"Take only pictures, leave only footprints"
That is a mighty big footprint to leave!
While it is thrilling to see signs of wildlife leaving their “footprints” as they traverse throughout the park, when visiting Glacier, we encourage you to reduce YOUR footprint! One easy way to do this is to “be idle free – turn the key!” When stopping your vehicle in a safe place, like parking lots, at scenic viewpoints and trailheads, or while stopped in traffic and road construction, reduce your idling impact by turning your vehicle off or by limiting your idling to no longer than two minutes. This aids in better air quality for the park and benefits the health of all living beings that inhabit and visit Glacier. It also saves fuel and helps preserve natural soundscapes by decreasing vehicle noise. This action may seem small, and one person might not make much of an impact, but if the over 3 million visitors that come to Glacier National Park every year each did their part, a cumulative difference would be made! You can also minimize your impact by reducing food waste, replacing single-use products with things like reusable water-bottles, using the park’s recycling system by recycling aluminum cans, #1 plastic bottles, and paper, and packing out your trash when it cannot be thrown away.
Make a modification to the phrase, “Take only pictures, leave only footprints” by taking actions to reduce your footprint when visiting Glacier!
Find out more about sustainability in Glacier National Park: Sustainability - Glacier National Park (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
