PRINCIPLES
LIVE NO TRACE
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Plan Ahead and Prepare
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Know the regulations and special concerns for the area you'll
visit.
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Prepare for extreme weather, hazards, and emergencies.
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Schedule your trip to avoid times of high use.
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Visit in small groups when possible. Consider splitting larger
groups into smaller groups.
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Repackage food to minimize waste.
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Use a map and compass to eliminate the use of marking paint,
rock cairns or flagging.
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Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
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Durable surfaces include established trails and campsites, rock,
gravel, dry grasses or snow.
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Protect riparian areas by camping at least 200 feet from lakes
and streams.
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Good campsites are found, not made. Altering a site is not
necessary.
In popular areas:
- Concentrate use on existing trails and campsites.
- Walk single file in the middle of the trail, even when wet or
muddy.
- Keep campsites small. Focus activity in areas where vegetation
is absent.
In pristine areas:
- Disperse use to prevent the creation of campsites and trails.
- Avoid places where impacts are just beginning.
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Dispose of Waste Properly
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Pack it in, pack it out. Inspect your campsite and rest areas
for trash or spilled foods. Pack out all trash, leftover food,
and litter.
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Deposit solid human waste in catholes dug 6 to 8 inches deep at
least 200 feet from water, camp, and trails. Cover and disguise
the
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cathole when finished.
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Pack out toilet paper and hygiene products.
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To wash yourself or your dishes, carry water 200 feet away from
streams or lakes and use small amounts of biodegradable soap.
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Scatter strained dishwater.
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Leave What You Find
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Preserve the past: examine, but do not touch, cultural or
historic structures and artifacts.
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Leave rocks, plants and other natural objects as you find them.
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Avoid introducing or transporting non-native species.
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Do not build structures, furniture, or dig trenches.
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Minimize Campfire Impacts
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Campfires can cause lasting impacts to the backcountry. Use a
lightweight stove for cooking and enjoy a candle lantern for
light.
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Where fires are permitted, use established fire rings, fire pans,
or mound fires.
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Keep fires small. Only use sticks from the ground that can be
broken by hand.
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Burn all wood and coals to ash, put out campfires completely,
then scatter cool ashes.
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Respect Wildlife
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Observe wildlife from a distance. Do not follow or approach them.
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Never feed animals. Feeding wildlife damages their health,
alters natural behaviors, and exposes them to predators and
other dangers.
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Protect wildlife and your food by storing rations and trash
securely.
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Control pets at all times, or leave them at home.
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Avoid wildlife during sensitive times: mating, nesting, raising
young, or winter.
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Considerate of Other Visitors
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Respect other visitors and protect the quality of their
experience.
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Be courteous. Yield to other users on the trail.
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Step to the downhill side of the trail when encountering pack
stock.
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Take breaks and camp away from trails and other visitors.
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Let nature's sounds prevail. Avoid loud voices and noises
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