ing an appropriate campsite is perhaps the most important aspect of low-impact backcountry use. It requires the greatest use of judgment and information and often involves making trade-offs between minimizing ecological and social impacts. A decision about where to camp should be based on information about the level and type of use in the area, the fragility of vegetation and soil, the likelihood of wildlife disturbance, an assessment of previous impacts, and your party's potential to cause or avoid impact.

• Allow enough time and energy at the end of the day to an appropriate site. Fatigue, bad weather, and late departure times are not acceptable excuses for choosing poor or fragile camp sites.

In High-Use Areas:
Generally, it is best to camp on sites that are so highly impacted that further careful use will cause no noticeable impact. In popular areas, these sites are obvious because they have already lost their vegetation cover. Also, it is often possible to find a site which naturally lacks vegetation, such as exposed bedrock or sandy areas.

On high-impact sites, tents, traffic routes, and kitchen areas should be concentrated on already impacted areas. The objective is to confine impact to places which already show use and avoid enlarging the area of disturbance.

Avoid camping close to water and trails and a site which is not visible to others. Even in popular areas the sense of solitude can be enhanced by screening campsites and choosing an out-of-the-way site. Camping away from the water's edge also allows access routes for wildlife.

In Pristine Sites:
Pristine areas are usually remote, see few visitors, and have no obvious impacts. Visit these special places only if you are committed to, and highly skilled in, Leave No Trace techniques.

In pristine sites it is best to spread out tents, avoid repetitive traffic routes, and move camp every night. The objective is to minimize the number of times any part of the site is trampled.

• In setting up camp, disperse tents and the kitchen on durable sites. The durable surfaces of large rock slabs make good kitchen sites.
• Wear soft shoes around camp. Minimize activity around the kitchen and places where packs are stashed. Watch where you walk to avoid crushing vegetation.
• Take alternate paths to water. Minimize the number of trips to water by carrying water containers.
• Check regulations, but camping 200 feet (70 adult steps) from water is a good rule of thumb.