Most campsites can withstand a certain level of use. However, a threshold is eventually reached where the regenerative power of the vegetation cannot keep pace with the amount of trampling. In many forested regions this may occur after only 10 days of use per season. Once this threshold is reached, the site will deteriorate more rapidly with continued use.This results in the development of an established campsite. The threshold for a particular site is affected by many variables including climate, soil type, elevation and aspect. All of these factors determine what species of plants will grow on the site, how durable the site is and to what degree it will be degraded by erosion.

Avoiding campsites and trails that show slight signs of use allows time for these areas to recover. If left unused these campsites and trails can revegetate and revert back to their natural appearance. By camping on durable surfaces in remote areas and staying in well-established campsites in popular areas, it is possible to minimize or prevent the proliferation of unnecessary campsites.