Avoid Acting Like a Fool With These National Park Rules

If you’ve been to a national park, you’ve likely seen folks misbehaving.

If you feel like you haven’t seen tourists breaking national park rules, I’m not sure you know what all of the rules are, because that just doesn’t seem possible.

We’ve been to dozens of national parks around the United States and quite a few worldwide.

Choosing to ignore basic rules while you’re exploring the best that the country has to offer will not only harm these beautiful places you’re in, it could be unsafe for you, too.

The rules below are of the official sort, with some advice sprinkled in to avoid side glances from travelers on shared trails.

I don’t want to have to do that.

Misbehaving tourists are never portrayed well in the media, by the way, just in case that’s another motivator for you.

Disclosure: Travel on the Reg uses affiliate links to keep things running around here. At no additional cost to you, I earn a lil’ commission if you make a purchase. Any income earned supports the upkeep of this site. I appreciate you!

It all starts with Leave No Trace.

I’ll get into some of the principles behind Leave No Trace in more detail in a second, but these seven guidelines give you a basic framework for park behavior.

If you’ve never heard of Leave No Trace, this is your signal to review the rules for the park you’ve chosen to visit.

Note: Just because we’re focused on national parks here, that doesn’t mean you can’t apply these same principles to the state parks. These are all a good way to ensure we have access to our natural areas’ resources for years to come.

Here are the seven principles of Leave No Trace:

• Plan ahead and prepare. Don’t go into the national parks blind. Know where you’re going, and have maps downloaded (or bring along paper maps) in case you don’t have cell service. Travel in small groups. Expect the unexpected.
• Travel and camp on durable surfaces. You can’t just pop a tent wherever you feel like it. Most campgrounds require a permit and need to be reserved in advance. If you’re on a multi-day hike, avoid areas that look pristine.
• Dispose of waste properly. Whatever you bring into the park, bring it out. If you have to drop one, use a public toilet in recreation areas. If that’s not possible, deposit solid waste into holes dug at least six inches deep and away from water.
• Leave what you find. Don’t take anything but photos as far as your memories of the parks. Don’t build things — that includes cairns — or take plants, rocks, etc. out of their natural environment.
• Minimize campfire impacts. First of all, only build fires in designated areas. Keep them as small as possible for your use, and put any fires out completely once you’re done. Scatter your ashes after they’ve cooled down.
• Respect wildlife. Give wild animals space. Don’t feed them. Store food correctly so that you’re not enticing animals into your camp. If your pet can’t handle the great outdoors, leave them at home. If park rules say dogs are prohibited on trails, listen.
• Be considerate of other visitors. Respect other park visitors, especially on hiking trails. Keep nature sounds natural, and don’t add noise pollution with loud voices and noises, especially during recognized quiet hours.

Let’s get into a few of these in more detail.

Check the national park’s website before you go.

The National Park Service does a great job updating their sites for things like road closures, weather conditions, construction delays, or wildlife activity on popular trails.

I’m intense about the planning process when it comes to my trips, but this is an area that begs for some flexibility.

If you don’t check ahead, you may not know until you get there that the hike you were planning a full day around has been closed due to intense bear activity. That’s definitely a thing, especially in the spring.

You might discover that the construction on the main tourist route is causing delays of up to an hour. Then you’re in traffic, cranky and hungry, with all of the other tourists who didn’t check the park’s website. Worse yet, you’re attacked by bears.

What? This is their house.

Just check the website as part of your planning process and then check it again right before you go. You should see a blurb about when the information posted was last updated, too. Things change from day to day in the national parks.

Follow all posted wildlife guidelines.

On that note, behave as if you’re a guest in someone’s home. In this case, it’s the home of some of the most impressive wildlife you’ll observe in the United States.

Depending on the park, you may see grizzly and black bears, wolves, bison, bighorn sheep, and all of the smaller but still exciting little critters like foxes and beavers.

Fun fact: The parks with extensive wildlife activity like Glacier National Park or Grand Teton National Park even have designated viewing areas for you to safely (and quietly) observe wildlife in the park.

The general rule of thumb is that you’ll want to keep at least 100 yards away from predators like wolves or bears, and at least 25 yards away from the other animals.

Those distances can increase depending on the park, though, so again, read up on where you’re going before you go on that national park’s website.

Anything outside of observing animals from the appropriate amount of yardage away is likely something that you shouldn’t do.

You shouldn’t be so close that you’re able to take a selfie with an animal. Don’t assume baby animals need your help and place them in your van in a failed rescue attempt.

If you encounter a group of hikers who tell you there’s a mama bear and her cubs up ahead, don’t run toward that mama bear because you have a Berenstain Bears fantasy.

READ MORE: Let’s say you want wildlife. Custer State Park isn’t a national park, but you’re guaranteed to see animals at that one!

Don’t feed the animals.

On that note, don’t try to feed the animals, even the ground squirrels.

You’re going to get animals that shouldn’t get accustomed to being hand-fed accustomed to being hand-fed. Are you going to come back in the wintertime when they’re not getting beef jerky from tourists, and as a result, starving to death?

Fun fact: Your choices have consequences, even the ones you think are pretty innocuous. 

You could make those cute chipmunks sick if you decide they should have some Twizzlers.

It’s very obvious when critters have been fed by humans, by the way. They’re the ones who approach you with their little paws outstretched, begging for morsels. Don’t fall for it.

Don’t blaze your own trails.

Trails are marked for a reason. National park rangers check on them regularly, so you’ll have the best chance of staying safe if you stay on marked trails.

Note: I can’t say you’ll be completely safe, because there are always variables like wildlife, your own level of fitness, and Karens harassing birdwatchers that you just can’t control.

Head off a marked trail and you could, seriously, be heading off to your doom. In Yellowstone, it isn’t unheard of to hear about people walking right off those boardwalks into hot spots where they end up with serious burns or worse.

It’s also important to the national park system that you stay on those marked trails. Otherwise, you may be causing problems for the flora and fauna you’re there to admire.

You’ve probably even seen signs to that effect, asking people not to enter here, there, or anywhere off of a trail because of fragile habitats looking to rebound. You’ll see people doing it anyway. They are jerks.

You’re not welcome off of the trails, so don’t do it.

Leave the boombox at home.

That noise pollution coming out of your portable speaker violates Leave No Trace principles. You’re not being courteous to other hikers.

Rules in a national park apply even when you think you need background music for that day hike. You don’t. Listen to the nature sounds, instead.

Earbuds are an option if you really need some motivating tunes, but then you might miss out on those cracking branches that signal wildlife ahead.

It’s best just to be present and in the moment. It’s important for your protection and important in keeping nature natural.

Leave the cigarettes and booze at home, too.

You don’t want to start a fire in the forest you just hiked through, and I promise those views aren’t any better if you’re hammered.

Inevitably, one of you irresponsible individuals will drop a cigarette butt or empty beer can where it really doesn’t need to be. Those aren’t items we need in these fragile ecosystems.

Don’t smoke on trails. Don’t drink on trails. Check in with your vices once you’re done with the park. Those alcoholic beverages always taste a little bit better after a long day hike anyway.

Quit it with the cairns.

I never understood this trend, and I always get blasted for bringing it up by those who believe they know better.

There are travelers out there, including hikers who should know better, who love stacking rocks they find on a trail in a moment of zen or whatever it is they’re going for.

Cut it out.

Cairns should only be put there by rangers and park staff who know what they’re doing. The “real” cairns are marking trails for hikers so that they don’t get lost when there’s a fork in the road.

Your little craft project could then confuse someone who’s having their Cheryl Strayed moment.

Building cairns also disrupts the surrounding environment and all of the critters you claim to care so much about when you’re having your avocado toast the next day.

If a trail says “no dogs,” that means all dogs.

We were hiking on a national park trail once that had noted cougar activity. Signs posted at the head of the trail explicitly stated “no dogs.” These are considered federal government regulations. There was no exception for service animals.

It didn’t take long for us to come across a young couple and their dog. My husband and I both mentioned the fact that this trail was off-limits to dogs, in perhaps a more stern way than these people were used to.

They became very defensive, telling us that this was their service dog, and the dog had to come along wherever they went.

Here’s the thing.

I support legitimate service animals that are there to keep you safe and sane. I’m in awe of the kind of work dogs, in particular, can do for their humans.

Here’s the other thing.

A predator doesn’t care if your dog is there to support you. You’ve effectively brought bait onto the trail, putting yourself and everyone around you in danger.

Thankfully, there was a ranger on the trail who was able to set them straight. You’re in the wild, people. Grocery store rules don’t apply here.

There’s also no way that was a real service dog anyway. That furry buddy didn’t even have a vest. That’s something to explore on another day.

READ MORE: We brought our pup to Acadia and she had a great time, despite not being allowed on some of the trails. See what we did!

Bring along the necessary gear.

The national parks aren’t the place for you to dress to impress.

Unless you’re one of those influencers who has a costume change at the top of a vista, you’ll be living in hiking clothes and need to be prepared with all of the essential gear.

Here’s a cheat sheet:

• Hiking pants/leggings: You’ll want a pair or two of decent hiking pants at the very least. Unless it’s inclement weather, I like my leggings with pockets best.
• Hiking backpack: If you’re doing any hiking, you should always bring along a decent backpack and a sufficient amount of water. I like Osprey packs best.
• Water storage: We always bring our Osprey backpacks on any national park adventures, and most have a place for your water bladder, too.
• Hiking shoes/boots: You’ll want a decent pair of hiking shoes or boots that you’ve tested out well before your trip. Don’t break in a new pair of shoes on the trail.
• Basic first aid kit: First aid kits are a good idea for longer hiking trips. If you ignore the advice above, bring along a pack of Band-Aids for your blisters.
• Wool socks: Merino wool keeps you both cool and dry in the summer and warm and dry in the cooler months. It’s like magic.
• Light jacket: Light layering jackets are always a good idea, no matter the season, especially in the mountains. A good rain jacket works, too.

Don’t monopolize popular sites.

I get it. You want that perfect photo in front of that waterfall. There are 48 other humans behind you who want the same thing.

This isn’t the moment where you perfect that pose where you whip your head out of the water at just the right angle, water droplets falling in an arc around your face.

Also, what the heck are you even doing in the water? Didn’t you see the signs??

While we’re at it, don’t risk your life for those perfect photos, either. Selfie accidents are an unfortunate byproduct of the social media world we live in. Your life is not worth the likes, I promise.

Don’t litter.

I can’t believe this even needs to be said. The trash you’ll encounter while out in the parks suggests otherwise.

If you can’t find a trash can, your next move shouldn’t be tossing whatever rubbish you brought along with you on the forest or desert floor.

I already told you that you should have a hiking backpack along with you. Put your trash inside your bag and dispose of it appropriately.

People who litter are trash people. Don’t be a trash person.

Follow posted speed limits.

One can get easily distracted if there’s a giant bison in the middle of the road. Ideally, you’re driving slowly enough that you can slow to a stop and let him do what he’s going to do.

These are those special moments that you just can’t plan. Savor them, and keep as much of a distance from that beast as you’re able. Once you drive past, it’s still not the time to put the pedal to the metal.

I know some of those posted speed limits seem slow to those used to racing to beat red lights back at home. As that wildlife encounter showed, you need to drive slowly so that you’re able to react at a moment’s notice.

It’s also federal law to follow posted speed limits in your vehicle. You’ll get it once you see some of those hairpin turns in parks with the best scenic drives.

Be cautious, pay attention, and you’ll have some of the most scenic drives of your life on the national park roads.

Report anything that troubles you.

I’m not saying you should be a narc, play park director, and report every litterer and every person blocking a boardwalk with their glamorous photo shoots. That’d be a lot of time spent policing the parks, and you likely don’t have time for that.

If there’s something you witness that’s endangering others or makes you feel unsafe, by all means, find the nearest ranger and report that activity. That doesn’t make you a Karen.

We reported that dog on a trail that had known cougar activity. We didn’t want to become bait because someone felt like the posted rules didn’t apply to them.

That led to some education on the part of the dog owner, and that’s all we wanted.

Well, that and a little scolding. It was pretty satisfying.

The same goes for any sketchy wildlife activity. That could mean reporting that mama bear and her cubs you saw just up the bend, or that you just have a bad feeling about an animal you observed behaving in a strange way.

I’m talking about actual animals, not tourists.

Your reporting can go a long way toward making trails safe for other hikers and keeping yourself safe, too.

Only you can prevent forest fires.

It’s up to us to behave in a way that doesn’t endanger the health of our national parks.

If you’re not sure whether you can light a fire in a particular section, you shouldn’t break out the firewood until you know the answer to that for sure.

Campgrounds govern the size and number of fires campers can light, so it’s always best to ask about those regulations before your trip. Don’t assume you can have yourself a s’mores party no matter where you are in the parks because that’s likely not the case.

There may even be a fire restriction altogether if there’s a high risk of forest fires where you are. Educate yourself.

Those devastating fires you hear about on the news are often caused by humans who didn’t know any better and weren’t authorized to light fires where they did.

Drones aren’t permitted everywhere.

National park drone regulations prohibit drones and unmanned aircraft in most situations, per new rules passed when it was obvious drones were becoming a nuisance.

Before rules against drones, park officials found they weren’t just annoying visitors. They were disturbing wildlife and even interfering in rescue operations.

Limited permits may be available in some park environments, but it’s safe to assume your drone isn’t welcome until you’ve talked to a park official who tells you otherwise.

Pay your fees.

Visiting the parks means following the national park pass rules. If you’re visiting Arches for a sunrise hike to the Delicate Arch, there may not be anyone manning the booth when you arrive.

That doesn’t mean your visit is free, especially since you’ll still be in the park once it’s officially “open.”

If you don’t already have an America the Beautiful pass and you’re exploring a park within a fee area, you’ll need to pay admission during regular operating hours.

Once booths are manned, most, if not all, take credit cards, so you really don’t have an excuse to support the parks and all they do for your outdoor recreation.

Here’s some good news on park fees: You can get a national park senior park pass for a lifetime fee of $80. It’s also available for $20 per year, but if you’re able, you should try to just get that lifetime membership for all your future national park good times.

Non-U.S. residents, note that the pass is $250 starting in 2026. Don’t yell at me. It wasn’t my decision.

Respect the rangers.

If a park ranger asks you to stop doing something that you’re doing, don’t get all defensive. They know best.

Take it as a lesson and stop the behavior that got you in trouble. If you encounter rangers at popular viewpoints or hiking trails, they’d love some engagement. Ask them relevant questions, listen to the answers, and just generally be respectful.

They’re not here for the money. They’re here to educate park visitors and keep you safe. They’re also there because they love the national parks as much as they hope you do.

Pack it in and pack it out.

You’ll see this one posted all over the national parks. It’s one of the central tenets of the system’s Leave No Trace program.

Whatever you bring into the park, especially if you’re camping, you’ll want to take it out with you. Behave as if you’re worried about an Airbnb charging you extra for failing to put the towels in the hamper or leaving the trash in the bin.

What are they charging me a cleaning fee for then?

Be courteous and take any trash, extra food, or any equipment with you. Try to disturb the surrounding landscapes as little as possible.

If nature calls while you’re out on a trail and you don’t have the luxury to wait for the facilities, dig a hole at least six inches deep. Try to estimate a hole at least 200 feet away from a water source, especially fishing and swimming areas.

The rules are there for YOU.

National Park Service rules are in place to keep you safe. They’re in place to make sure that you have an enjoyable visit and that all of the park visitors who come after you are able to have a nice visit, too.

They’re not in place to torture you or harsh your vibe. Rules for dogs in national parks aren’t here to ruin your dog’s time, either. They’re about keeping you from walking into hot pots at Yellowstone or disturbing nesting birds at Acadia.

Choose to ignore them, and you could be fined or worse. You could get shamed on a blog like this one.

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