Overlanding 101: How To Tread Lightly

Whether camping through California’s beautiful backcountry or reveling in riverside solace in who-knows-where Wyoming, there are several critical tread-lightly principles adventurers and overlanders alike should understand to enjoy nature safely, smartly, and to preserve the planet for future generations.

Understanding how to tread lightly can help make vehicle-based excursions enjoyable and meaningful—especially if others learn from your actions.

Tread Lightly

Tread lightly—known officially as Tread Lightly! a member-based organization dedicated to protecting and enhancing recreation areas and opportunities—can mean different things to different people. However, the basic principles include thoughtful and clever tips to ensure you leave your surroundings cleaner than when you found them—leaving no trace of your visit with Mother Nature intact. Leaving a minimal footprint wherever you go helps others enjoy what you’ve just experienced.

By treating the areas we travel through with respect, off-roading enthusiasts will help maintain nature’s ecosystem and the world as intended. Understanding how to tread lightly and becoming a steward of the land, you set precedence for those around you to care for the environment in a sensitive manner.

Basic Off-Road Rules

Avoid vulnerable areas. Stay on the trails when driving off the beaten path, especially when traveling in remote areas. Driving within designated trail footprints or playing in specifically chosen off-highway vehicle or OHV areas promotes responsible recreation. Delicate vegetation won’t get trampled, and natural growth will be encouraged.

Be considerate of others. Don’t tear up existing tracks or drive aggressively; avoid the unnecessary spinning of wheels or recklessly kicking up dust and debris. Share trails with others by allowing uphill or cliff-side traffic to pass first if off-pavement roads are too narrow for two-way travels. Signaling to other drivers how many vehicles are in your group is also helpful. It helps maintain trail courteousness and safety, especially when navigating through blind corners or tricky trail sections.  

Know Before You Go

Before any excursion, research trail conditions and weather forecasts. Recent rains or spring run-off season can make even ordinarily easy trails a nightmare to navigate, further tearing up land and nature’s delicate ecosystem.

Cross streams and rivers only at designated points. This is especially important when traversing through water-logged areas. Proceed with caution and don’t drive in waterways longer than necessary, as it could tear up sensitive fish and wildlife habitats. In addition, proceed with caution around horses or land-locked wildlife. By dismissing their presence and not slowing down or stopping, you risk spooking them or causing them unexpected injury.

Lead by example. Careless actions shut down four-wheel-drive trails—something none of us want to see. However, being respectful of the land and other off-roading enthusiasts gives the powers less reason to restrict overland routes and 4×4 trails. This promotes proper trail etiquette and tread lightly authenticity.

Tackling Trash

Do your part, and pick up trash. It doesn’t matter if you’re deep into the forest or tackling challenging terrain in the desert; collecting litter along the way is another basic tread lightly principle. In addition, packing out what you brought in (including bio-related refuse promotes trail cleanliness.

Keep trash bags handy or carry a spare-tire mounted refuse container. They make easy work of pitching other people’s left behinds. Make it a game if traveling with others—whoever collects the most trash leads trail-goers for the next day or gets the first cold refreshment after a day of responsible off-roading. Every little bit helps to tread lightly.

Joining active trail clean-up efforts can also help keep the great outdoors pristine for others to enjoy.

Camping Etiquette

Camp conscientiously. Local Bureau of Land Management (BLM) agencies or forest service offices are excellent resources to tell you about nearby forest fires, trail issues or other hazards unknown to the average overland traveler. They can also help you understand where you can and cannot camp in sensitive areas.

Although BLM land is for everyone’s enjoyment, specific permits, fees or other limitations apply to BLM-established campgrounds. Many locations are only open seasonally (research each area before you go).

If you plan to boondock away from civilization, the BLM allows dispersed or primitive camping on their public land. Campers can stay up to 14 days in one location (within a 28-consecutive-day period). Remember to tread lightly in these areas to minimize your impact.

Tread Lightly Camping Tips:

• Camp in areas that don’t disturb nature.
• Camp at least 200 feet away from natural water sources.
• Know if there’s a fire ban in effect before lighting a campfire.
• If you make a campfire, use an existing campfire ring or create a new one.
• The bigger or longer a fire burns, the deeper into the ground it can seep and potentially restart, causing a wildfire. Bring a sturdy shovel and plenty of water to extinguish it.
• Do not transport firewood from one spot to another; only use local wood, which helps stop the spread of destructive or non-native insects.
• Use only fallen timber if collecting wood for a campfire.
• Be aware of your surroundings and leave a minimal footprint no matter where you go.
• Pack out what you brought in.
• In areas without restrooms, pack out bodily refuse or bury it at least six inches deep, away from water. Pack out pet waste.
• Keep speeds and noise to a minimum near camp areas.

It doesn’t matter if you’re camping in Colorado or traveling through Texas—treating your surroundings with respect can leave long-lasting, positive impressions on those you travel with or meet you along the way.

Respecting Rights

Be polite. No matter where you’re headed, doing proper research and arming yourself with maps, knowledge, and an emergency plan can save you time, frustration, and potential issue. Understanding different cultures and how to pass through remote lands should be taken seriously. If areas are marked private, it means they’re private: do not enter.

When roaming across Native American lands, travelers can enter a reservation on paved roads. However, private residences or other sections of the reservation are off-limits. Likewise, land areas off public roads shouldn’t be traveled unless you have acceptance from the Native Americans themselves.

However, many Native American reservations include National Parks, which can be visited after purchasing tickets. For instance, the Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park has fees, permits, and rules to follow during hours of operation. Even though there is a visitor center and places for people to explore, there are off-limit areas in the park. Rules and regulations must be understood and followed to ensure a successful, hassle-free trip.

Educate Yourself

Recreate responsibly. If off-pavement enthusiasts practice essential tread lightly and leave no trace principles, they set an example for those around them and future generations. Think of it this way, treat Mother Nature how you’d typically treat your home. By picking up trash, respecting nearby surroundings, and doing fundamental research ahead of every trip to get educated, adventurers will be informed and ready for future minimal-impact adventures.