What does it mean to leave your mark on the trail?In Trail Graffiti Ethics, I invite you into a rare conversation where hiking, art, and responsibility meet. From canyon walls etched with initials to bold spray-painted murals on abandoned structures, trail graffiti tells stories-but it also raises difficult questions about law, culture, and preservation.Written in a deeply personal, first-person narrative, this book blends memoir, philosophy, and practical guidance. I share my own encounters with graffiti on remote paths, the conflict I've felt as both a lover of art and a protector of landscapes, and the lessons learned from global case studies where nature and expression collided.Inside, you'll find: Reflections on the ethics of trail graffiti-why hikers mark landscapes, and what those marks mean.Legal realities and cultural perspectives-from national park policies to indigenous land protections.Stories from the field-real encounters with graffiti on trails across the world.Alternatives for creative hikers-ways to express without causing harm.Practical tools and appendices-ethical guidelines, reflection exercises, and resources for responsible hiking.This is not just a hiking guide. It is an invitation to walk more consciously, to see trails as both canvas and classroom, and to decide how you will leave your mark-without leaving scars.If you've ever paused at a spray-painted boulder or carved initials in bark and wondered what story this tells, this book is for you.The trail remembers what we leave behind. Let's choose wisely.