Just think: it took millions of years of volcanic eruptions and subterranean plate-shifting to create the breathtaking Central Oregon landscape — and here it is today, just waiting for you to explore. Every inch, from arid, sagebrush-dotted plains, to snowy peaks offers unparalleled beauty. To thoroughly enjoy it though, be prepared for the adventure. That includes knowing how to keep it just as you found it — staggeringly beautiful. To be a responsible adventurer, let the seven principles of Leave No Trace be your guide. By treading lightly and respecting the delicate balance of nature, you’ll feel great knowing that you’ve truly honored the beauty that surrounds us.
Check out how to use these simple, effective principles to leave nothing but good vibes and take home memories that will last forever.
1. Know Before You Go
Whether you’re on a summer hike in the Oregon Badlands Wilderness or skiing or snowboarding in the backcountry, be prepared for extreme weather, hazard, and emergencies.
For winter adventures, that includes knowing about the risks of avalanches. At any time of year, though, it pays to know the 10 essentials to have with you. This includes an extra layer of clothing for quickly changing mountain weather, navigational tools, sun protection, food, water, a flashlight, emergency shelter, first-aid, fire-starting, and repair supplies. If you’re new to the area or an activity, venturing out with a guide is a terrific way to go. You’ll learn more and the experience will be easier and safer. Guides are available for everything from climbing and rafting, to biking and fishing, skiing, caving, and more. They’ll have all the gear for you, from bike helmets to life jackets. Central Oregon’s terrain can be deceptively inviting, offering the illusion of endless freedom to roam. Yet, beneath its surface lies a rugged and capricious environment, where changes in weather and elevation can swiftly turn a leisurely outing into an unwanted challenge.
Once you’ve decided where you want to go, check updates or special concerns for the area — especially permits, required for many popular wilderness trails. These days, more people are discovering all of the fun and restorative joy that the outdoors offer, especially in Central Oregon. Everyone deserves to have the best experience. To do that, avoid high-use times, visit in small groups or split larger parties into smaller groups.
Photo courtesy of @adventures_with_biscuits
2. Camp Responsibly
Whether you’re walking through forest, desert or paddling on water, understand how to avoid damaging these areas. Stay on the trail. We don’t want to trample plants and scare wildlife away from their food, water, and homes and cause them to abandon their young. Walk happily and responsibly in the middle of the trail, even when it’s wet or muddy. Single-file works great.
Camp responsibly — reserve a campsite in advance and check for restrictions including fire updates. Beyond that, camp on rock, gravel, dry grass, or snow. Camp at least 200 feet (about 70 big steps) from lakes and streams. Remember, good campsites are found, not made — don’t alter a site. Check out expert tips on how to pick a perfect campsite, roam responsibly and more. Whatever you pack in, pack it out. That is, don’t leave any trash behind. For instance, once you take in the stunning beauty of Cove Palisades State Park and the wonders of Lake Billy Chinook, you’ll be inspired to do your part to keep it unspoiled forever.
3. Pack It Out
Let’s talk trash — and waste. Pop quiz! So you toss an orange or banana peel along the side of the trail, thinking it’s OK because it’s natural. How long does it take to decompose? As long as two years. A plastic bag? Up to 20 years. Glass bottle? A million years! What you leave behind will affect other people, water, and wildlife. That’s why the pack-it-in, pack-it-out mantra applies to everything, including waste from humans and pets. When it comes to nature’s call, go before you hit the trail or use an established toilet at the trailhead. Bring along WAG (waste alleviation and gelling) bags, an easy, eco-friendly way of keeping the great outdoors, well, great. Tuck in your pack a Ziplock bag and duct tape for packing out toilet paper and anything else. If you’re unprepared with those waste disposal solutions, dig a small hole, 6 to 8 inches deep at least 200 feet (70 big steps) from water, camp, and trails, and deposit it there. Fill in the hole. Bury toilet paper in that hole or pack it out along with hygiene products.
Always pick up spilled food and pack everything out. Never burn trash. Check out these details and quick, effective tips for these crucial, environment-saving skills. So, if you’re visiting a stellar place such as the Green Lakes Trail, with some of the best views of South Sister in Central Oregon, don’t take away from that beauty by sullying it in any way. (And, don’t forget to get a Central Cascades Wilderness Permit for day or overnight excursions on this popular trail, required between June 15 and October 15.)
4. Leave It As You Find It
Imagine looking out over a 1,300-year-old sea of black glass, formed by a volcanic eruption — that’s the Big Obsidian Flow, just below Paulina Peak. The moment will endure as an incomparable souvenir, so take only that from the site. What’s central to the experience is to leave the area untouched. Do the same at all the places in nature you visit. Take home some awesome photographs. Leave rocks, plants, and other natural objects as you find them. Be amazed by cultural or historic structures and artifacts you discover, but do not touch them. Adventuring on the water? Leave behind aquatic “hitchhikers,” invasive species that can attach to watercraft and cause widespread habitat loss. Take these steps to clean, drain and dry your boat.
5. Be Fire Informed
Gathering around a campfire is just one way to bring people together. Considering that wildfires are devastating, destructive and mostly human-caused, it’s crucial to know how to have a campfire responsibly. First, check here to know if a campfire is currently allowed where you are going. If a campfire is allowed, use established fire rings, pans or mound fires. Keep fires small. Use only sticks from the ground that can be broken by hand. Follow these critical steps to douse the fire completely so it’s cool to the touch. That way, while you’re stargazing at your campground, you’ll know you can head off to sleep with no worries about the all-too-real possibility of starting a wildfire. Why not think outside the fire ring and start a new camping tradition packed with fun alternatives? When it comes to cooking, providing light, warmth or entertainment, try an extra cozy layer of clothing, a lantern, a lightweight stove, and telling stories or playing cards and games instead.
Photo courtesy of Sunriver Resort
6. Keep Wildlife Wild
In the outdoors, we’re in the home of many wild animals. Seemingly harmless behavior can cause animals to become aggressive and have to be relocated or killed. Here are a few basic things that can keep us and wildlife safe and happy:
– Watching wildlife is great — from a distance. Don’t follow or approach them. Use this fun, easy “thumb test” to tell if you are too close. Hold your thumb out in front of you at arm’s length. If you can’t cover your view of the animal with your thumb, move back.
– Never feed animals. It harms their health, changes how they behave, and exposes them to predators and other dangers.
– Keep pets on leashes at all times, or leave them at home.– Avoid wildlife especially when they’re mating, nesting, or raising young.
A few more important tips about how to store your food away from bears will ensure that you are one with nature — by keeping wildlife wild.
7. Stick To The Trail And Respect Other Users
Being kind and considerate is the Central Oregon way. It’s how we behave in our natural habitat and one of the top things that makes visiting here so good. It’s a hallmark of outdoor ethics — courtesy toward others, so everyone enjoys their outdoor experience. Let nature’s sounds prevail. Avoid loud voices and noises. Give others space to pass, especially people using adaptive equipment. People going uphill have the right of way. Biking? Yield to hikers, runners, and people on horseback. For instance, if you’re mountain biking on the beloved Peterson Ridge Trails, even though it’s just five minutes south of downtown Sisters, you may be sharing the trail with horses. Wherever you may roam, keep your pet on a leash and pick up after them, no matter how remote the area may feel.
