#treadlightly

Be Considerate of Other Visitors: As you #getoutdoors on your public lands, make sure to be respectful of other visitors and protect the quality of their experience. Some ways to do that is to yield to other users on the trail, and to move to the downhill side of the trail if you encounter pack stock. Take breaks and camp away from trails and other visitors, but make sure not to impact your public lands or wildlife. Avoid loud voices and noises, as well as music to let nature’s sounds prevail.

Respect Wildlife: When you come across wildlife on public lands, use this tip to safely observe: Extend your arm and thumb in front of you and close one eye. As you view wildlife, you should be able to fully cover the animal’s image with your thumb. If you can still see it, you’re too close!

Never feed any animals you come across. Feeding them damages their health, alters natural behaviors and exposes them to predators and other dangers. Keep your food away from any curious wildlife by storing your rations and trash securely. If you bring pets outdoors, keep them under control or leave them at home. Be aware of sensitive times for wildlife: mating, nesting, raising young or during the winter.

Minimize Campfire Impacts: Before each visit check with your local BLM office for current campfire restrictions and regulations, as well as campfire and camp stove permit requirements. When you can, use a portable stove for cooking and a candle lantern for light. Where campfires are permitted, make sure to use the established fire rings, fire pans or mound fires for your campfire. Keep your fire small and use sticks from the ground that can be broken by hand. Never leave a fire unattended and burn your fire to ash and put it out completely. Once cooled, scatter the ashes.

Leave What You Find: When exploring public lands, you may come across cultural and historical artifacts, as well as interesting rocks, plants, or other natural resources. Please leave them where you find them!

Cultural resources on public lands give us a look into our past and are sometimes the only thing that remains from an area. Please respect the historic nature of these cultural resources and do your part to protect these artifacts so that the next generation can appreciate their historic value. Leave ruins the way you found them and don’t touch rock paintings.

Be careful of introducing and transporting non-native species, which can potentially cause a lot of damage on public lands. Clean off your boats and vehicles before leaving an area and make sure you didn’t pick up any seeds on your clothing.

Dispose of Waste Properly: When you’re out on public lands, show some love and “pack it in, pack it out”. Be extra vigilant when camping that you don’t leave any trash or spilled food behind. For solid human waste, dig catholes 6-8 inches deep at least 200 feet away from water, camp and trails. Make sure to cover and disguise the cathole when finished. Pack out any toilet paper, tissues, and hygiene products. When you wash yourself or your dishes, do so 200 feet away from water sources and use small amounts of biodegradable soap.

Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces: Make sure you stick to durable surfaces when you’re hiking or biking, and set up camp on sturdy ground. Riparian areas can be sensitive to human traffic, so camp at least 200 feet from lakes and streams. Remember, “good campsites are found, not made”. Don’t alter #yourpubliclands!

In especially concentrated areas, stick to existing trails and campsites and try to keep your campsites localized.

Plan Ahead and Prepare: One way to plan ahead is to make sure to download or print your maps ahead of time. Visit blm.gov/maps to find our frequently requested maps, as well as georeferenced pdf maps that are mobile-compatible with your device! Out there on #yourpubliclands, cell service may be tricky so be sure that you know where you’re going before you head out.

We also want to encourage all of you public land lovers to practice Tread Lightly! Principles. These principles teach visitors how to behave responsibly on public lands, ensuring that BLM lands are sustained into the future for public enjoyment.

Travel Responsibly: on land by staying on designated roads, trails and area. Go over, not around, obstacles to avoid widening the trails. Cross streams only at designated fords. When possible avoid wet, muddy trails. On water, stay on designated waterways and launch your watercraft in designated areas.

Respect the Rights of Others: including private property owners, all recreational trail users, campers and others so they can enjoy their recreational activities undisturbed. Leave gates as you found them. Yield right of way to those passing you or going uphill. On water, respect anglers, swimmers, skiers, boaters, divers and those on or near shore.

Educate Yourself: prior to your trip by obtaining travel maps and regulations from public agencies. Plan for your trip, take recreation skills classes and know how to operate your equipment safely.

Avoid Sensitive Areas: on land such as meadows, lake shores, wetlands and streams. Stay on designated routes. This protects wildlife habitats and sensitive soils from damage. Don’t disturb historical, archaeological or paleontological sites. On water, avoid operating your watercraft in shallow waters or near shorelines at high speeds.

Do Your Part: by modeling appropriate behavior, leaving the area better than you found it, properly disposing of waste, minimizing the use of fire, avoiding the spread of invasive species and repairing degraded areas.

We hope you have a great Valentines Day and remember to #LoveYourPublicLands.  We love our public lands and resources, and greatly appreciate the employees, volunteers, interns and stewards who manage and conserve the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.