Leave No Trace comes up in almost every episode of The Parks Podcast. But what is it, really? Most people think it means take your trash out and pick up after your dog. It’s so much more than that. Jeanelle Soland and Rob Pelton, members of the Subaru Leave No Trace traveling team, join The Parks Podcast to walk through all seven principles, explain the science behind them, and make the case for why these aren’t rules — they’re a framework for becoming a steward of the outdoors. Whether you’re heading into the backcountry or sitting on a park bench, this episode is for you.
A note from Missy: I referenced Leave No Trace in episode after episode before I really understood what it was. I assumed it was “take out your trash” and maybe “don’t damage the trail.” It wasn’t until I dove deeper that I realized how much more there is to it — and how much of it applies to everyday life, not just backcountry trips. This conversation changed how I think about every trip outside.
Episode Guest
Episode Stats
- Organization founded: 1994 (concept originated with the U.S. Forest Service in the 1960s)
- Headquarters: Boulder, Colorado
- Global reach: United States, Puerto Rico, and 96 other countries; 6 international partner organizations (Ireland, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, China, South Korea)
- Outdoor trips in the US annually: ~1.6 billion trackable trips; estimated 13 billion when including urban and city parks
- Research finding: People trained in Leave No Trace are 5 times more likely to protect nature themselves
- Research finding: 9 out of 10 people recreating outdoors have not received Leave No Trace education
- Oak Creek, Arizona partnership: Over 5 years with Arizona Tourism and 15 partners — closed 400+ social trails, reduced E. coli by 42%
- Free 101 course: Available at lnt.org — under an hour, self-paced, certificate of completion available
Quick Reference – The 7 Principles
- 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 others
Show Notes & Links
- Leave No Trace
- Leave No Trace 101 Course
- Leave No Trace – How you can help
- Story on Oak Creek in Arizona
- Leave No Trace Social Media
Episode Transcript
Leave No Trace — The Seven Principles Every Outdoor Visitor Should Know
The Parks Podcast, Episode 73 | Jeanelle Soland & Rob Pelton, Subaru Leave No Trace Traveling Team
Missy Rentz: I’m thrilled to welcome Jeanelle Soland and Rob Pelton, members of the Subaru Leave No Trace traveling team. Welcome to The Parks Podcast.
Jeanelle & Rob: Thanks for having us. We’re happy to hop on.
Missy: Leave No Trace comes up in almost every episode of this podcast. And I’ll be honest — for most of my life I thought it was a concept or a slogan. Pack it in, pack it out, leave it better than you found it. That was my version of Leave No Trace. Can you tell us what it actually is?
Jeanelle: Leave No Trace is an international nonprofit. We operate in the United States, Puerto Rico, and 96 other countries around the world, with six partner organizations in Ireland, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, China, and South Korea.
Our mission is to ensure a sustainable future for the outdoors and the planet. When we go outside and recreate — whether you like to sit by a campfire, hike, mountain bike, fish, hunt, whatever it is — we are going to make an impact. The question is: how can we make less of one? That’s the ultimate goal. And the seven Leave No Trace principles provide the framework for making better decisions when you’re out there.
Rob: And I want to say — they are principles, not rules. It’s not about being perfect. It’s about learning these things, putting small actionable goals into your life when you’re outdoors, and growing into a steward of the places you love. All of our messaging and curriculum is based on the latest science and research about how humans affect outdoor spaces. The principles evolve as the science evolves. We’ve had eight, then six, and now seven. They will continue to change as we learn more.
The Seven Principles
Missy: Let’s learn them.
Jeanelle & Rob:
Principle 1: Plan ahead and prepare.
Think about what you need before you go. Check the weather. Figure out your gear — layers, sunscreen, water, snacks. Write it down or at minimum, throw it in your pack before you leave. The first principle is the foundation of everything else.
Principle 2: Travel and camp on durable surfaces.
Stick to established trails as much as possible. If you’re camping, find established campsites. Good campsites are found, not made.
Principle 3: Dispose of waste properly.
This one has three parts: litter, human waste and dog waste, and gray water. Gray water is the water left over when you’re washing dishes at camp — it needs to be disposed of properly, not just dumped anywhere. Everything you bring in, you carry out.
Principle 4: Leave what you find.
Take a picture instead. If you’re hiking during bloom season and you find a field of wildflowers, photograph them — don’t pick them. This also applies to invasive species: clean your watercraft before entering a new body of water, clean your hiking boots and mountain bike tires, don’t transport firewood from one region to another.
Principle 5: Minimize campfire impacts.
If you have a campfire, put it out cold to the touch. Not just out — cold to the touch.
Principle 6: Respect wildlife.
Don’t feed, follow, or approach wildlife. Keep wildlife wild. And store your food properly — wildlife is attracted to smell, and improperly stored food puts both animals and people at risk.
Principle 7: Be considerate of others.
Say hi on the trail. Share the space. Mind the noise. Be kind with your pets. Leave room for everyone else to have their own experience.
Why These Principles Matter — The Science Behind Them
Missy: What are the biggest challenges people have with the principles?
Jeanelle: The biggest challenge is not blaming or shaming someone who’s doing something less than Leave No Trace. We really want people to approach this as education — to make it a positive experience. Most people don’t learn when they’re shamed or blamed. In fact, that can escalate a situation. The goal is to be kind, be creative, and make it a learning moment.
Rob: And we have to recognize that not everyone has had the opportunity to enjoy these spaces. The outdoors could literally be just a neighborhood park in a city. A lot of people may not know these things — and that’s okay. Common sense isn’t common until you’re taught it.
Missy: That needs to be a T-shirt.
Jeanelle: The principles seem like common sense to us because we’ve spent so much time outdoors. But we have to be mindful that a lot of people are somewhere along the outdoor journey spectrum, and they’re learning.
Dog Waste — Why It Matters More Than You Think
Missy: I often hike with people who don’t pick up dog waste. I know there are reasons, but can you explain the research behind why it actually matters?
Jeanelle: There are social reasons and ecological reasons. Dog waste is one of the leading contributors to water contamination. On trails, it creates a less desirable space for everyone. It can also spread disease to wildlife.
We often hear: “Bears poop in the woods. They’re animals. Why can’t my dog?” Here’s the answer: poop is made from what you eat. A bear eats things found in that environment. When a bear goes, its waste contains things that are native to that environment. Your dog eats processed food, possibly takes medications. When your dog goes, that waste is not from that environment — it’s actually invasive. The best option is to pack it out and throw it away. Dog waste in a landfill is genuinely better for the ecosystem than dog waste on a trail, because it does affect water quality and the wildlife that drink from natural water sources.
Social Trails — The Hidden Impact
Missy: I often see signs asking people to stay on the trail, and then watch people cut across to skip a switchback. What’s actually happening when they do that?
Rob: Two things. First, cutting switchbacks or wandering off trail causes trampling of vegetation and erosion, which then affects water quality through sedimentation. Everything is a snowball effect.
Second, and this is something a lot of people have never heard: it takes fewer than 25 passes to create a new trail. We call them social trails — they’re paths that technically shouldn’t be there but form because people wander off the designated route. When designated trails are formed, resources are allocated to maintain them. Social trails don’t have that. They can lead to dangerous areas, cause erosion in places no one is monitoring, and get people lost. They can also lead directly into wildlife habitat or, unfortunately, into places people have been using as a bathroom.
When you see a trail that seems to be “there,” it might be a social trail — not a designated route. Always have a map and know where you’re going.
The Real Scale of the Problem
Jeanelle: We estimate there are about 1.6 billion trackable trips into the outdoors in the US every year. That’s just what we can track through the national and state park systems. When you include city parks, urban green spaces, and neighborhood trails, the estimate jumps to about 13 billion trips annually.
With that volume of visitors, the cumulative impact of individual choices is enormous. “It’s just this one time” — everybody says that. But when you multiply it by 13 billion trips, it starts affecting ecosystems in ways that take years or decades to reverse.
Rob: Education is the least costly intervention. Restoration costs money, volunteer time, and years — sometimes decades. Limiting access takes something away from the people who love these places. The whole goal is to keep access open and teach people how to be stewards.
Jeanelle: We have data on this. In December 2025, Leave No Trace completed a five-year partnership with Arizona Tourism and 15 other partners at Oak Creek — the beautiful area between Flagstaff and Sedona. Over five years, they closed over 400 social trails, put out new signage and dog waste stations, and combined on-the-ground education with restoration work. They cut E. coli levels by 42%. That’s what education and collective action can do.
The Organization — Training, Certification, and Getting Involved
Missy: Tell us about Leave No Trace as an organization — how can people get involved?
Jeanelle: The concept started in the 1960s when the U.S. Forest Service noticed increasing human impact in the Uinta Mountains in Utah. They tasked the National Outdoor Leadership School — NOLS — to develop educational programs. In 1994, Leave No Trace became its own nonprofit, based in Boulder, Colorado, and has grown into an international organization working with all federal land agencies, state agencies, and schools.
We believe in getting youth outdoors first — helping them develop a relationship with nature — and then teaching them how to protect it.
Rob: The easiest place to start is the free Leave No Trace 101 course at lnt.org. It takes about 45 minutes to an hour and covers the seven principles with the science behind each one. You can earn a certificate of completion. We also have free courses on fishing and marine environments through our NOAA partnership, on inclusive language in the outdoors, and on urban connections — a course specifically designed for people who primarily recreate in cities and neighborhoods rather than backcountry areas.
If you want to go deeper, Level 1 educator certification is a two-day course that qualifies you to teach skills courses and basics. Level 2 lets you train Level 1 educators. And the Gold Standard designation is our highest recognition — for individuals and organizations who integrate Leave No Trace into their programs at an exceptional level.
Jeanelle: People trained in Leave No Trace are five times more likely to actively protect nature. But nine out of ten people recreating outdoors have not received this education. That’s a lot of opportunity.
Leave No Trace Daily Life — Coming in 2026
Missy: I realized during this conversation that I still think of Leave No Trace as something I do on the trail — not in my everyday life. Is that changing?
Jeanelle: Perfect timing — we’re coming out with a new course called Leave No Trace Daily Life in 2026. Sustainable behaviors at home translate to the outdoors when people get outside. Reducing single-use items, using reusable containers, making mindful choices in your own neighborhood — those habits carry over.
Rob: We’ve made significant changes ourselves. We no longer use single-use coffee cups — always reusable mugs. Reusable food containers, silicone bags instead of Ziplocs, real utensils instead of plastic ones on trail. When we go out to eat, we bring our own takeout containers. People look at us sometimes. But it’s personal. You do what aligns with your values and grow from there.
How to Help Right Now
Missy: We’re living in unprecedented times when it comes to protecting our parks and public lands. What can people do to support the work?
Jeanelle: Three things. First, keep pressure on your lawmakers — your congresspeople and senators. Write, email, or call them and tell them how important outdoor spaces are to you. Second, take the free 101 course at lnt.org and learn the seven principles. Third — and this one might be the most powerful — invite your friends outside. Most outdoor journeys start because someone invited us. Whether it’s a first backpacking trip or just a walk on a local trail, that invitation is where it begins.
Rob: Sign up for our newsletter at lnt.org for monthly updates, tips, and volunteer opportunities. If we’re in your area doing a spotlight event or a stewardship day, come join us. And if you want to directly support the mission, you can donate at lnt.org.
Speed Round
Missy: Speed round — just answer with whatever comes to mind. What’s your earliest park memory?
Jeanelle: My first actual national park was in 2018. My first backpacking trip was 2020. I came to this later in life.
Rob: I spent my whole life outdoors, but my first national park was hiking rim to rim in the Grand Canyon in 2021. Growing up in Minnesota, the Grand Canyon was an alien world. I fell in love immediately.
What made you love the parks?
Jeanelle: The fact that they’re there. The fact that we have these spaces — that’s amazing. These spaces are what makes this country great.
Rob: Parks are therapy for me. I get distracted by beautiful things — wildlife, a waterfall. I’m moving, I’m having conversations in my head, working through things. And then suddenly there’s a moose on the trail. My first time at a national park I had to walk past a moose without knowing how dangerous they are. Ignorance was bliss. But yes — therapy.
Favorite thing to do in a park?
Jeanelle: Backpack. Rob: Day hike — with backpacking a close second.
Park on your bucket list?
Jeanelle: Lassen and Pinnacles — I want to see a California condor. Rob: Yellowstone and Glacier.
Three must-haves for a park visit?
Water, camera, and a map. Plus snacks. Rob adds a multi-tool or pocketknife — he always has one on him.
Favorite campfire activity?
Jeanelle: Silence. A campfire is one of the only places you can share silence with a lot of people and have it be okay. Rob: A laid-back conversation about whatever comes up. Neither will turn down a s’more.
Tent, camper, or cabin?
Jeanelle: Tent. Rob: Camper.
Trekking poles or no poles?
Jeanelle: With — recently converted for a tough upcoming trip on the Lost Coast Trail. Rob: Without, typically.
Favorite trail snack?
Beef jerky or Hi-Chews. Hi-Chew caramel specifically.
Best animal sighting?
Moose in Colorado — from a very safe distance. Every time they backpack there, they manage to spot one. They’re hard to find. They feel lucky every time.
Favorite sound in the park?
Jeanelle: Silence. Rob: Owls.
Greatest gift the parks give us?
Jeanelle: Freedom. Whatever park you go to, you do it your way. You find the trail that works for you. That freedom of choosing your own experience — responsibly — is powerful.
Rob: Connection. Our public lands are the largest undeveloped spaces we have. They give us a glimpse away from our lives of convenience to actually connect with what the natural world really is. And the smell — the smell of pine, juniper, fresh air. Or yourself after five days on trail. That too.
Missy: Jeanelle and Rob, I have wanted this conversation for a long time. Thank you for being here — and I cannot wait to cross paths on the road.
Jeanelle & Rob: Thank you for having us. It was so awesome to meet you.
Missy: Until next time — we’ll see you in the parks.
Music for The Parks Podcast is performed and produced by Porter Hardy. Follow us @TheParksPodcast or visit TheParksPodcast.com.