What Are the Principles of Leave No Trace?

If you’ve looked into a camping trip recently, then you’ve likely heard the phrase leave no trace. But it’s much more than a simple phrase.

Leave No Trace is actually an organization built around a set of principles that encourage the ethical use of land. Even though they’ve only recently become a household name, they’re not new. As an organization, they have been around since the 1970s, were formally recognized by U.S. land agencies in the 1990s, and their principles have been fully embraced over the last 10-15 years.

But what are the principles of the Leave No Trace movement, and what do we do with them?

The seven principles of Leave No Trace are as follows:

Plan ahead and be prepared.
Travel and camp on durable surfaces.
Dispose of waste properly.
Leave what you find.
Minimize campfire impacts.
Respect wildlife.
Be considerate of other visitors.

These are fairly simple to understand without great detail added to them, which is how they were crafted to function. A major aim of the Leave No Trace movement is to simplify what we need to remember and know to preserve our national lands. Nobody wants to read a 600-page guide before their next camping trip, right?

That being said, each of these can and should be further explained. But don’t worry; the simple phrases act as a memory device for the additional content. After just a simple reading of each guideline, just keeping the shortlist of the seven simple principles as listed above on a card somewhere in your backpack is all you’ll need to be equipped and prepared for your next adventure, all while having the added peace of mind in knowing you’re treading lightly.

1. Plan Ahead and Be Prepared

Set some goals for your trip, and plan for those goals. The best way to do this is to look for areas that meet those goals. Here are the links for the BLM and NFS websites where you can find all of the information you need for any region. Consider maps, brochures, and calling the field offices of the areas you dwindled down to for additional help.

Consider what gear and clothing will best suit the environment. Take into consideration the skill level and current gear of all participants. Winter alpine camping with just a typical summer tent sounds miserable to me (and potentially dangerous). You might realize that, too, but your friends may be unaware.

Simply checking the expected weather isn’t enough in many regions. Regions that are prone to flash flooding or lightning storms require a bit more care and concern that goes beyond a 10-day forecast. You’ll want to ask a ranger if there is emergency weather you should be aware of.

Also consider your pet companions, especially in hot summer regions. Places like Zion in the middle of summer are especially hard on some of our four-legged family members. But pet safety in the wilderness goes well beyond just the location. Addressing all that you will want to consider here would go beyond the scope of this post, but we have an in-depth article on pet safety over here; be sure to check that out.

Don’t forget to consider all of the potentially dangerous animals native to a region. For example, my “roam state” of California is popular for out of state visitors that might know they should be bear aware, but they have not been informed about how common rattlesnakes are out here. Rattlesnakes are all over California, and they love soaking up the sun, just like we do. People aren’t the only creatures that hit the trails in spring. Ask a ranger what you should be on the lookout for.

Make sure you don’t forget food prep and fire expectations. Depending on where you are going, you might not be able to have a fire, which would be fine if it’s warm and you are eating PB&J sandwiches. But if you planned for campfire biscuits and bacon, no one will be a happy camper when they realize there is a fire restriction in the area you chose.

Having a well thought out list of questions and spending 15 minutes with a ranger on a phone will do a lot of good for everyone involved with your next trip.

2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces

Whenever possible, travel on established trails. Of course, nobody wants you to handle your “business” on a trail. For everyone’s sake, if you need to relieve yourself, do it off-trail.

And obviously, you don’t want to set up your tent right across a hiking trail or road. It isn’t practical nor is it safe. So going off-trail is a must and knowing where to go off-trail is important.

Where you go off-trail has to do with the durability of terrain. Here is a simple list of some good (durable), okay (durable but not overly), and bad (not durable) areas to go off-trail and set up a tent or do your natural business.

Good/Durable

Sandy Terrain
Rocky Terrain
Gravel
Ice/Snow

Okay/Durable But Not Overly

Dry grass
Gaps in vegetation that makes avoiding vegetation easy.
Mud (don’t avoid it but tread lightly on it, as it can spread trails)

Bad/Not Durable

Wet grass
Living soil (often found in desert areas)
Puddles/Mud (in deserts)
Surface water (especially in deserts)
A plethora of desert vegetation (read up if heading to the desert)

Additionally, for setting up camp, it is advised to do it in an already existing campsite. That isn’t always possible, but whenever possible, do so. There typically are obvious clearings with simple fire rings made by previous campers.

Setting up camp in pristine areas that are close in proximity to an already cleared area causes unneeded deterioration of the natural vegetation.

Also, cooking areas should be done on rock or sandy areas. The primary take away here is always try to use the most durable surface possible for everything while camping. Some things, like pooping in the woods, is better suited for soft surfaces. Other things, like walking, is best on hard or sandy surfaces. Picking the best for everything is the goal while enjoying all that nature has to offer.

3. Dispose of Waste Properly

This principle is broken down into two sections: human waste (what we normally flush down the toilet) and garbage.

For human waste, we have an entire blog post on this topic; check it out here. It’s a big topic and deserves its own section.

For garbage, it’s much more simple. Whatever you bring in, you need to bring out. That includes all forms of trash. Even spilled food should be scraped up and packed out. This is what is commonly referred to as “pack it in/pack it out” protocol.

Water used for cleaning dishes should be drained at least 200 feet away from lakes and streams, so as not to contaminate water sources. Additionally, spreading the water out as you dump it is a good idea. But take care to strain any food particles out before dumping. Those food bits should be packed out.

For safety, it is a good idea to wash your dishes a good distance away from camp, especially if in bear territory.

If wondering about soap, it should be biodegradable and only used sparingly if needed.

For absolute best practices, this one starts with the planning phase of Leave No Trace. Planning food that doesn’t require a lot of fuss to make and clean up is ideal. Additionally, less waste created means less waste to pack out. A stick of butter has a small wrapper and provides 810 calories. That’s a joke! But then again, things like butter and mayo packets are common backpacker calorie grabs.

4. Leave What You Find

This one really doesn’t need an explanation, so I’ll just give the why. Millions of people visit our national forests and grasslands every year. The Great Smoky Mountains, for example, get well over 10 million visitors each year. If everyone took something or etched a tree, there quite literally wouldn’t be much left for a single generation to enjoy, let alone future generations.

The age old phrase, leave it better than you found it, is at the heart of this principle.

Now, obviously, if you find human trash like water bottles, don’t leave it behind. This is where the heart of the rule applies. Leave it better than you found it means we take the trash out with us even when it isn’t ours.

But beyond us, the reality is things like sticks and leaves even play a vital role in sustaining the natural life in the region. As insignificant as leaves seem to be, they are important for pregnant dear.

Don’t get me wrong here; humans are important, too. You absolutely matter, and there are reasons as to why you might need to take a stick with you (a splint if injured, for one). You want to avoid disturbing things, but do what it takes to get out and stay alive in emergency situations.

Cellphones take great pictures these days, and I hear those are worth a thousand words—which means they’re probably worth a lot more leaves. 🙂

5. Minimize Campfire Impacts

The first thing to consider is the environment in which you are camping, specifically the likelihood that fire could spread rapidly. For example, are you in the middle of a sandy clearing with zero vegetation for several yards around you, or are you in the middle of a drought-stricken forest and surrounded by an ample amount of fallen/aged trees and debris? The second scenario has the potential to be devastating, while the other doesn’t.

My opinion is that you should very much include your health and well being as a weight in this process. If you need calories to keep going and fire to cook those calories or to keep from freezing, absolutely do it.

But if it’s warm and you brought sandwiches, it might be best not to make a fire just to make s’mores. I know that’s hard; for many of us, 90% of why we go camping is to make s’mores and enjoy a campfire. I know some people who suggest it isn’t camping without a fire, and for them it would just be a sleep-out. Might as well just throw a sleeping bag in the front yard.

This is where principle number one is so important. If one of your goals is a campfire with s‘mores or campfire bacon, then pick a spot that allows campfires and is safe for it. And be sure to call and check for any seasonal or emergency restrictions.

As an example of this, many areas in my “roam state” of California have fire restrictions nearly year-round. Additionally, a fire permit (free and easy to get) is required to have a fire anywhere and anytime in California. I often find travelers from wetter regions of the U.S. and beyond surprised by this restriction.

Other Important Fire Considerations

Only use fallen wood or wood you brought in FROM THE AREA you are camping. Buy it where you burn it.
Is there enough fallen wood in your area to gather from a wide area to limit the impacts to the critters that live there?
Use thin pieces of wood, about two to three inches in diameter.
Use an existing fire ring if it is already there. Don’t make a new one, unless it is obviously in an unsafe place.
Make a mound fire by using a cloth or bag on the bottom with sand from the surrounding areas on top of the bag or cloth. Use enough sand to make the mound 3 inches high and large enough for the fire you’ll be making. This way the ground is protected and the bag provides easy cleanup.
Bring in a fire pit (ready-made or a homemade one from an old charcoal bbq).
Burn all wood to ash and soak it completely before spreading it out. Do the spreading over a wide area. If there isn’t a lot of space where you’re at (narrow canyon, etc.) you might need to pack it out and/or spread it as you hike out.
As kind as it is to leave a supply of wood behind for the next camper, only do this at a designated park. The goal is to keep the area as wild and untouched as possible.

6. Respect Wildlife

This one is fairly simple: Just adopt an absolute hands-off attitude. I feel like some of you animal lovers might have read that line wrong. I didn’t say just adopt an animal from the forest; I said adopt a hands-off attitude. 🙂

Don’t touch or feed any animal at any time—even if they look injured and in need of help. Injured and wild animals can be very dangerous. Additionally, they might have been wounded by a predator that was spooked by your presence. In many cases, the predator might have used up the last of the energy reserves it had in order to catch their prey. Letting the injured animal be is safer for you and could ensure only one animal dies vs two. This is especially true if the injured animal is common while the predator is scarce. I know it’s not easy to consider, but the wilderness is a hard environment.

In many ways, much of the above-mentioned principles have a lot to do with this one: respecting wildlife and the grounds, while keeping us visitors safe is what these rules are all about.

Being safe around wild animals, especially bears, is a major topic of conversation and one we have an entire post about (coming soon). James does a great job of discussing this topic in great detail. It is a must-read for anyone looking to get a little lost in the wilderness.

7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors

The golden rule of treating others the way you want to be treated is a great place to start here.

But this is a very touchy subject, especially for us Westerners. We’re rebels and ramblers. Saying that we should be considerate of others in and of itself is a statement that places one ideology over another ideology. I get it. One group goes camping to find peace and tranquility away from it all, while another wants to bring it all with them and PARTY! Who’s right? Whose wants should be considered?

I’m not here to debate that. Or say who’s right or wrong. After all, who really cares much about what I think? 🙂

What I am here to do is answer the question as to what the Leave No Trace guidelines are. What is even more important is that their guidelines have been adopted by the national land agencies who govern the lands we can use for camping. You will find that nearly every place you want to visit on national lands clearly states in their guidelines that we are to practice Leave No Trace protocol.

So, if you are the party type of camper, sorry. You’ll need to practice a silent party. Like the rainy day game your 3rd-grade teacher had you play in class during recess. Remember it? My teacher’s go-to game was Silent Ball, and if she was feeling really crazy, she’d let us sit on the top of our desks to play. We all know what they were doing. The ball wasn’t even needed. In fact, I think we even played it once with an “invisible” ball when we couldn’t find the real one. I still love you, Mrs. Estes.

Anyhow, back on track. The guidelines here are to do as much as you can reasonably do to go unnoticed by other campers that might be in the area. This means:

Keep music on low volume or even consider using earbuds.
Consider avoiding bright tents and gear.
Consider using a site that has coverage from rocks or trees so as not to be seen by nearby campers.
If possible, don’t set up camp near other campers.

I for one am a camper who likes to have music with me while camping, and I loathe earbuds. I find it’s fairly easy to play music at a level for my campsite to enjoy without it being heard by others in the area.

The environment impacts a lot of this, as well, heavily traveled areas are just going to be louder in general. Public campgrounds are noisy and packed in. They often post the rules for their area, which tend to be lax about some of these principles.

Again, consider rule number one: plan, plan, plan!

If you want absolute tranquility, you probably don’t want to pick a public campground on Labor Day Weekend. Consider what the majority is likely wanting to do at that spot at that time. And if you want to get a little wild with a large group of friends, maybe don’t travel out into a secluded spot. Most folks out there probably choose those locations because they are quieter and less crowded.

Final Thoughts

I have found that these guidelines ruffle some feathers. I get it. We’re just doing our best to inform and express the guidelines and rules of our national lands. Our hope is to encourage others to get out, stay safe, and have fun while helping our agencies keep these lands open for generations to come.

All information above is my condensed version of what you will find on the LNT website. Be sure to check them out, especially this online “course.”