1. Safety first – We as Explorers should prioritize safety in all aspects of exploring and minimize the risks. Be aware of your surroundings and do not do anything intentionally that puts your and others safety at risk. Things like being overly noisy when security is nearby, dangling or walking along edges of high places, or posting photos/videos online that compromise the safety of members from law enforcement.

2. Leave No Trace – We as Explorers should “Leave No Trace”. This principle is more commonly applied to outdoor recreational activities but it can be applied to urban exploring as well. Essentially, we as explorers should take steps to minimize our impact on the environment and leave the location as we found it. Take only pictures, leave only footprints!

3. Do no harm – We as Explorers should avoid breaking or damaging doors, windows, locks, or any other structure or item that could lead to irreversible damage. Explorers should also avoid taking or moving objects or artifacts from the location as souvenirs and leaving graffiti. The goal of this ethic is to ensure future generations can enjoy the location just as you have.

4. Preserve history – We as Explorers should appreciate and document the history and cultural significance of locations through personal experience, photography, and/or video. By preserving this places, we can help ensure future generations can appreciate and learn from them.

5. Location longevity – We as Explorers should take care to not draw unnecessary attention to it. Keep specific location details private to protect them from damage caused by inexperienced or careless individuals. Sharing with friends can also lead to shortened life of a location so its important to learn how to read other Explorer’s intentions before taking them to more sensitive locations.

6. Ethical use of social media: We as Explorers should use social media in an ethical way by not sharing specific locations, tagging or geotagging, or providing identifying information that could lead to negative consequences for the location, themselves, or others.

7. Ethical use of tools: We as Explorers should use tools in a way that minimizes any potential harm or damage to the environment they are exploring. This includes avoiding the use of large, heavy tools that could cause structural damage or leave marks on surfaces. Explorers should instead use subtle and precise tools, like wedges and latch slipping tools, exploiting door vulnerabilities or in more appropriate situations, a small prybar under 10 inches. When used correctly, these more precise tools should leave little to no indication that there was unauthorized access.

8. Respect for other explorers – We as Explorers should always treat fellow explorers with respect and consideration, whether they are new to the community or experienced veterans. Be mindful of their boundaries and preferences, and seek their consent before sharing any information or footage related to their exploration.

9. Respect for other exploring communities – We as Explorers should respect and abide by the ethics and guidelines of other urban exploring communities. Seek to learn from and support the communities you visit. Take time to understand the history and significance of locations you are brought to and respect the communities efforts to preserve and protect it.

10. Avoid personal gain and for-profit exploring – We as Explorers should avoid exploring with individuals who prioritize personal gain or profit over the values of exploration. Such individuals may disregard the safety of themselves and others, cause harm to the location or its history, and damage the reputation of the urban exploring community.

By following these ethics, explorers can help contribute to the preservation of abandoned or restricted locations and their history, while helping maintain the integrity of the urban exploring community as a whole. Additionally, by practicing ethical exploring, we as a community can help reduce the negative perception of urban exploring by the general public and increase the acceptance of this activity as a legitimate and respectful hobby.

Version 1.2 – Updated 4-27-2023

Ethics Are Not Always Black and White

Ethics are not always going to be black and white; things occasionally can fall into gray areas. There are going to be exceptions to the ethics. The hard part is determining where the line should be drawn and if you are not sure, ask a trusted member of your community for guidance.

Some examples of things that would fall into gray areas:

• A historic location is in the middle of a demolition or serious renovation; its probably going to be okay to “save” something like a sign or trinket that would otherwise be destroyed.
• A sensitive location just started renovations or demolition; its probably going to be okay to post photos publicly online.
• A dangerous, likely to be lost in the next year, abandoned mine has tens of thousands of bottles of syrup and a nice wall that shows others have smashed bottles in the past as a sign of others visiting. Its probably going to be okay to throw a couple for fun
• You have a social media friend you collab with who respects the principles of the hobby, such as not geo-tagging locations, waiting to post more sensitive locations; its probably going to be okay to bring them along on your adventures.

The main thing you should consider before you do these actions, are there any laws you could be breaking going into these gray areas? In Urban Exploring, its best to follow the rule of “only break one law at a time”. Its also worth considering how your actions might affect the community as a whole. Are you taking something away that adds to the experience? Will someone be upset if they found out you sprayed off that fire extinguisher?

A good rule of thumb to follow is the words of Infiltration and Access All Areas author Jeff Chapman, otherwise known as Ninjalicious, who wrote that genuine urban explorers “never vandalize, steal or damage anything”.

We are all going to make mistakes and the important thing is you hold yourself accountable. If you mess up and upset someone or the community, if there is a way to fix/undo what was done, try your best! Accountability, honesty, and transparency go a long way in this hobby and will make you a better and more respected explorer.

Remember, we’re not always going to make the best decisions, we’re not always going to make the right decisions, but we should all do the best we can.