Local

Flagstaff, AZ : We’re not the only ones living out of our car. Each May, 14,000 people descend on Northern Arizona with their tricked-out lived-in vehicles for the annual Overland Expo West. This massive event celebrates self-guided travel, exploring by vehicle, camping every night, and living life on an endless road trip. Sound familiar? We spotted a few Subarus among the herd of much more massive RVs at this annual mechanical rendezvous, and decided to ask a few owners what they love about their Subaru, and how they Leave No Trace when they’re exploring their world…...

KANAB, UTAH-- The Joes started the year in Southern Utah, which seemed like another planet compared to our Midwestern roots. Slot canyons are wild, y’all! Immediately after hiking part of Buckskin Gulch, we stopped at a Kanab coffeeshop, picked up a copy of The Southern Utah Independent , and saw a story that caught our eyes. Local land managers had imposed fees on a similar slot canyon just 50 miles northwest. Why? Human waste! According to the SU Independent , Kanarra Falls Canyon has seen a significant uptick in users with an equivalent increase in impacts,...

Wytheville, VA: There's a fair amount of indoor climbing in central Ohio - but what about outdoor climbing? The dolemite cliffs along the Mad River just outside of Springfield have been an illicit climbing spot for the last two decades, but they are illicit no more. About 40 acres on the south side of the river have been turned into the Mad River Gorge and Nature Preserve, and the Clark County Parks District has plans to add about 60 acres to the property. Team East Central recently conducted a Hot Spot in the area, and found a budding community of climbers, locals, and land...

New Paltz, NY: The Peekamoose Blue Hole has become an Internet celebrity. Now selected, as a 2017 Leave No Trace Hot Spot , the Blue Hole needs a new type of fame, one that recognizes its fragile ecology. This geologic formation is wild in nature and unfortunately; its fame has exponentially increased the number of visitors and the impacts, which follow them. With anywhere from 600-2000 visitors in a weekend the ¾ acre footprint of the Blue Hole has seen its fair share of impacts. Soil erosion, trampled vegetation (including small plants, flowers, and primarily mosses),...

Coeur D’Alene, ID : Love a festival? Us too! Music, dancing, food, fun and friends…what’s not to like? Well…maybe a few things. Bringing thousands of people together can have negative impacts on the land, wildlife, and on visitors and locals. But, with a bit of planning and knowledge, festival fun doesn’t have to keep you from being on your best Leave No Trace behavior! Check out this video for easy things everyone can do to Leave No Trace at festivals, then read on for even more tips and tricks. 1. An easy way to create less waste at festivals is to arrive with less waste...

Cascadia, OR: We recently spent nine days in and around the lauded outdoor town of Bend, Oregon, named Outside Magazine’s “Best Multi-Sport Town” for 2017. It’s clear how Bend earned this title. In any given day in Bend, you will see people riding their bikes, paddling kayaks or sailing boats in the Cascade Lakes, paddle boarding or tubing on the Deschutes River, or testing their whitewater skills in the newly opened downtown whitewater park. Even in the 90+ degree high desert summer heat, you’ll see evidence of winter sports’ hold on Bend residents, with “skiers” in shorts...

How Many Piles of Poop in a Mile? Forest Park Hot Spot, June 19-26, 2017 Portland, OR: “It’s a forest in my backyard.” One visitor told us this on a cool June morning during the Forest Park Hot Spot in Portland, Oregon. She wasn’t exaggerating. Forest Park is the largest urban park in the United States. Just steps away from sidewalks, paved roads and, yes, lots of backyards, Forest Park is 5,172 acres of northwest forest in the middle of Portland. (By comparison, Central Park in New York City is 843 acres.) With 80 miles of wooded trails and forest roads, it’s a haven for daily walkers,...

Boulder, CO: The member-driven Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics protects the outdoors by teaching people to enjoy it responsibly. It is the most widely accepted outdoor ethics program used on public lands. Through targeted education, research and outreach, the Center ensures the long-term health of our natural world. One way we reach the public is through the creative freedom of our Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainers. The Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainer program consists of four teams of two educators that travel across the country in Subarus teaching people how to...

Los Angeles, CA: Leave No Trace is not just for campers, backpackers, climbers and other outdoor enthusiasts, it is for everyone. If you go outside Leave No Trace is for you. Leave No Trace in the frontcountry focuses on places with designated places for trash and bathrooms, one good example of a frontcountry space is your local park. Check out this video to learn more about how to Leave No Trace in the frontcountry: Travel Well, Amanda and Greg - Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainer Team East Central Leave No Trace’s Amanda Neiman and Greg Smith are part of...

Boulder, CO: As Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainers, we do our best to carry with us all of the comforts of home. One of the ways we have found to utilize couch time on the road is with our amazing ENO hammocks! A typical day has us balancing our amazing events and all of the background computer work. By the end of any given day, we are tuckered; so we do what any person should, take a few moments for ourselves to become centered again. This is where our awesome partner, ENO hammocks comes in. They help us to regain our stoke and stay comfortable after a busy day. In addition to being...