What are the 7 Leave No Trace principles? They are seven outdoor guidelines: Plan Ahead and Prepare; Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces; Dispose of Waste Properly; Leave What You Find; Minimize Campfire Impacts; Respect Wildlife; and Be Considerate of Others. They help you reduce damage every time you hike, camp, paddle, climb, or picnic.
The Leave No Trace organization’s official 7 Principles page, verified as of November 2026, frames them as a simple way to reduce your impact outdoors. The National Park Service Leave No Trace Seven Principles page, also verified as of November 2026, says they can be applied anywhere, at any time, during recreation.
What are the 7 Leave No Trace principles?
The short answer: the 7 Leave No Trace principles are practical habits for leaving land, water, wildlife, and other visitors in good shape.
- Plan Ahead and Prepare. Check regulations, weather, trail conditions, hazards, and your route before you go.
- Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces. Use maintained trails, designated campsites, rock, gravel, sand, dry grass, or snow when those surfaces are available.
- Dispose of Waste Properly. Pack out trash, leftover food, pet waste, toilet paper, and hygiene products unless a site gives you a legal disposal option.
- Leave What You Find. Keep rocks, plants, antlers, flowers, and artifacts where they are.
- Minimize Campfire Impacts. Use a stove when you can, and only build fires where they are legal and safe.
- Respect Wildlife. Watch animals from a distance, secure food and trash, and never feed wildlife.
- Be Considerate of Others. Keep noise down, yield when needed, and give other people room to enjoy the trail.
The principle names above are the official Leave No Trace 7 Principles © Leave No Trace: www.LNT.org.
Why do the 7 Leave No Trace principles matter?
They matter because small choices stack up fast on busy trails.
A banana peel tossed behind a log, a shortcut across a switchback, a loud speaker at a lake, a dog chasing marmots, a campfire built on fragile ground: none of these feels huge in the moment. Multiply that by thousands of visitors and the damage becomes visible. Trails widen. Campsites creep outward. Wildlife changes its behavior. Water sources get fouled. The quiet disappears.
The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Leave No Trace principles page, verified as of November 2026, describes Leave No Trace as an educational program that helps visitors reduce damage from outdoor activities, especially non-motorized recreation. That’s the heart of it. You still go outside. You still have a real trip. You just stop making your good day someone else’s problem.
How do you plan ahead and prepare for a hike?
Start before you reach the trailhead.
Check the land manager’s official page for permits, parking rules, fire restrictions, pet rules, food-storage requirements, closures, weather alerts, and trail conditions. For federal recreation sites that use advance reservations, Recreation.gov is the official trip-planning and reservation portal, verified as of November 2026. For national forests, start with the local forest page through the U.S. Forest Service.
- Download or carry a map before service drops.
- Bring layers for the coldest realistic forecast, not the warmest hour of the day.
- Carry enough water, or know exactly where legal, reliable water sources are.
- Repackage food to cut down on wrappers and loose trash.
- Choose less crowded times when your schedule allows.
- Know the local rules before you bring a dog, build a fire, camp, or enter a protected area.
What counts as a durable surface?
A durable surface is ground that can handle repeated use without being easily crushed, eroded, or killed.
As of November 2026, the National Park Service lists maintained trails, designated campsites, rock, gravel, sand, dry grass, and snow as durable surfaces. In popular areas, that usually means staying in the middle of the trail, even if the tread is muddy. Skirting mud makes the trail wider. Cutting switchbacks scars the slope and speeds erosion.
| Better choice | Why it works | Avoid when possible |
|---|---|---|
| Established trail | Keeps impact in one hardened corridor | Parallel “social trails” |
| Designated campsite | Uses ground already selected for camping | Expanding camp into vegetation |
| Rock, gravel, sand, snow | More resistant to trampling | Wet meadows and fragile alpine plants |
| Existing rest spot | Limits new bare patches | Sitting on flowers or streambanks |
The NPS guidance verified as of November 2026 also says to camp at least 200 feet [61 m] from lakes and streams where dispersed camping is allowed. That buffer protects water, shore plants, and the animals that need access to drink.
How do you dispose of waste properly on trail?
Pack out what you pack in, plus anything loose you can safely carry.
Trash includes obvious stuff: wrappers, cans, bottles, broken gear, and food bags. It also includes orange peels, pistachio shells, apple cores, sunflower seeds, and crumbs. Food waste can attract animals, change their behavior, and make campsites dirtier for everyone.
For human waste, use a toilet when one is provided. Where catholes are allowed, the NPS guidance verified as of November 2026 says to dig a hole 6 to 8 inches [15 to 20 cm] deep and at least 200 feet [61 m] from water, camp, and trails, then cover and disguise it. Pack out toilet paper and hygiene products. In some desert, alpine, river-canyon, glacier, and high-use areas, land managers require wag bags or other pack-out systems, so check the local rule before your trip.
Can you take rocks, flowers, antlers, or artifacts?
No, leave them where you find them.
That wildflower is part of a living plant. That antler may be a source of minerals for wildlife. That pottery shard or old tool may be protected cultural history. Photos weigh nothing. Souvenirs do damage.
The NPS Leave No Trace guidance verified as of November 2026 says to examine and photograph cultural or historic structures and artifacts, but not touch them. The same idea applies to natural objects. Let the next hiker see the same place you saw.
Are campfires allowed under Leave No Trace?
Sometimes, but a stove is often the cleaner choice.
Leave No Trace does not ban every campfire. It asks you to shrink the impact. Before you strike a match, check current fire restrictions on the official land-manager page. If fires are allowed, use an existing fire ring, keep the fire small, burn only dead and down wood that can be broken by hand, and put the fire out completely.
Skip the fire when wood is scarce, winds are high, fire danger is elevated, or the campsite already looks beaten up. A lightweight stove cooks faster, works in more places, and doesn’t leave a black scar on the ground.
How should you behave around wildlife and other hikers?
Give animals distance and give people courtesy.
Never feed wildlife. Not once. The NPS guidance verified as of November 2026 says feeding wildlife damages their health, changes natural behaviors, and exposes them to predators and other dangers. Store food, scented items, and trash securely. Keep pets controlled at all times, or leave them home where they are not allowed or not suited for the terrain.
For other visitors, simple trail manners go far:
- Let natural sounds carry instead of your speaker.
- Step aside for faster hikers when there is a safe place to do it.
- Yield to pack stock by moving to the downhill side of the trail, as NPS guidance advises.
- Take breaks away from the trail tread.
- Keep campsites compact and give neighbors space.
Related reading
- Teaching Leave No Trace to Kids
- America the Beautiful Pass: Price, Coverage and Where to Buy
- Machu Picchu Tickets: Circuits and Entry Rules
- How Many National Parks Are There in the US?
FAQ
Are Leave No Trace principles laws?
No, they are principles, not a single national law. Local rules can make some related actions legally required, such as fire bans, camping limits, permits, food-storage orders, or waste pack-out rules.
Do Leave No Trace principles apply only in national parks?
No, they apply on trails, beaches, forests, deserts, rivers, local parks, and even neighborhood green spaces. The National Park Service says the principles can be applied anywhere, at any time, during recreation.
How far should you camp from water?
Use at least 200 feet [61 m] where dispersed camping is allowed and no local rule says otherwise. That distance is listed in NPS Leave No Trace guidance verified as of November 2026.
How deep should a cathole be?
Dig 6 to 8 inches [15 to 20 cm] deep where catholes are allowed. As of November 2026, NPS guidance also says the site should be at least 200 feet [61 m] from water, camp, and trails.
Is it okay to leave food scraps if they are biodegradable?
No, pack them out. Fruit peels, nut shells, and crumbs can attract wildlife, make campsites messy, and take longer to disappear than you think.
What is the easiest Leave No Trace habit to start today?
Bring a small trash bag and pack out everything you brought in. It is simple, cheap, and it works on every trail.