Leave a Small Foot Print When Camping

It has happened to all of us. You hike into a beautiful, isolated area and head for a designated campground. At the campground, it looks like a riot happened. Trash is everywhere. Frankly, it is disgusting.

When you head out to enjoy the world around you with a camping trip, it is important to show a little respect. Well, a lot of respect. Camping is great because you get the chance to experience all that nature has to offer. Leaving trash and such around is going to ruin it for the next person, so don't do it!

The first rule of camping is to pack out what you pack in. Simply put, whatever you bring with you should still be with you when the trip is over. Bags from used food and whatnot should not be left at the camp site. This is even true for organic things such as apple cores. Act like you are a guest at someone's home, which you really are. The home just happens to be owned by all of us.

Importantly, do not feed animals. At first glance, this may seem like an odd bit of advice, but it is not. The natural habitat includes a food chain. Tempting animals with food they usually do not eat, particularly processed food, can upset the natural cycle. It is not a matter of you doing it one time, but more a matter of the cumulative impact of many people doing it.

At the end of the day, the situation is fairly simple to get a grasp on. If you could ask the campers who used a site before you to leave anything in particular, what would it be? Nothing!

About the Author

John Grimes is with AllTerrainco.com - makers of natural products for the outdoors.