NPS - Volunteers Clean Echo Canyon Entrance

[Sunman]

Disheartening to hear about Butte Valley, but somehow I’m not surprised. Another place that has been loved to death. Planning a spring trip, I’ll make sure I am prepared with ample bags.

[Sparky of SoCal]

Some rivers I float to fish/hunt have rules about the disposal and management of human waste. The Park if it does not have such rules it should. On these rivers if an official stops and checks your permits and licenses they ALWAYS ask to see your disposal/management system. Burying is an unacceptable system. That makes sense in arid parts of the country, the stuff will still be around long after we die. If you do not have an approved system you get a ticket and a fine, not a warning. It is about time DV start following this type of policy. The only way bitching about it on forums that will get results is if the bitching is about getting fines for not following rules. I know rangers have what seems like more important things to do but the journey starts with the first small step.

[Candace66]

Perhaps I've just been lucky, but I've not seen any messes like the ones described in this thread. 

I recall once pulling out a large garbage bag (I keep a couple in my camping kit) and picking up a bunch of trash left around an informal camp site.  That was on the west side of the Sierras, quite a few years ago. 

I do occasionally find one or two bits of trash around a camp site or while hiking that I pack out.  In particular, mylar balloons.  But I've not come across a trashed site since the one mentioned above.  And even that wasn't so bad, just general stuff like cans, bottles, and wrappers.

One exception would be public lands close to Las Vegas, where people occasionally dump garbage and the plinkers shoot up crap and then just leave the mess.