Leave No Trace (NLT)

Leave No Trace is a set of outdoor ethics in order to sustain the environment for generations. There are 7 principals to NLT which the National Park Service provides below:

Leave No Trace Principals 

• Plan Ahead and Prepare

  • Know the regulations and special concerns for the area you'll visit.

  • Prepare for extreme weather, hazards, and emergencies.

  • Schedule your trip to avoid times of high use.

  • Visit in small groups when possible. Consider splitting larger groups into smaller groups.

  • Repackage food to minimize waste.

  • Use a map and compass or GPS to eliminate the use of marking paint, rock cairns or flagging.

• Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces

  • Durable surfaces include maintained trails and designated campsites, rock, gravel, sand, dry grasses or snow.

  • Protect riparian areas by camping at least 200 feet from lakes and streams.

  • Good campsites are found, not made. Altering a site is not necessary.

    • In popular areas:

      • Concentrate use on existing trails and campsites.

      • Walk single file in the middle of the trail, even when wet or muddy.

      • Keep campsites small. Focus activity in areas where vegetation is absent.

    • In pristine areas:

      • Disperse use to prevent the creation of campsites and trails.

      • Avoid places where impacts are just beginning.

• Dispose of Waste Properly

  • Pack it in, pack it out. Inspect your campsite, food preparation areas, and rest areas for trash or spilled foods. Pack out all trash, leftover food and litter.

  • Utilize toilet facilities whenever possible. Otherwise, deposit solid human waste in catholes dug 6 to 8 inches deep, at least 200 feet from water, camp and trails. Cover and disguise the cathole when finished.

  • Pack out toilet paper and hygiene products.

  • To wash yourself or your dishes, carry water 200 feet away from streams or lakes and use small amounts of biodegradable soap. Scatter strained dishwater.

• Leave What You Find

  • Preserve the past: examine, photograph, but do not touch cultural or historic structures and artifacts.

  • Leave rocks, plants and other natural objects as you find them.

  • Avoid introducing or transporting non-native species.

  • Do not build structures, furniture, or dig trenches.

• Minimize Campfire Impacts

  • Campfires can cause lasting impacts to the environment. Use a lightweight stove for cooking and enjoy a candle lantern for light.

  • Where fires are permitted, use established fire rings, fire pans, or mound fires.

  • Keep fires small. Only use down and dead wood from the ground that can be broken by hand.

  • Burn all wood and coals to ash, put out campfires completely, then scatter cool ashes.

• Respect Wildlife

  • Observe wildlife from a distance. Do not follow or approach them.

  • Never feed animals. Feeding wildlife damages their health, alters natural behaviors, [habituates them to humans], and exposes them to predators and other dangers.

  • Protect wildlife and your food by storing rations and trash securely.

  • Control pets at all times, or leave them at home.

  • Avoid wildlife during sensitive times: mating, nesting, raising young, or winter.

• Be Considerate of Other Visitors

  • Respect other visitors and protect the quality of their experience.

  • Be courteous. Yield to other users on the trail.

  • Step to the downhill side of the trail when encountering pack stock.

  • Take breaks and camp away from trails and other visitors.

  • Let nature's sounds prevail. Avoid loud voices and noises.