Leave No Trace: Seven Principles for Hikers

The Leave No Trace framework, developed by the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics in partnership with the US Forest Service, National Park Service, and Bureau of Land Management, provides a universal code of conduct for anyone who ventures outdoors. These seven principles protect ecosystems, preserve trails, and ensure public lands remain enjoyable for future visitors.

Principle 1: Plan Ahead and Prepare

Preparation prevents the situations that lead to environmental damage. Poor planning forces improvisation, and improvisation on the trail often means cutting switchbacks, camping in fragile areas, or building unnecessary fires.

How to apply it:

• Research regulations and special concerns for the area you are visiting
• Download maps and plan your route before leaving home (see our trail navigation basics guide)
• Check weather forecasts and pack accordingly to avoid emergency measures
• Travel in small groups to minimize trail impact; split large groups into smaller units
• Repackage food into reusable containers to minimize trail waste

Principle 2: Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces

Durable surfaces include established trails, rock, gravel, sand, dry grass, and snow. Fragile surfaces include wet meadows, lakeshores, cryptobiotic soil crusts, and tundra.

How to apply it:

• Stay on the trail, even when it is muddy; walk through mud rather than around it to prevent trail widening
• Never cut switchbacks; shortcuts cause erosion channels that destroy trail engineering
• Camp at designated sites or on previously impacted surfaces at least 200 feet from lakes and streams
• In pristine backcountry without established sites, spread out to avoid creating new wear patterns

Principle 3: Dispose of Waste Properly

The simplest summary: pack it in, pack it out.

How to apply it:

• Carry all trash including food scraps, fruit peels, and food wrappers in a sealed bag
• For human waste in the backcountry, dig a cat hole six to eight inches deep, at least 200 feet from water, trails, and campsites
• Pack out toilet paper in a sealed bag, or use approved backcountry alternatives
• Strain dishwater and scatter it at least 200 feet from water sources; pack out strained food particles
• Pack out all dog waste without exception (see our hiking with dogs guide)

Principle 4: Leave What You Find

Natural and cultural features belong where they are. Removing or altering them degrades the environment and diminishes the experience for others.

How to apply it:

• Do not pick wildflowers, collect rocks, or remove natural objects
• Leave historical artifacts, structures, and cultural features undisturbed
• Do not build unauthorized cairns; they confuse navigation and alter natural landscapes
• Do not carve, hammer, or paint on natural surfaces
• Avoid introducing non-native species by cleaning boots and gear between different trail systems

Principle 5: Minimize Campfire Impacts

Campfires cause lasting damage to the land. In many wilderness areas, they are restricted or prohibited entirely.

How to apply it:

• Use a lightweight stove for cooking instead of fire whenever possible
• Where fires are permitted, use established fire rings or fire pans
• Keep fires small and burn only dead wood found on the ground; never cut live branches
• Burn all wood to ash, douse completely with water, and scatter the cool ashes
• Check current fire restrictions before your trip; restrictions change seasonally and during drought

Principle 6: Respect Wildlife

Wildlife observation should be passive. Interaction changes animal behavior and can create dangerous situations for both animals and humans.

How to apply it:

• Observe animals from a distance; use binoculars or a telephoto lens instead of approaching
• Never feed wildlife; human food alters natural behavior and can make animals aggressive
• Store food and scented items securely using bear canisters, hang bags, or food lockers where required
• Avoid wildlife during sensitive times: mating, nesting, and raising young
• Keep dogs leashed to prevent them from chasing or disturbing wildlife

For species-specific encounter protocols, see our wildlife encounter safety guide.

Principle 7: Be Considerate of Other Visitors

The outdoor experience depends on everyone’s cooperation. Your actions affect the experience of every other person on the trail.

How to apply it:

• Yield to other users appropriately: uphill hikers have right of way; all users yield to horses
• Keep noise levels low; use headphones instead of speakers
• Take breaks away from the trail where others will not have to navigate around your group
• Camp away from trails and other campers to preserve privacy and quiet
• Leave gates as you found them and respect private property boundaries

For a complete discussion of trail conduct, see our trail etiquette rules guide.

Why These Principles Matter

The cumulative impact of millions of hikers is immense. Individual actions that seem minor, picking a single wildflower, cutting one switchback, leaving a banana peel, aggregate into trail erosion, habitat degradation, and diminished visitor experiences across entire trail systems.

The NPS reports that many of the most popular trails in the national park system show significant erosion and social trailing from visitors who leave the marked path. Leave No Trace provides a shared framework that, when practiced consistently, allows heavy use without heavy impact.

Teaching Leave No Trace

If you hike with beginners or children, model these behaviors rather than just stating rules. Point out examples of damage (widened trails, fire scars, litter) so they understand the practical consequences. Our hiking with kids guide covers age-appropriate ways to introduce outdoor ethics.

Key Takeaways

• Leave No Trace is built on seven principles: plan ahead, use durable surfaces, dispose of waste properly, leave what you find, minimize fire impacts, respect wildlife, and be considerate
• Pack out everything you bring in, including food scraps and dog waste
• Stay on trails, camp on durable surfaces, and never cut switchbacks
• Observe wildlife from a distance and store food securely in bear country
• Model good behavior for new hikers and children to build a culture of trail stewardship

Next Steps

• Trail Etiquette Rules
• Hiking with Dogs
• Wildlife Encounter Safety
• Beginner Hiking Gear and Trail Skills Guide
• Planning Your First Overnight Hike

Sources

• Leave No Trace Seven Principles — NPS
• Leave No Trace Principles — REI Expert Advice
• I Didn’t Know That: Leave No Trace — NPS
• AllTrails Responsible Outdoors Guide

Trail conditions change frequently. Always check current conditions with local ranger stations before heading out. This guide provides general information and is not a substitute for situational judgment on the trail.