Leave No Trace isn’t just a set of park rules — it’s the foundation of a cultural agreement among outdoor enthusiasts that natural spaces should look the same (or better) when you leave than when you arrived. Originally developed by the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and National Park Service in the 1960s, these principles were refined into the Seven Principles of Leave No Trace by the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics. Today, they apply everywhere from your local state park to remote wilderness areas.

With state parks seeing over 867 million visits annually, the cumulative impact of visitor behavior — from trampled vegetation to abandoned trash to eroded shortcuts — can degrade a park in just a few years. Leave No Trace principles aren’t about restricting your fun; they’re about ensuring the trails, campgrounds, and swimming holes you love today still exist for your grandchildren.

The 7 Leave No Trace Principles Explained

1. Plan Ahead and Prepare

Proper planning reduces the need for improvisation that often damages the environment. Before your trip:

• Research the park’s specific regulations — campfire rules, group size limits, permit requirements, and seasonal closures
• Check weather forecasts and pack appropriate clothing and gear so you’re not tempted to cut branches for shelter or dig drainage trenches
• Repackage food into reusable containers to reduce waste — leave excess packaging at home
• Carry a map and compass (or downloaded GPS map) so you don’t create unauthorized social trails by wandering off-route
• Time your visit to avoid peak crowds — weekday mornings are ideal for reducing environmental impact and enhancing your experience

2. Travel on Durable Surfaces

Every time someone steps off a trail, they compress soil, crush vegetation, and create the beginning of an erosion path. In alpine environments, a single footprint can kill plants that take decades to regrow. In muddy conditions, hikers who walk around puddles widen the trail by 3-5 feet over time.

The rules are simple:

• Stick to established trails. Walk single file in the center of the path, even if it’s muddy.
• Camp on durable surfaces: established campsites, rock, gravel, dry grass, or snow
• Avoid creating new trails by taking shortcuts or cutting switchbacks — switchbacks prevent erosion
• In pristine areas with no trail, spread out so no single path forms. Walk on rock or gravel where possible.
• Stay at least 200 feet from lakes and streams to protect riparian (waterside) habitats from erosion and contamination

3. Dispose of Waste Properly

The mantra: “Pack it in, pack it out.” This applies to everything — not just obvious trash. Common mistakes people make:

• Orange peels and banana peels are NOT biodegradable in most park environments — they take 6 months to 2 years to decompose and are unsightly and attract wildlife
• Toilet paper should be packed out in a ziplock bag, not buried (it’s often dug up by animals)
• Human waste: where no toilet is available, dig a cathole 6-8 inches deep, at least 200 feet from water, trails, and campsites. Cover and disguise when done.
• Dishwater: strain food particles out, pack them with your trash, and scatter strained water 200 feet from any water source. Use biodegradable soap sparingly.
• Pet waste: always bag it and pack it out. Burying dog waste near trails still contaminates soil and water.

4. Leave What You Find

State parks exist so that everyone can experience nature in its natural state. What seems like a harmless souvenir — a cool rock, a wildflower, a piece of petrified wood — multiplied by millions of visitors, strips parks bare.

• Leave rocks, plants, and flowers as you found them. Take photographs instead.
• Don’t touch cultural or historic artifacts. Arrowheads, old structures, and petroglyphs are federally protected.
• Don’t build structures — rock stacks (cairns), lean-tos, or furniture. They alter the environment and confuse navigation.
• Don’t introduce non-native species. Clean mud and seeds from your boots and gear between park visits.

5. Minimize Campfire Impacts

Campfires are deeply woven into the camping experience, but they cause lasting scars when mismanaged. The ideal campfire follows these rules:

• Use existing fire rings only — never create new ones
• Keep fires small. A 2-foot fire provides plenty of warmth and ambiance.
• Burn only small sticks from the ground that can be broken by hand. Never break branches from living or standing dead trees.
• Burn everything to ash, then drown with water and stir. Repeat until cold to the touch.
• Consider using a camp stove instead. It’s faster, produces no impact, and works during fire bans.
• Always check fire restrictions before your trip. Many parks implement seasonal burn bans during dry conditions.

6. Respect Wildlife

Every animal encounter in a state park should be on the animal’s terms, not yours. Human-wildlife interactions that seem harmless can have devastating consequences for animals.

• Never feed wildlife. Fed animals lose their natural foraging behavior, become aggressive toward humans, and often have to be euthanized. “A fed bear is a dead bear” is a real saying for a reason.
• Observe from a distance. The general rule: if the animal changes its behavior because of your presence, you’re too close. Use binoculars or a zoom lens.
• Distance guidelines: 100 yards (300 feet) from bears and wolves. 25 yards (75 feet) from all other large animals (bison, elk, moose, deer).
• Store food securely: bear-proof containers, bear poles/cables, or locked vehicle (never in your tent).
• Avoid sensitive times: dawn and dusk are peak wildlife activity periods. Nesting season (spring) requires extra caution around bird habitats.
• Control pets at all times. A loose dog can harass wildlife, destroy nests, and trigger defensive attacks from protective mothers.

7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors

A state park visit should be peaceful for everyone — not just you. Simple courtesies make a huge difference:

• Keep noise levels down. No Bluetooth speakers on trails. If you want music, use earbuds (in one ear only for safety).
• Yield to other trail users: uphill hikers have the right of way; all hikers yield to horses.
• Respect quiet hours at campgrounds (typically 10 PM to 6 AM).
• Don’t cut through occupied campsites. Walk around, even if it’s longer.
• Camp and take breaks away from trails and other groups when possible.
• Let nature’s sounds prevail. The wind in the pines, birdsong, rushing water — these are the sounds people travel to hear.

Teaching Leave No Trace to Kids

The most impactful conservationists are often the youngest. Here’s how to teach LNT to children:

• Make it a game. “Nature detective” challenges where kids spot and report trash left by others. The “rock, stick, and leaf rule”: you can look at anything, but it stays where it is.
• Model behavior. Kids learn by watching. If you pick up trash on the trail (even if it’s not yours), they will too.
• Junior Ranger programs at many state parks include Leave No Trace education as a core activity.
• Use the simple version: “Take only pictures, leave only footprints, kill only time.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Leave No Trace legally enforceable?

The principles themselves are guidelines, not laws. However, many specific actions they address — littering, feeding wildlife, removing natural objects, starting unauthorized fires — are illegal in state and national parks and can result in fines ranging from $50 to $5,000.

Can I build a rock cairn?

Please don’t. In parks where cairns are used as official trail markers, building unauthorized cairns can send hikers off-route into dangerous terrain. In all environments, moving rocks disrupts habitat for insects, salamanders, and small mammals that live beneath them.

Are biodegradable soaps really okay to use?

“Biodegradable” doesn’t mean “harmless.” Even biodegradable soap should never be used directly in streams, lakes, or rivers. Carry water 200 feet away from any water source, wash there, and scatter the gray water widely.