Recreation Tips

What to Bring

Items to bring include:

• Water (a minimum of two quarts per person per day)
• First aid kit
• Sunscreen
• Insect repellent
• Sunglasses
• Whistle
• Map
• Compass or GPS
• Appropriate clothing for weather conditions
• Pocket knife

Leave No Trace

The District requests all users of District lands to follow the seven Leave No Trace Principles. These are not regulations but guidelines to help natural area users make informed decisions, so they may leave the area as beautiful and as natural as they found it.

• Plan ahead and prepare
• Travel and camp on durable surfaces
• Dispose of waste properly
• Leave what you find
• Minimize campfire impacts
• Respect wildlife
• Be considerate of other visitors

Tips for Watching Wildlife

The ultimate wildlife viewing experience is watching animals in their normal environment. Here are some helpful tips to become a wildlife-friendly viewer.

Use the right tools.

Carry a field guide and a pair of binoculars.

Watch at dawn and dusk.

This is the time when most wildlife species are active enough to view.

Keep your distance.

Stay on established trails and maintain a distance that is comfortable for the wildlife.

Stay quiet.

Move slowly and quietly to increase your chance of viewing wildlife and to avoid stressing the animals you wish to watch.

Do not feed wildlife.

There is plenty of food available in the wild. Human food can cause digestive problems, provide improper nutrition, and can even kill an animal.