Leave No Trace for Overlanders: Protecting the Places We Love

Why This Matters More Than You Think

Every year, public land managers close dispersed camping areas because of user abuse. Illegal dumping, unauthorized fire rings, off-road damage to meadows, and trash left behind give land agencies the justification they need to gate roads and restrict access. It is happening right now in popular areas across the West.

This is not about being preachy. It is about math. More people are overlanding than ever before. The same dispersed campsites that saw a handful of visitors per month a decade ago now see dozens per week. If even a small percentage of those visitors leave trash, create new fire rings, or drive off established roads, the cumulative damage is visible within a single season.

The overlanding community's continued access to free camping on public land depends entirely on how we treat it. Leave No Trace is not optional; it is the price of admission.

The Seven Principles (With Overlanding Context)

1. Plan Ahead and Prepare

Planning prevents the kind of desperation that leads to environmental damage. When you arrive at a closed road without a backup plan, you are tempted to drive around the gate. When you run out of water, you camp next to a stream instead of 200 feet from it.

• Research regulations and fire restrictions for your specific area before departure
• Download MVUMs and offline maps so you know which roads are legal
• Identify backup campsites in case your first choice is occupied or inaccessible
• Carry adequate water, food, and fuel so you are never forced into bad decisions
• Repackage food at home to minimize waste you need to pack out
• Check weather forecasts and prepare for conditions (wet trails damage faster)

2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces

This is the principle overlanders violate most often, usually without realizing it. Vehicles cause dramatically more impact than foot traffic. A single pass through a wet meadow creates ruts that persist for years.

• Stay on designated roads -- If it is not on the MVUM, do not drive it. Period.
• Do not widen trails -- When you encounter an obstacle, go through it or turn around. Driving around obstacles creates braided trails that widen permanently.
• Camp on existing sites -- Look for previously impacted areas with established fire rings and compacted ground. Using existing sites concentrates impact instead of spreading it.
• Avoid wet or muddy roads -- If the road is soft enough to leave deep ruts, it is too wet to drive. Ruts channel water and accelerate erosion.
• Air down tires -- Lower tire pressure (typically 15-25 PSI off-road) increases your tire footprint and reduces ground pressure. Better traction with less surface damage.

3. Dispose of Waste Properly

"Pack it in, pack it out" is the baseline. For overlanders, waste management goes further:

Trash

Carry heavy-duty trash bags and pack out everything, including food scraps (orange peels, apple cores, and nutshells are not "natural" in most environments and take months to years to decompose). Micro-trash (bottle caps, foil pieces, zip tie ends) is the most commonly overlooked. Do a sweep of your campsite before departure.

Human Waste

In most dispersed camping areas, dig a cathole 6-8 inches deep, at least 200 feet from water, trails, and campsites. A lightweight trowel (the Deuce of Spades is popular in the overlanding community) makes this quick. Pack out toilet paper in a sealed bag; do not bury it (animals dig it up, and it decomposes slowly).

In high-use areas, sensitive environments, and some desert ecosystems, land managers require WAG bags (Cleanwaste GO Anywhere) for complete pack-out. A portable toilet (Dometic 976 or Thetford) is the most comfortable option for extended trips.

Gray Water

Dishwater and wash water contain food particles, soap, and grease that damage water sources and attract wildlife. Strain food particles through a fine mesh and pack them out as trash. Scatter the remaining water broadly (not in one spot) at least 200 feet from any water source. Use biodegradable soap sparingly. Campsuds and Dr. Bronner's are the go-to options.

4. Leave What You Find

This principle is straightforward but often overlooked in small ways:

• Do not build rock cairns, furniture, or structures at camp
• Do not dig trenches or level ground for your tent
• Leave natural objects (rocks, plants, antlers, artifacts) where you find them
• Return your campsite to its natural appearance before departing
• Do not carve, paint, or mark trees, rocks, or surfaces

5. Minimize Campfire Impacts

Campfires are a significant source of wildfire ignition on public lands, and fire restrictions are increasingly common as drought conditions intensify across the West.

• Check fire restrictions first -- Before every trip, verify current conditions at fire.airnow.gov or the local ranger district. Restrictions change rapidly.
• Use existing fire rings -- Never build new rings. If no ring exists, use a fire pan to prevent ground scarring.
• Keep fires small -- A small fire provides the same warmth and ambiance with less risk and impact.
• Burn to ash -- Let fires burn completely down. Douse with water, stir, douse again. Cold to the touch before leaving.
• Use only dead-and-down wood -- Never break branches from standing trees (living or dead).
• Use your camp stove for cooking -- It is more reliable, more controllable, and not subject to fire restrictions.

6. Respect Wildlife

Overlanding puts you in wildlife habitat. Your behavior determines whether animals thrive or suffer:

• Never feed wildlife -- Animals that associate humans with food become aggressive and are often euthanized.
• Store food securely -- In bear country, use bear canisters or store everything (food, trash, toiletries) in your vehicle with windows closed. A bear that gets your cooler will return for the next camper's.
• Observe from distance -- Use binoculars or a telephoto lens. Approaching wildlife causes stress and can trigger defensive behavior.
• Control your dogs -- Leash dogs or maintain voice control. Off-leash dogs chase wildlife, harass other campers, and can be injured by porcupines, snakes, or larger predators.
• Drive carefully at dawn and dusk -- Wildlife is most active and most likely to be on roads during low-light hours.

7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors

Everyone is out here for the same reason: to experience nature. Protect that experience for others:

• Keep noise low -- Sound carries far in wilderness. No generators after dark, no blasting music, no engine revving.
• Camp out of sight -- When possible, choose sites that are not visible from trails, roads, or other campsites.
• Minimize light pollution -- Use task lighting, not floodlights. Red/amber light preserves night vision and is less disruptive to wildlife.
• Yield on trails -- Downhill traffic yields to uphill. Vehicles yield to horses and hikers.
• Leave gates as you find them -- Open gate? Leave it open. Closed gate? Close it behind you. Livestock management depends on this.

The Overlander's Addition: Leave It Better

True stewardship goes beyond leaving no trace. Carry an extra trash bag and spend 5 minutes picking up litter left by others at your campsite. Remove old fire rings that should not exist. Report trail damage or illegal activity to the local ranger district.

The overlanding community has an outsized impact on public lands, for better or worse. Every trashed campsite that gets cleaned up, every gate that gets closed, and every new overlander who learns these practices pushes the balance toward keeping our access intact.

Camp like you want your grandchildren to camp here too. That is the whole philosophy in one sentence.