Leave no trace.

the 7 principles of leave no trace.

Other Regulations

             This is perhaps the most important section for campsites as most areas have strict guidelines you should follow to minimize your environmental impact and to keep the area pristine for the next guests. Of course, In emergency or dire circumstances, the regulations are less important but its good to know and follow in all applicable cases. The regulations change from area to area but will have standard ones that look like the following from the ADK range.

·         “Camping is prohibited within 150 feet of any road, trail, spring, stream, pond or other body of water except at areas designated by a "camp here" disk.

·         Groups of ten or more campers or stays of more than three days in one place require a permit from the DEC Forest Ranger responsible for the area.

·         Lean-tos are available in many areas on a first come first served basis. Lean-tos cannot be used exclusively and must be shared with other campers.

·         Use pit privies (outhouses) provided near popular camping areas and trail-heads. If none are available, dispose of human waste by digging a hole 6"-8" deep at least 150 feet from water or campsites. Cover with leaves and soil.

·         Do not use soap to wash yourself, clothing, or dishes within 150 ft of water.” (vistadirondaks.com)

Notable points are that you should camp away from roads in trails and in designated campsites when possible, obtain a permit for large groups and specific bathroom regulations. Some additional ADK regulations include only building fires in designated fire pits, practicing Leave no trace and leaving wildlife undisturbed. 

Bathroom and washing

                As stated in the more in-depth version of ‘Dispose of waste properly’, all solid bathroom waste activity should be done at least 150 feet away from any water sources. Whenever possible, use pre-existing bathroom or latrine structures before resorting to cat holes. If you need to dig a Cat hole, make sure it is 6-8 inches deep and about the size of a Nalgene bottle. A trowel is a great tool to bring for this purpose. When finished, make sure to mix dirt in with the waste and adequately refill the hole. As a courtesy, place an identification on top so other people are aware of the cat hole's location. Make sure to dig cat holes away from all trails as well even if it is far enough away from water sources. Some environments such as alpine climates may not have enough loose soil to dig a proper cathole and in these cases, other waste disposal options like wag bags should be considered if it is not possible to return to an area in which you can properly dispose of your waste.

                When washing, make sure you are either using no soap or biodegradable toxin free soap alternatives. If washing without soap, you can consume the washing water (even though it’s not pleasant) however if using soap, travel at least 150ft away from trails and water sources and rainbow spray or spill the water in a variety of areas to spread out the impact, don’t just dump the water.