LEAVE NO TRACE
Protect the Preserves -- Protect Yourself

Outdoor Ethics and Safety for Phoenix Desert and Mountain Preserves
Take the Leave No Trace survey

 
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
 
  • Be prepared! Remember food, water, and clothes to protect you from the cold, heat and sun.
  • Use maps when possible to plan where you are going. Check them along the way so you'll stay on course and won't get lost.
  • Remember to bring a leash for your pet and plastic bags to pick up your pet's waste.
  • Park on paved surfaces only.
  • Learn about the area you plan to visit.
  • Carry a cell phone for emergencies.
  • Let someone know where you will be going.
STICK TO TRAILS
  • Walk and ride on designated trails to protect trailside plants.
  • Do not step on vegetation. The desert ecosystem is very fragile and once damaged, may not grow back.
  • Respect private property by staying on designated trails.
TRASH YOUR TRASH AND PICK UP PET WASTE
  • Pack it in, Pack it out. Put litter - even crumbs, peels and cores - in garbage bags and carry it home.
  • Use recycling bins at trailheads
  • Use bathrooms when available
  • Use a plastic bag to cart out your pet's waste to a garbage can.
  • Keep water clean. Do not put soap, food, human or pet waste in or near water.

LEAVE IT AS YOU FIND IT
  • Leave plants, rocks, petroplyphs, and historical items as you find them so others can enjoy them.
  • Treat living and dead plants with respect. Carving, hacking, or peeling plants may kill them.
BE CAREFUL WITH FIRE
  • Smoke only in enclosed vehicles.
  • Fires limited to designated areas.
KEEP WILDLIFE WILD
  • Observe wildlife from a distance and never approach, feed or follow them.
  • Human food is unhealthy for all wildlife and feeding them starts bad habits.
SHARE OUR TRAILS AND MANAGE YOUR PET
  • Be considerate when passing others on the trail.
  • Keep your pet on a maximum six-foot leash to protect it, other visitors and wildlife.
  • Be sure the fun you have outdoors does not bother anyone else. Remember, other visitors are there to enjoy the outdoors too.

    ³This copyrighted information has been reprinted with permission from the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics: www.LNT.org
For more information please call (602) 495-5458
or send an e-mail to: natural.resources.pks@phoenix.gov

This information was developed from the seven Leave No Trace principles.
For more information on Leave No Trace, please visit: WWW.LNT.ORG or call 1 800-332-4100

For emergencies call 9-1-1

Last Modified on 07/15/2009 11:53:44