Leave No Trace: Camping Without a Footprint
Every great campsite you've ever loved stayed that way because the people before you took care of it. Leave No Trace isn't a set of rules handed down to spoil your fun — it's the simple ethic that keeps wild places wild. Here's how the seven principles play out on a real trip.
1. Plan ahead and prepare
Good stewardship starts before you arrive. Know the regulations for your area, pack reusable containers to cut down on trash, and travel in smaller groups where large ones aren't allowed. A well-prepared camper rarely has to improvise in ways that damage a site.
2. Travel and camp on durable surfaces
Stick to established trails and existing campsites. Walking single-file on the trail — even through the mud — keeps the path from widening into a scar. When you camp, choose rock, gravel, or already-bare ground over fragile meadow that takes years to recover.
3. Dispose of waste properly
The rule is simple: pack it in, pack it out. That includes food scraps and "biodegradable" items like apple cores and orange peels, which take far longer to break down than people assume and habituate wildlife to human food. For human waste where facilities don't exist, bury it in a small hole well away from water, or pack it out where required.
4. Leave what you find
Take pictures, not souvenirs. Rocks, wildflowers, antlers, and historical artifacts are part of what makes a place special, and they belong to everyone who comes after you. Resist the urge to build new rock cairns or carve initials; let the next visitor find the site as untouched as you did.
5. Minimize campfire impact
Fires are part of the camping tradition, but they leave lasting marks. Use an existing fire ring where one exists, keep fires small, burn only downed wood you can break by hand, and never leave a fire unattended. In many dry areas a camp stove is the responsible choice, and sometimes fires are banned outright — check before you strike a match.
6. Respect wildlife
Observe animals from a distance and never feed them. A fed animal quickly becomes a problem animal, and it rarely ends well for the animal. Store food and scented items securely, especially in bear country, and give nesting and denning areas a wide berth.
7. Be considerate of others
Sound carries in the outdoors. Keep voices and music low, yield the trail graciously, and camp out of sight of others where you can. Part of what people come to wild places for is quiet, and it costs us nothing to protect it for one another.
None of this is complicated, and none of it asks you to enjoy the outdoors any less. It just asks that the place you loved is still there, just as beautiful, for the next group that camps it up.