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Leave No Trace Principles of Outdoor Ethics:
Plan
Ahead and Prepare
Travel
and Camp on Durable Surfaces
Dispose of Waste Properly
Leave
What You Find
Minimize
Campfire Impacts
Respect
Wildlife
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.
Visit
in small groups.
Split
larger parties into groups of 4-6.
Repackage
food to minimize waste.
Use
a map and compass to eliminate the use of marking paint,
rock cairns or flagging.
Travel
and Camp on Durable Surfaces
Durable
surfaces include established trails and campsites, rock,
gravel, 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 and rest areas for trash or spilled foods.
Pack out all trash, leftover food, and litter.
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, 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 backcountry.
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 sticks 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,
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
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