verbal if you don’t think someone has seen you. And, for goodness sake, put your pride away and let a faster hiker pass you.

Wrap-Up

A lot of Leave No Trace really comes down to common sense. But there are, as always, specifics that aren’t naturally intuitive. Best advice, on any trip, is always knowledge and research. If you’re already in an outdoors space and you’re unsure, default to whatever makes the most sense for least impact. Sometimes this takes a little work and a little sacrifice but it’s worth it.

More information can be found on the Leave No Trace official website.