Restore pristine sites to prevent long-term impact by naturalizing the spot. Cover scuffed-up areas with native materials, brush out footprints and rake matted areas with a stick to help the site recover and make it less obvious as a campsite. This extra effort will help hide any indication that you camped there and make it less likely that other backcountry travelers will camp in the same spot. The less often people use a remote campsite, the better chance it has of retaining its pristine qualities. Avoid places where impact is just beginning.
Most campsites can recover completely from a limited amount of use.
However, a threshold is eventually reached where the regenerative power of the vegetation cannot keep pace with the amount of trampling and continued use will cause the site to deteriorate rapidly. The threshold for a particular site is affected by many variables, including vegetation, soils, and length of growing season. Keep the following ideas in mind. Avoid sites and trails that show signs of slight use. These are best left alone to regenerate.