Educate yourself by obtaining travel maps and regulations from public agencies, planning for your trip, taking recreation skills classes, and knowing how to use and operate your equipment safely.

• Obtain a map of your destination and determine which areas are open to your type of travel.
• Make a realistic plan, and stick to it. Always tell someone of your travel plans.
• Contact the land manager for area restrictions, closures, and permit requirements.
• Check the weather forecast for your destination. Plan clothing, equipment, and supplies accordingly.
• Carry a compass or a Global Positioning System (GPS) unit and know how to use them.
• Prepare for the unexpected by packing emergency items.

Do your part by leaving the area better than you found it, properly disposing of waste, minimizing the use of fire, avoiding the spread of invasive species, restoring degraded areas, and joining a local enthusiast organization.

• Pack out what you pack in.
• Carry a trash bag and pick up litter left by others.
• Repackage snacks and food in baggies. This reduces weight and amount of trash to carry out.
• Whenever possible, use existing campsites. Camp on durable surfaces and place tents on a non-vegetated area. Do not dig trenches around tents.
• Camp a least 200 feet from water, trails, and other campsites.
• For cooking, use a camp stove. They are always preferable to a campfire in terms of impact on the land.
• Observe all fire restrictions. If you must build a fire use existing fire rings, build a mound fire or use a fire pan.
• For campfires, use only fallen timber. Gather firewood well away from your camp. Do not cut standing trees.
• Let your fire burn down to a fine ash. Ensure your fire is completely extinguished.
• Do not wash in steams and lakes. Detergents, toothpaste and soap harm fish and other aquatic life.
• Wash 200 feet away from streams and lakes. Scatter gray water so it filters through the soil.
• In areas without toilets, use a portable latrine if possible and pack out your waste.
• Following a trip, wash your gear and support vehicle to reduce the spread of invasive species