Americans have been hitting the trails in their millions. While it’s wonderful to see so many people discovering the great outdoors, it also raises questions about our impact on natural spaces.
Minimizing our impact and treating nature respectfully ensures we can continue to enjoy and preserve these areas for future generations. This is where the Leave No Trace principles (and movement) come in. Setting down some basic outdoor ethics to guide us as we embrace the freedom of the natural world allows us to create better experiences for everybody.
So, whether you’re new to hiking or you want to brush up on the Leave No Trace seven principles and best practices, this guide teaches you everything you need to know.
Table of Contents
What is Leave No Trace?
Per the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: “Leave No Trace is a natural education program to inform visitors about reducing the damage caused by outdoor activities, particularly non-motorized recreation.”
Leave No Trace originated in the mid-20th century and aims to promote conservation and teach everybody how to prevent ecological damage and protect the natural world for us and our children.
Far from reducing freedoms or making wilderness recreation static, these principles ensure we can maximize our freedoms. Without these guiding lights, areas become ticketed, extra rules are introduced, and enforcement soars, which is no fun for anybody.
For example, Chile’s Easter Island saw rules implemented after the pandemic requiring all tourists to travel with an authorized guide and strict visiting hours of 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. These rules came as a response to the continued damage to the national park and its sites. Unfortunately, because too few visitors practiced good outdoor ethics, freedom of movement has been curtailed for the foreseeable future. And this is what happens when people cannot behave themselves.
The 7 Leave No Trace Principles
The seven Leave No Trace principles inform us how to reduce our cumulative impact. Each aspect focuses on various scenarios we may encounter and answers questions many newer hikers ask.
Of course, most principles are common sense, but it’s good to refresh yourself for each excursion.
1. Plan Ahead and Prepare
The first principle is vital for any hike because it also helps keep you and your companions safe. It also prevents costly missteps that could damage our natural resources.
Some ways to plan ahead and prepare:
- Research—Begin by researching your adventure. This could be a few minutes of checking your map or months of preparation for multi-day hikes. It includes knowing local regulations, such as the need for permits, and preparing for any wildlife.
- Forecasting Extreme Weather – Check the forecast the night before and ensure you’ve got everything you need for any extreme weather, such as flash floods or landslides.
- Eco–Friendly Products – Don’t just pick up something on the way. Repackage food and other hiking essentials into recyclable containers to minimize waste.
- Scheduling – Plan ahead and prepare your trip for non-peak times to reduce cumulative impact. Plus, who wants to stand in line with hundreds of other hikers anyway?
2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
Established trails, rest areas, and campsites exist for a reason. But we mustn’t forget that even with the best intentions, these areas are manmade and represent scars on the pristine wilderness.
Why does sticking to these hiking and rest stops matter? In short, traveling and camping on durable surfaces ensures we avoid trampling vegetation, disturbing wildlife, and bothering the microorganisms that make nature tick.
Avoid Offtrail Hiking
Many hikers want to escape traces of human activity because nothing feels freer, but if everyone did this, our national parks would look very different.
Check the rules to determine what is and isn’t permitted. Some national forests permit off-trail hiking, whereas many national parks prohibit it.
What to Do in High-Use (Popular) Areas
Popular areas are popular for a reason—and that represents a significant threat to nature. This is why these areas tend to have existing trails to follow and set rest areas. Actions we and other visitors can take include not cutting switchbacks and taking other convenient shortcuts.
What to Do in Remote (Undisturbed) Areas
Heading into the wild? Pristine areas may lack any existing trails or campsites. This can confuse hikers who’re otherwise unused to lesser-known places, so what’s the best way to protect undisturbed areas?
- Disperse and consider splitting larger groups so that you’re not creating new trails through cumulative impact.
- Walk single file.
- Hike on durable surfaces like rocks, sand, or dry grasses.
- Avoid fragile surfaces like water sources, flowers, and other sensitive vegetation.
- Notice human impact beginning to inform? Cut away from it to avoid making it worse.
- Always camp on durable surfaces at least 70 big steps away from freshwater sources.
3. Dispose of Waste Properly
These principles aim to make it seem like you were never there in the first place. One of the most popular quotes comes from Chief Seattle, who said, “Take only memories, leave only footprints.”
Ideally, you shouldn’t even leave those – and that brings us to handling our waste.
Pack Out Everything
Ensure everything you bring with you also departs with you. Some hikers make the mistake of assuming it’s fine to toss organic matter, such as fruit peels or biodegradable toilet paper. Yes, these items will biodegrade, but it takes a long time. In the meantime, it damages wildlife and ruins the area’s natural beauty.
Human Waste
Knowing how to poop while hiking will put you in good standing. Solid human waste offers no benefits to nature like animal poop does, which is why many parks have special regulations regarding human waste. In all cases, if there’s a toilet – no matter how disgusting it might be – use it.
If you must deposit solid human waste in the great outdoors, follow these basic rules:
- Poop at least 70 big steps away from trails, campsites, and water sources.
- Dig a cathole at least six to eight inches deep.
- Pack out toilet paper and other hygiene products.
- Mark the area with a rock or stick so nobody else accidentally digs it up.
Deposit solid human waste deep enough to prevent it from being unearthed by wildlife and damaging the local foliage. Plus, microorganisms in the soil will break down your waste faster.
Note that some parks don’t allow you to bury poop. For example, the Guadalupe Mountains Wilderness makes presenting a minimum number of toilet bags a condition of receiving a hiking permit.
Wastewater
Wastewater includes any water you might use, with or without soap, to wash yourself, equipment, or dishes. Dispose of your water properly and follow the leave no trace principles with these tips:
- Never use any soap, including biodegradable soap, directly in water sources.
- Just because it’s eco-friendly and biodegradable doesn’t make it good for nature.
- Wash at least 200 feet away from water sources.
- Scatter your dishwater away from water sources.
- Pack out leftover food scraps.
4. Leave What You Find
In short, don’t pick the flowers, collect rocks, or alter any cultural or historical structures. If you have to move other natural objects, put them back. And don’t cut branches, carve your name into rocks, or nail anything to other natural objects. There should be no lasting evidence of your presence.
5. Minimize Campfire Impacts
Familiarize yourself with the rules of where you’re going. Some parks offer established fire rings, whereas others have outright fire bans.
What does a sustainable campfire look like?
- Small and always under your control.
- Always attended by at least one person.
- In a packable fire pit or established fire rings.
- Fueled by dead and downed trees.
- Contains no trash in the campfire.
When you’re done, put your fire out with water to avoid inadvertently igniting a wildfire. Scatter cool ashes to reduce the risk further.
6. Respect Wildlife
Nature is the home of some epic wildlife, from majestic deer to hungry grizzly bears. It’s their home, and we’re guests in it, so we must treat them with respect. Respecting wildlife means we can observe from a distance, but we must never interfere because it alters natural behaviors.
Follow these tips to protect wildlife:
- Don’t touch the wildlife. Doing so could lead to young, curious animals being abandoned by their parents, and some may be infected with deadly diseases, including rabies.
- Protect wildlife by not feeding them. Feeding wildlife damages and alters natural behaviors and instills negative interactions with us.
- Store both food and trash securely, especially in bear country.
- Control pets by keeping them on a short leash to prevent them from bothering wildlife.
- Establish your campsite at least 200 feet from water sources to allow animals easy access.
- Avoid transporting non-native species into the wilderness.
7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors
Treat other visitors like you would want to be treated.
Remember, one of the main motivators for leaving the city to go hiking is to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Avoid loud voices, be friendly but respectful, and follow proper hiking etiquette. In other words, mind your business while enjoying the great outdoors and let nature’s sounds prevail.
The Bottom Line – Be a Smart Hiker
Being a smart hiker isn’t about checking boxes. It’s about making the best decision based on the situation. Leave No Trace principles aren’t hard and fast rules. They’re guidelines for outdoor ethics that enable us to reduce our impact on the environment while being respectful to other visitors.
If we all follow these guidelines, we preserve more of the natural world, allowing us to indulge in better experiences and ensuring those who come after us can also make great memories. Want to learn more about being a smart hiker? Check out some of our other hiking guides now.
