There’s a moment that happens when you’re miles into a hike—no signal, no distractions—just you, the wind, the rhythm of your boots on dirt, and that familiar deep breath that only nature can pull out of you.
It’s healing. It’s freeing. And it’s not just yours.
That experience? That trail? That silence? It belongs to everyone—and to the generations coming next. That’s where Leave No Trace comes in.
The Seven Leave No Trace Principles aren’t rules to trip you up—they’re a simple way to honor the land, protect wild spaces, and make sure we’re not loving nature to death. Whether you’re hiking for the first time or you’ve logged hundreds of miles, LNT is about walking through nature in a way that says: I see you. I care.
1. Plan Ahead and Prepare
Why it matters:
When you’re prepared, you’re less likely to make choices that damage the environment—like cutting a trail to find a shortcut, building an illegal fire, or leaving waste behind because you forgot a bag.
How to practice it:
- Research your trail’s conditions, difficulty, weather, and rules before heading out.
- Bring the right gear: layers, map, water, snacks, a headlamp, a small first-aid kit.
- Know how to use what you bring. A map doesn’t help if you can’t read it.
Real example:
Let’s say you’re hiking in early spring. You didn’t check the trail report, and you show up in sneakers to find snow and mud. Now you’re slipping off trail, walking around the slush—which widens the path and damages new growth. Planning ahead could’ve saved your ankles and the ecosystem.
2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
Why it matters:
Your feet are powerful. Enough hikers stepping off trail—even just a few inches—can kill native plants and cause erosion.
How to practice it:
- Stick to marked trails, rocks, gravel, dry grasses, or packed soil.
- Don’t cut switchbacks or forge new paths.
- If camping, choose designated campsites or areas with durable surfaces (not meadows!).
Real example:
In alpine environments, the plants can take decades to regrow. Stepping just a few feet off trail to “get a better photo” might seem harmless, but it can destroy fragile ecosystems that never fully recover.
3. Dispose of Waste Properly
Why it matters:
Nothing ruins a hike like finding someone else’s granola wrapper—or worse. Leaving trash isn’t just ugly, it harms wildlife and water sources.
How to practice it:
- Pack it in, pack it out. Everything. Even apple cores and orange peels.
- Use designated toilets or dig a cathole 6–8 inches deep and 200 feet away from water sources.
- Pack out toilet paper and feminine products—yes, even if they’re “biodegradable.”
Real example:
On a long hike, someone buried their TP but not deeply enough. A rainstorm washed it out. Now it’s scattered along the trail, and no one wants to deal with that. A simple ziplock bag could’ve prevented it.
4. Leave What You Find
Why it matters:
Every flower, pinecone, or feather is part of a delicate natural balance. Taking it might feel small, but multiplied by thousands of hikers? It’s a big impact.
How to practice it:
- Resist the urge to pocket “souvenirs.”
- Don’t carve names into trees or stack rocks (cairns) unless marking a route in true backcountry.
- Leave cultural artifacts alone. What’s historic to you may be sacred to someone else.
Real example:
You spot a beautiful piece of quartz near a creek. Taking it may seem harmless, but that same rock may be a key part of the environment—or even a marker in an Indigenous cultural area. The photo is enough.
5. Minimize Campfire Impact
Why it matters:
Fires scar the land, pollute the air, and in dry areas, can spark wildfires. Many public lands are banning them altogether due to increasing wildfire risk.
How to practice it:
- Use a camp stove instead of building a fire.
- If fires are allowed, use established fire rings and keep fires small.
- Burn only small sticks that can be broken by hand—never cut from live trees.
- Completely extinguish your fire with water (not dirt), and make sure it’s cold to the touch.
Real example:
A group camping in a no-fire zone lights one anyway. They think it’s safe. A gust of wind catches a spark, and by morning, an entire hillside is smoldering. Don’t be those people.
6. Respect Wildlife
Why it matters:
Feeding, approaching, or disturbing animals changes their behavior. It can make them sick, dependent, or aggressive—and it puts both you and them at risk.
How to practice it:
- Observe animals from a distance. Use binoculars if you want a closer look.
- Never feed wildlife—intentionally or by leaving food scraps behind.
- Store your food properly in bear canisters or bear hangs when required.
Real example:
A chipmunk on trail seems friendly. Someone tosses it a peanut. That chipmunk now associates humans with food and begins to hang around campsites—and eventually gets sick or becomes a nuisance. Kindness isn’t always kindness.
7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors
Why it matters:
We’re all out here for different reasons: solitude, healing, connection, exercise. The way you hike affects everyone else’s experience.
How to practice it:
- Keep voices and music low—use headphones if you need tunes.
- Yield to others kindly. Step aside for faster hikers. Uphill hikers have the right of way.
- Smile. Say hello. Share the trail.
Real example:
You’re in the middle of a quiet forest, soaking in the silence. Then someone passes with a speaker blaring music. It breaks the moment. Nature already provides a soundtrack—try listening to that.
Leave No Trace is a Promise, Not Perfection
You may not get it perfect every time. What matters is that you try. That you care. That you take responsibility for your presence in these wild, fragile, powerful spaces.
LNT is less about rules and more about a quiet kind of reverence. It’s how we say thank you to the land—and how we make sure it’s still here for the next sunrise, the next hiker, the next version of you.