Leave No Trace

Our love of and desire to experience wild places are ultimately changing them. As park visitation increases, how can we lessen our impact on the land we care about? We can practice "Leave No Trace." A national education program, Leave No Trace promotes and inspires responsible outdoor recreation. Leave No Trace is a science-based program that applies to all lands and recreation activities and takes little extra effort. We can reduce our impacts to the land and our effects on other visitors. The program's guiding principles are as follows:

• Plan Ahead and Prepare

• Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces

• Dispose of Waste Properly

• Leave What You Find

• Minimize Campfire Impacts

• Respect Wildlife

• Be Considerate of Other Visitors

At Acadia, take special care to stay on trails or step on durable rock surfaces to protect the fragile subalpine vegetation found on summits and ridges. Leave rocks and other natural objects for others to enjoy. Do not build or add to the cairns that mark the mountain trails. Think about leaving no trace as you explore Cadillac Mountain, hike the Gorham Mountain Trail, sea kayak in Frenchman Bay or camp at Blackwoods. It is the most important thing you can do for your park. Make the commitment to Leave No Trace. You can learn more by visiting the website at www.lnt.org.