Leave No Trace in Indiana
Indiana's public land is small, close to town and heavily loved. The seven Leave No Trace principles are what keep our canyons, rail-trails and rivers in shape — here is what each one looks like here at home.
1. Plan ahead and prepare
Check the managing agency for hours, closures and fees before you drive. Indiana state parks fill their lots early on fall weekends, and gate hours are enforced. Paddlers should check the USGS gauge for their stretch the morning of the trip.
2. Travel and camp on durable surfaces
Indiana's clay soils turn to soup after rain and hold boot prints all season. Walk through the mud, not around it — braided trails widen fast in ravine country like Turkey Run and Shades. On rivers, land on gravel bars and sand rather than cutting into soft banks.
3. Dispose of waste properly
Pack out everything, including fruit peels and dog waste bags. Many trailheads in state forests and fish and wildlife areas have no trash service at all. Where there is no restroom, bury human waste 6-8 inches deep and at least 200 feet from creeks and rivers.
4. Leave what you find
Fossils in the limestone, wildflowers in spring ephemeral season, and artifacts from old homesteads all stay put. Picking is prohibited in dedicated state nature preserves. Never carve or paint sandstone — the rock in Indiana's canyons is soft and never recovers.
5. Minimize campfire impacts
Use established fire rings at campgrounds and keep fires small. Burn only firewood bought or gathered locally to avoid spreading emerald ash borer and other pests. Check for burn bans during dry late-summer stretches.
6. Respect wildlife
Give deer, coyotes and nesting birds distance, and never feed anything. Keep dogs leashed — required on most Indiana public land — especially near heron rookeries and shorebird flats. Give sandbar-nesting birds a wide berth when paddling in early summer.
7. Be considerate of other visitors
On rail-trails, announce passes and keep right. Hikers yield to horses; bikes yield to everyone. During firearms deer season wear blaze orange on state forests and fish and wildlife areas, and keep the volume down so hunters and wildlife watchers both get what they came for.
The seven principles are developed and maintained by the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics. The Indiana-specific guidance above is ours. More agency links live on the resources page.