Leave No Trace Behind

More and more people are taking to trails to discover America. On foot or horseback, on mountain bikes or with a llama, there are vast expanses to be explored in national forests, national parks, and on lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management. This trend is not without some problems. Many popular areas are already overcrowded with evidence of people, horses, tents and campfires everywhere.

Back-country areas are places to seek solitude and a "wilderness experience" away from crowds, noise, and daily pressures of urban life. This escape should be accompanied by a commitment to protect and preserve these areas. Leave No Trace! Practices are techniques that visitors can use to help reduce evidence of their presence in the back country. By following the Leave No Trace! Land ethic, visitors can enjoy back-country and wilderness areas congressionally designated under the Wilderness Act of 1964, while preserving the beauty and solitude.

Practicing a Leave No Trace! Ethic is very simple: make it hard for others to see or hear you and Leave No Trace! Of your visit.

Planning

Lots of planning must go into a back-country trip if it is to be safe and fun. Gathering information from Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and National Park Service offices can help. They can provide current maps, firsthand information on trails and campsites, and anything else pertinent to the anticipated trip. Consider the group size, when and where to go, equipment and food selection when planning a trip.

Group Size: Small groups are ideal in open areas such as deserts, meadows and above timberline. Plan to travel and camp with fewer than 8-10 people, who can be divided into hiking groups of 2-4 during the day. It is also easier to plan for small groups and to keep them together. Campsites for smaller groups are easier to find and they harmonize better with the environment. Check ahead to see if there is a group size limitation in the area you plan to visit.

When and Where To Go: To find maximum solitude, avoid back-country trips on holidays and even some weekends. Since many popular trails and wilderness always seem to be crowded, visit less popular areas. Plan such trips for the spring or fall, or even the winter.

Plan to carry a lightweight backpacking stove for all cooking. Be sure to inquire locally about open fire restrictions, since some areas are closed due to the potential for wildfires or the scarcity of fuel.

Lighten your pack by repacking the food and removing glass and aluminum packaging. They do not burn and add extra weight. IF YOU PACK IT IN, YOU SHOULD PACK IT OUT. Carry extra trash bags for litter pickup in and around your campsite. They also make great emergency rain gear.

Other suggested equipment is a small trowel or plastic garden shovel for burying human waste and for digging Leave No Trace! Fire pits. Leave the axe and saw at home, unless you are traveling by horse and need them to cut a trail. Firewood that cannot be broken by hand should be left as part of the natural system.

Be Prepared: Obtain a good map, plan your route, and leave your itinerary with someone at home, in case someone has to search for you. Know what weather conditions to expect in that area at that time of year and come prepared for the extreme temperature, wind, snow and rain you might be exposed to. A day hike requires minimal survival gear: extra food, a signal mirror, whistle and warm clothing. A highly visible vest ("fluorescent" orange or red) should be included in your pack for rescue in the event you become lost. Carry extra water in desert areas (a minimum of 2 quarts per person per day).

Travel

Trails are an important part of back-country travel. They are designed to get people from one place to another with varying degrees of difficulty. Trails are also designed to drain off water with a minimum amount of soil erosion. Make an effort to stay on the trails no matter how you are traveling.

Switchbacks are the most abused portion of the trail system. A switchback is a reversal in trail direction. Many people shortcut switchbacks and create new trails trying to save time and energy. Cutting switchbacks creates a new scar on the hillside that will cause soil erosion and scarring.

Cross-Country: Hiking or riding horses cross-country, off established trails is OK, but remember to stay spread out and off "social trails" that other users have begun. Avoid traveling through meadows or wet areas. They are fragile and will show the effect of footprints or hoof prints and group travel much longer than forested and rocky areas.

Bicycles and motorized vehicles are allowed in some back-country areas but not in wilderness areas. To ride them cross-country will create social trails and cause erosion.

The feeling of solitude or adventure is broken when you see ribbons, signs or even blazed trees that visitors have left to mark a path. Always discuss the planned route with your group members to avoid leaving these markers. If you must mark a route, remove markers before departing.

Dispose of Waste Properly

Sanitation practices in the back country require extra effort. Washing and the disposal of human waste must be done carefully so the environment is not polluted and fish and aquatic life are not injured. Water can become polluted from the runoff of soaps, food waste, and human waste. Toilet paper and other trash also leave an unsightly impact.

Water and Washing: There are Giardia bacteria and other contaminants in many streams, springs, and water sources, so plan to filter or boil all drinking water. Wash at least 50 ft away from camp and any water sources. For personal washing, use a container and rinse away from water sources. For kitchen waste, scrape burnable food scraps into the campfire or put it in a plastic bag to be carried out and then wash dishes away from water sources. Use small amounts of biodegradable soap. Washing without soap would be better since any soap can pollute lakes and streams. Pour wash water on the ground at least 50 feet from water sources and the kitchen area.

Human Waste: Use the "cat method" of making a shallow hole and covering it when done. It should be dug in the top 6-8 inches of organic soil and be at least 200 feet away from camp, trails and water sources. Groups may need to walk well over 200 ft to ensure that catholes are scattered during their stay at that site.

Trash

If your back-country trip has been well planned, there should not be too much trash. Never bury your trash because animals will probably dig it up. While you're hiking, make an effort to pocket all trash, including cigarette butts, and then empty your pockets into a trash bag later. Remember that peanut shells, orange peels and egg shells are trash. IF YOU PACK IT IN, YOU SHOULD PACK IT OUT.

Camping

Choose a campsite away from popular places for more solitude and privacy. Try to camp 200 ft or more from lakes, streams, meadows, and trails when you have a choice. There will be less chance of damage to fragile areas.

The best campsites are generally found on ridges, hills, or near canyon walls. These areas provide natural drainage so your camp will not flood. To hide it from view, arrange your campsite around trees, rocks and shrubs. Beware of hazard trees, avalanche areas, potential hazards from falling rocks, or flash-flood sites.

Never ditch or build trenches around your tent because they can start soil erosion and create lasting scars. Limit your stay to as few nights as possible to avoid waste accumulation and injury to plants. One night in each campsite is best and will make it easier to Leave No Trace! Of your visit when you depart.

Fires

Practice Leave No Trace! Ethics by cooking on a stove and avoid building campfires. Today's backpacking stoves are economical and lightweight and provide fast, clean cooking. In some heavily used areas, fires are not permitted. In fragile environments, such as deserts and alpine meadows, fire leaves scars for many years and depletes wood supplies. As at the local Use them to concentrate the use to one area and lessen the overall impact.

Remote Areas: When camping in remote areas, you may choose to build a campfire, making sure the site is away from trees and shrubs. Campfires are best built on a sandy spot or hard ground since the scar can easily be hidden there. Never build a fire next to a rock because smoke will blacken it. Wildfire can easily start from campfires built on forest duff or peat.

Wood: Burning small sticks gathered from the ground is the best source of wood. Use only down, dead wood. Never cut green trees or branches; they won't burn. Standing dead trees will burn, but are valuable for cavity-nesting birds and aesthetics, so don't cut them. Small wood will burn completely, providing good coals for cooking. The remaining white ash is easier to dispose of than partially burned logs. Remember, never leave a fire unattended.

Leave No Trace

In heavily used camping areas, some fire rings are maintained and should be used. Make sure your fire is dead out before you pick out trash that did not burn. To verify that the fire is out, sprinkle it with water and stir the coals. If the coals are cool to the touch, the fire is out. The remaining ash and coals should be carried several hundred feet from the campsite and widely scattered. After you pick up your trash to carry home, your campsite is ready for the next visitor. A last-minute check of your site for cigarette butts or gum wrappers, etc., will help ensure that you Leave No Trace!

In remote areas, follow the same procedures and then replace the organic material you set aside earlier. Be sure to completely naturalize the area. If you think all this is a bother, difficult and dirty - it is! Cooking on a stove eliminates these problems.

Back-Country Courtesy

One of the most important components of back-country ethics is to maintain courtesy toward others. It helps everyone enjoy their outdoor experience. Incompatible or competing activities must share limited facilities and areas. Excessive noise, unleashed pets, and damaged surroundings distract from a quality experience in the back country.

Keep the noise level down while traveling on trails. Radios and tape players do not belong in the back country. If your group meets another group, give uphill hikers the right of way. When you encounter groups leading or riding livestock, you should step off the trail on the lower side and let them pass. Stand quietly since some horses are spooked easily.

Keep pets under control at all times. No one wants someone's pets running through the area and frightening people and wildlife. Some wildernesses prohibit dogs or require them to be on a leash at all times.

Wildflowers, picturesque trees, and unusual rock formations all contribute to the back-country beauty we enjoy. Picking flowers, hacking trees, and chipping rocks disturb the natural ecosystem. Please leave them alone and protect them for others to enjoy. Leave No Trace Behind

Practicing a Leave No Trace! Ethic is very simple: make it hard for others to see or hear you and Leave No Trace! Of your visit.

Planning

Travel

Bicycles and motorized vehicles are allowed in some back-country areas but not in wildernesses,. To ride them cross-country will create social trails and cause erosion.

Dispose of Waste Properly

Water and Washing: There are Giardia bacteria and other contaminants in many streams, springs, and water sources, so plan to filter or boil all drinking water. Wash at least 50 feet away from camp and any water sources. For personal washing, use a container and rinse away from water sources. For kitchen waste, scrape burnable food scraps into the campfire or put it in a plastic bag to be carried out and then wash dishes away from water sources. Use small amounts of biodegradable soap. Washing without soap would be better since any soap can pollute lakes and streams. Pour wash water on the ground at least 50 feet from water sources and the kitchen area.

Human Waste: Use the "cat method" of making a shallow hole and covering it when done. It should be dug in the top 6-8 inches of organic soil and be at least 200 feet away from camp, trails and water sources. Groups may need to walk well over 200 feet so ensure that catholes are scattered during their stay at that site.

Trash

Camping

Choose a campsite away from popular places for more solitude and privacy. Try to camp 200 feet or more from lakes, streams, meadows, and trails when you have a choice. There will be less chance of damage to fragile areas.

Fires

fire leaves scars for many years and depletes wood supplies. As at the local Use them to concentrate the use to one area and lessen the overall impact.

Remote Areas: When camping in remote areas, you may choose to build a campfire, making sure the site is away from trees and shrubs. Campfires are best built on sandy spot or hard ground since the scar can easily be hidden there. Never build a fire next to a rock because smoke will blacken it. Wildfire can easily start from campfires built on forest duff or peat.

Leave No Trace: In heavily used camping areas, some fire rings are maintained and should be used. Make sure your fire is dead out before you pick out trash that did not burn. To verify that the fire is out, sprinkle it with water and stir the coals. If the coals are coals to the touch, the fire is out. The remaining ash and coals should be carried several hundred feet from the campsite and widely scattered. After you pick up your trash to carry home, your campsite is ready for the next visitor. A last-minute check of your site for cigarette butts or gum wrappers, etc., will help ensure that you Leave No Trace!

Back-Country Courtesy