Eco-friendly
hiking
tips
*Leave No Trace*
Our commitment is to respect our beautiful yet fragile environment. We strongly believe that everyone, including us, can be a powerful force in creating a sustainable future.
We like that you love it here, but love it like you live here.
Plan ahead and prepare
Know the regulations and special concerns for the area you'll visit. Prepare for extreme weather, hazards, and emergencies. Schedule your trip to avoid times of high use. Visit in small groups when possible. Consider splitting larger groups into smaller groups. Repackage food to minimize waste. Use a map and compass to eliminate the use of marking paint, rock cairns, or flagging.
Travel on durable surfaces
Durable surfaces include established trails and campsites, rock, gravel, dry grasses, or snow. Concentrate use on existing trails. Walk single file in the middle of the trail, even when wet or muddy. Focus activity in areas where vegetation is absent. Disperse use to prevent the creation of trails. Avoid places where impacts are just beginning.
Maintain a quiet presence
You will see more mammals and birds in their natural habitats with lowered voices, whispers, and silence. A hushed voice is just more befitting of the natural environment and enables others to enjoy it, as well.
Avoid the use of bottled water
The use of bottled water is still quite common in our nowadays society. However, it also implies the production of large amounts of plastic waste.
Therefore, to minimize plastic waste production, you should try to rely on reusable water bottles instead of bottled plastic water.
Don’t use conventional detergents in natural creeks
When you go hiking and want to wash your hands or clothes in creeks, never use conventional detergents! Instead, you can use soap nuts. Soap nuts are fully organic and have good cleaning potential. Using soap nuts, you can save the local flora and fauna and still get pretty decent cleaning results. (You can buy in City Market)
Carry in, carry out
It's important to bring back anything you take on the hike with you.
Respect prohibited areas
Entering those areas would disturb the local wildlife and may destroy the breeding grounds of those animals. Instead, respect those prohibited areas and stay out of them!
Hike in off-season if possible
Some famous hiking spots are quite crowded in the main season. Try to go hiking in the off-season rather than in the main season, by doing so, you can improve your own natural experience and also protect the local flora and fauna.
Leash your dog
Dogs running free can frighten people, horses, and wildlife. The law requires dogs to be leashed within wilderness areas. Be sure to carry out those doggie poop bags, as well!
Pack Out Your Poop
Due to high use, human waste is a serious health issue at dispersed camping sites. All solid waste must be packed out in approved waste bags or portable toilet systems. These may be purchased at the Moab Information Center and local outdoor retailers. Especially at this time of COVID.
Do not dispose of Wag Bags in regular trash cans. Due to the compression process involved in regular trash collection, these bags can rupture and create a serious biohazard. Wag Bags should be brought directly to the Moab Transfer Station, 2295 South Highway 191 (3 miles south of Moab). The Moab Transfer Station is open weekdays from 8am-4pm and Saturdays from 8am-12pm.
For more information visit:www.gottagoutah.org/
Raise the awareness of other hikers
Whenever you see other hikers who behave in a quite eco-unfriendly manner, try to convince those people to change their behavior.
