What Leave No Trace Actually Means

Leave No Trace is not a suggestion. It is the rule.

The core idea is simple. Leave nature as you found it. Pack out everything you pack in.

Walk on trails. Shortcuts trample plants and cause erosion. One footprint can ruin a fragile slope.

Do not feed animals. Human food makes them sick and dependent. A fed animal is a dead animal.

Camp on durable surfaces. Rock, sand, or established sites. Move your tent each night to avoid damaging the ground.

Leave what you find. Rocks, plants, artifacts stay where they are.

Respect wildlife. Observe from a distance. You are a visitor in their home.

The goal is that the next person sees the same beauty you did.