Leave No Trace: 7 Principles Every Hiker Must Know

Backpacking success—and sustainability—starts before you step on the trail. Planning your route, checking regulations, weather, and trail conditions, and knowing what gear and maps you need reduces your risk and limits environmental impact.

• Download offline maps and leave an itinerary with a friend or family member.
• Travel in smaller groups to reduce wear on trails and campsites.
• Know if you need permits, and research rules around fires, camping zones, and food storage.
• Pack the right clothing and equipment (read about the Ten Essentials) to avoid emergency situations that may require off-trail detours or rescue operations.

Wilderness doesn’t recover quickly. Stepping off trail or camping in sensitive areas can lead to long-lasting erosion, plant destruction, and habitat loss. Stick to surfaces that can handle impact—rock, gravel, dry grass, or established paths and campsites.

• Always stay on the trail. When possible, avoid hiking when trail conditions are wet or muddy.
• In backcountry zones without designated campsites, camp at least 200 feet from water sources and trails on durable ground.
• Avoid creating new trails or expanding upon existing ones.
• Use established tent sites whenever available.

“Pack it in, pack it out” is the golden rule, but it goes beyond just food wrappers. Human waste, gray water, and food scraps all need to be handled responsibly to avoid polluting water sources or attracting wildlife.

• Carry a trowel and bury human waste in a cathole 6–8 inches deep, at least 200 feet from water, trails, and campsites.
• Pack out used toilet paper and menstrual products.
• Strain dishwater and scatter it 200 feet from water sources. Pack out food bits.
• Don’t burn trash in campfires. Foil, plastic, and food packaging leave behind toxic residue and litter that may never fully burn.

Take only photos, leave only footprints. Natural and cultural resources are easily disturbed. Wildflowers picked, rocks pocketed, or artifacts moved—even with good intentions—can disrupt ecosystems and erode historical understanding.

• Don’t carve into trees or rocks or stack cairns. Existing blazes and cairns are there for a reason.
• Avoid picking plants or removing natural items, no matter how small or abundant they seem.
• Observe historical or archaeological sites but leave them untouched.
• Use photography or journaling to capture memories instead of collecting souvenirs from nature.

One of the best parts about backpacking is enjoying a campfire, but they’re not always appropriate. Fires scar the ground, consume wood that’s vital for ecosystems, and can easily escape in dry and windy conditions.

• Check with the land manager and know the rules around campfires where you’re going.
• If fires are allowed, use existing fire rings, keep it small, and only burn small sticks that can be broken by hand.
• Fully extinguish fires with water, not dirt, and scatter cold ashes.
• Use only wood found in the area to avoid introducing potentially invasive species.

Wildlife encounters are exciting, but feeding, following, or disturbing animals disrupts their natural behavior and can put both humans and animals at risk. Remember, you’re in their home.

• Store food securely (bear canisters, Ursacks, or hang bags depending on local regulations). Remember that rodents can be as problematic as bears when it comes to food storage.
• Never feed wildlife, even chipmunks or birds—it alters their behavior and diet.
• Observe animals from a distance with binoculars, and avoid nesting or breeding areas.
• Know what kind of wildlife is in the area and what to do if you do have an encounter.

The backcountry offers a chance to disconnect and enjoy nature’s peace. How you behave affects others’ experience—something often overlooked when people focus only on environmental impact.

• Yield to uphill hikers, and step aside to let faster hikers pass.
• Keep voices low, and do not play music from speakers.
• Camp away from trails and other groups when possible.
• If you’re hiking with dogs, ensure they are well-behaved, leashed when required, and do not disturb wildlife or other hikers.