Leave no trace is a near impossibility when arriving at dispersed camping in a vehicle. The weight of vehicles compacts the soil, can damage roots of plants, etc. Most of the sights just off the forest or BLM areas ask that you do not create new turnins off the !ain road and stick to using already established camping areas so as to leave most of the area I trampled. Heavy usage at sights will eventually cause so much damage that an area gets closed off for rehabilitation which could take decades in desert areas.
Leave no trace is not just about trash although that is a critical part of it. I never leave trash but there is typically some trace such as scuffed earth in front of my entry points to my vehicle.
While technically true, by this logic you just shouldn't go camping at all.
Every time you take a step you are killing some tiny bug or lichen.
Especially in primitive sites where the trails or more like vague suggestions than a maintained path.
I think there is a reasonable balance between the extremes of barefoot hiking and teh overlanders that bring their entire garage with them wherever they go.
For instance, I spend a lot of time at ACE campgrounds. These are mostly developed with water and power hookups. But are usually in the middle of forest, swamp or similar.
A couple weeks ago I saw a family with a camper leave their site kind of a mess. But worst, they left a bunch of pest strips hung up all over the site!
I wasnt going to do anything, since rangers drive by all the time. But nobody did anything, and I was starting to notice hummingbirds around. So I got some grocery bags out of the garbage bag bin and dealt with them.
I mention this because I really try to clean up my campsite leaving better than I found it.
Pick up any trash I see when hiking. But a lot of folks, this never crosses their mind.
I guess they perceive nature as so vast as to be infinite. So they assume their box of empty Coors or whatever is inconsequential. The impact their vehicle makes wouldnt even be worth arguing.
