Stay On The Trail

Sectionhiker.com has a solid post about not going off trail and the damage off trail travel can do.

" Have you ever seen someone trampling rare lichens above tree  line by hiking outside designated trails? Camping illegally on an open summit? Cutting down krumholz to fuel a fire? Carving their initials into a shelter? Building a new fire ring? Washing their dishes with soap in a wilderness pond? Knocking over rock cairns? Breaking live tree branches near a campsite for a fire? Digging a trench around their tent to drain rain? Leaving toilet paper on top of the ground? "



Sectionhiker.com has lots of good discussion topics with this post.