The seven principles
- 1Plan Ahead and Prepare. Know the regulations and weather, get permits, avoid times of high use, and repackage food to cut trash.
- 2Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces. In high-use areas, stick to existing trails and sites; in remote areas, spread out. Always choose durable ground (rock, gravel, sand, compacted soil, dry grass, snow).
- 3Dispose of Waste Properly. "Pack it in, pack it out"; never bury food scraps; strain and disperse dishwater and site catholes well away from water.
- 4Leave What You Find. Leave rocks, plants, and artifacts as found; don't dig trenches or build structures; minimize site alterations.
- 5Minimize Campfire Impacts. Prefer a stove; if you build a fire, use an existing ring, keep it small with dead-and-downed wood, burn to ash, and be certain it's cold out.
- 6Respect Wildlife. Observe from a distance, never feed animals, store food securely, and give animals space.
- 7Be Considerate of Other Visitors. Travel in small groups, keep noise down, camp away from others, yield on the trail, and respect gates and property.
When to use it
- The foundation of all Scout outdoor ethics — every campout, hike, and paddle.
- The Outdoor Ethics Award, Leave No Trace training, and rank/merit-badge outdoor requirements.
- Teaching why individual choices matter at scale.
Common mistakes & safety
- Leave No Trace protects both the land and people. Proper waste disposal prevents water contamination; secure food and wildlife distance prevent dangerous encounters; planning prevents emergencies.
- Pack out everything, bury waste properly. The sanitation principles prevent illness spreading through water and sites.
- Fire cold-out and food secured. Principles 5 and 6 are also wildfire and wildlife-safety rules.
- "Everyone's responsibility." The ethic only works if every scout follows it — one careless person can undo a patrol's care.
Going deeper
- Seven principles, whole trip. They run in rough order from before you leave (Plan Ahead) to how you treat others while out (Be Considerate) — a complete checklist.
- Scale is the point. A "harmless" shortcut multiplied by thousands of visitors wrecks the place.
- LNT is the how; the Outdoor Code is the why. Scouting pairs the practical seven principles with the values of the Outdoor Code.
Official source
The Leave No Trace seven principles — Scouting America →Leave No Trace underlies the Outdoor Code and the Outdoor Ethics Award.