LNT Second Principle: Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces

Do you know what's under your feet? It might be more fragile than you think. In alpine meadows, tiny grasses and plants are prone to trampling and can take a long time to heal. In desert environments, cryptobiotic crust aka "living soil" is crucial for containing moisture and is easily damaged by boot prints. Paying attention to what you're hiking or camping on is important to protect maintained trails and the surrounding environment.

What's a durable surface?

Generally, you want to stay on the maintained trail. Trails are designed with the environment in mind including drainage, local flora and fauna, and erosion. Cutting a switchback can lead to erosion and damage not only the environment but the trail itself. Heading into a seasonally closed trail can disturb the wildlife. Stick to open listed trails as much as possible.

When camping, look for surfaces with dirt, rocks, sand, gravel, or snow. Avoid crushing flora, especially in sensitive alpine regions. Most areas prohibit camping near water as human presence can cut off wildlife from their water source, so you want to stay at least 100' away from lakes and streams (LNT.org suggests 200' is even better). If you can use an established backcountry campsite, even better as this is already impacted so you aren't really exacerbating anything.

When you can't avoid vegetation when camping in a pristine site, make sure you try and "fluff" it back when you're all done. Your campsite should look as it did before your arrived; no one should be able to tell you were there!

Car-camping at a developed campground is always a safe bet

What are the exceptions?

Sometimes, you just have to leave the trail, such as when nature calls. When this happens, try to disperse your impact. If you see an area where impacts are forming, avoid it. Walk on solid ground as much as possible, and try to find the path of least impact.

When might you need to head off-trail?

• To find privacy to relieve yourself
• To forage for firewood or camping resources
• To go hunting

If you're with a group, spread out to minimize and disperse your impact in the area.

What are not exceptions?

Come on, don't do it for the 'Gram. Unless you're really, really far in the backcountry, consider what impact that pic is going to have. If everyone else crowds in and takes the same off-trail path, it's going to become eroded and damaged. Promote good trail stewardship on IG and other social media. Let's use some common sense here, please?