plan ahead and prepare

• THE LEAVE NO TRACE SEVEN PRINCIPLES

  1. Plan Ahead and Prepare

  2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces

  3. Dispose of Waste Properly

  4. Leave What You Find

  5. Minimize Campfire Impacts

  6. Respect Wildlife

  7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors
• 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
  • 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
• Dispose of Waste Properly


  • Pack it in, pack it out. 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
  • 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
• Respect Wildlife


  • Observe wildlife from a distance. Do not follow or approach them
  • Never feed animals
  • 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