7 Leave No Trace Principles for the Outer Banks

By Outer Banks Visitors Bureau on Mar. 15, 2022

More visitors mean more foot, boat, and vehicle activity across the OBX. The Outer Banks of North Carolina offers public coastal lands for hiking, wildlife watching, fishing, unwinding, and many other outdoor experiences. To help protect these places and the natural resources they hold, visitors and locals are encouraged to travel responsibly, sustainably, and with a leave-no-trace mindset.

These principles help everyone think about how their choices affect the environment, and they apply anywhere, at anytime — not only on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The principles were established by the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, and built on work by the US Forest Service, National Park Service, and Bureau of Land Management in the mid 1980s.

1. Plan Ahead and Prepare

A smooth, enjoyable beach vacation starts with good planning. Choosing travel times that avoid peak-use periods, and understanding how to get here and around, helps with traffic flow. Reviewing the local webcams and beach weather report can guide what you bring for the beach. It is also wise to review beach safety tips, since that knowledge can save lives.

Text OBXBEACHCONDITIONS to 77295 to sign up for beach-related weather and ocean condition alerts. Know the abilities of everyone in your group, bring the right gear for your plans, and make sure you understand current regulations, restrictions, and/or boundaries. Knowledge may be the most valuable thing you pack.

2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces

There are many public beach and sound accesses available for visitors. Avoid walking on sand dunes, which help shield the coast from rising sea water and support important vegetation. When camping on the Outer Banks, follow all campground requirements for designated campsites and select high use, previously established camping areas.

3. Dispose of Waste Properly

Pack it in, pack it out applies here. Remove all food, trash, equipment, and other belongings. Chairs, umbrellas, kites, water toys, and tents should not be left on the beach overnight. Follow every on-site rule at NPS sites or vacation rentals for proper disposal and trash collection schedules. If you spot loose trash or cigarette butts, picking them up and throwing them away or recycling them is an extra helpful step.

4. Leave What You Find

Many Outer Banks visitors have accumulated seashells and seaglass from past trips, and those items can make meaningful keepsakes. At the same time, preserving the past means looking at and photographing other structures like sand fencing, artifacts such as shipwreck remnants, and natural objects and plant species without touching or removing them.

Digging holes can be a fun beach activity and a memorable photo opportunity. Be sure to refill any hole you dig so other visitors, animals, and vehicles do not fall in.

5. Minimize Campfire Impacts

A beach campfire with s'mores, close friends, and sunset waves in the background is hard to beat. Before starting one, learn the campfire rules and obtain the required permits. Campfire Rules and Regulations.

6. Respect the Wildlife

Wildlife visits the Outer Banks in every season. Birds flock to our shores during migration and mating. Seals rest along the shoreline during their journey South. Sea turtles nest, and hatchlings emerge at night. Observe wildlife from a distance, and do not feed, approach, or put animals at risk. Helpful steps include keeping dogs on leashes and understanding 4x4 beach driving regulations.

7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors

Courtesy among OBXers matters. That may mean yielding in traffic, sharing a multi-use path while cycling, stepping aside at beach accesses, or stopping at crosswalks for pedestrians carrying beach chairs. It can also mean allowing the sound of ocean waves to stand out and being mindful of loud music around others.

© Leave No Trace: www.LNT.org