Leave No Trace

1. 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.
• Repackage food to minimize waste.
• Visit in small groups when possible. Consider splitting larger groups into smaller groups.
• Use a map and compass to eliminate the use of marking paint, rock cairns, or flagging.

2. Travel on Durable Surfaces

• Durable surfaces include established trails, rock, gravel, dry grasses or snow.
• In popular areas:
  • Concentrate use on existing trails.
  • Walk single file in the middle of the trail, even when wet or muddy.

3. Dispose of Waste Properly

• Pack it in, pack it out. Pack out all trash, pet waste, and leftover food.
• Bring bags for pet waste, Scoop the Poop, and dispose of bags in designated areas.

4. Leave What You Find

• Leave rocks, plants and other natural objects as you find them.
• Avoid introducing or transporting non-native species.
• Do not build structures, furniture, or dig trenches.
• Preserve the past: examine, but do not touch cultural or historic structures and artifacts.

5. Be Careful with Fire

• Check the burn ban status in City of Austin Parks before heading out for a BBQ.
• Use a lightweight stove for cooking and enjoy a lantern for light.
• Use grills in designated areas.
• Campfires are only allowed at Emma Long Metropolitan Park and these must be attended at all times by an adult until fully extinguished.
  • Before leaving the site, make sure the fire is fully extinguished
  • Keep a source of water nearby
  • Never leave a fire unattended

6. Respect Wildlife

Give them space

• Observe wildlife from a distance. Do not follow or approach them.
• Never feed animals. Feeding wildlife damages their health, alters natural behaviors, and exposes them to predators and other dangers.
• Protect wildlife and your food by storing rations and trash securely.
• Avoid wildlife during sensitive times: mating, nesting, raising young, or winter.

Keep pets under control

• Control pets at all times, or leave them at home.
  • Leashes are important both for the protection of both wildlife and your pet.
  • Use leashes that are 4-6 ft. in length and do not let dogs explore out of sight, including in vegetation.
• Coyotes, hawks, snakes, and feral hogs may be present in the preserve and could pose a hazard to off leash dogs.
  • What to do if you see a coyote:
    • Face the animal
    • Be big: wave your arms, open a coat
    • Be loud: shout, carry a noisemaker
    • Throw sticks or rocks in its direction

7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors

• Respect other visitors and protect the quality of their experience.
• Be courteous. Yield to other users on the trail.
• Let nature's sounds prevail. Avoid loud voices and noises.