Leave No Trace Isn't a Rule. It's a Habit.

Pick up the wrapper that isn't yours. Stay on the marked trail even when the shortcut looks dry. Camp 200 feet from water. These aren't park regulations — they're how the trails stay worth hiking. Do it automatically and teach the people with you.

The seven principles of Leave No Trace: 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 other visitors. That last one is underrated. Your music, your pace, your noise level — all of it affects the experience for everyone else on the trail.

One habit that compounds: carry a small trash bag in your hip pocket. Anything you find that doesn't belong, pick it up. Five seconds, zero effort, massive impact multiplied across everyone who does the same. The trails we have are the result of people who cared before us. Keep that going.