leave no trace

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leave no trace

Where it comes from

Coined around the 1960s.

verb leaves no trace · leaving no trace · left no trace

To follow certain outdoor ethical guidelines while camping, etc., so thoroughly that it would appear as though one had never previously been there, for the sake of nature conservation. Camping in a pristine area is the ultimate Leave No Trace challenge because it is imperative that you literally leave no trace—and that is very hard to do.
Similar: LNT
Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see leave, no, trace.

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MLA

"leave no trace." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/leave%20no%20trace. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

leave no trace. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/leave%20no%20trace

Chicago

"leave no trace." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/leave%20no%20trace.

BibTeX

@misc{leave_no_trace_2026,
  title = {leave no trace},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/leave%20no%20trace},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}