This weekend marks the unofficial start of camping season. America’s parks and wilderness areas will be fill with city dwellers trying to get some peace, quiet, and fresh air. There is nothing more relaxing then lying in a hammock by a clear lake or watching wildlife on a remote trail.
However, a fun trip to the forest can turn uncomfortable or even dangerous if you are not properly prepared, and you don’t want to be one of those jackasses who has to be airlifted out by the Forest Service, do you? Here’s a few trips from an experienced camper on how to make your trip not just safe, but really fun.
- Plan ahead. Pick a destination well before you re ready to head out. Make sure you make reservations if you need them. There is nothing worse than driving around at ten at night on Fourth of July Weekend looking for an open spot. I f you going somewhere without reservations send someone ahead early in the day to get a spot.
- Better yet, avoid that and camp on off peak times. Avoid big holidays and go on weekdays. My favorite camping time is the Tuesday through Sunday after Labor Day. You can camp almost anywhere and have nearly a whole campground to yourself.
- Get out of car campgrounds. If you can go to hike in only camp sites do so. They are quieter, cleaner, and much less crowded. Plus, they usually have better trail access. Even walking a quarter of a mile off of a road will get you a much more relaxing experience.
- Make friends with the Park staff. Want to know where the find the best trail or know the history of the area? Ask the ranger or camp host. They usually know the area they work in well and are usually more than happy to give you great ideas of things to do around the campground. In general, people who work in parks are pretty poorly paid, but they are really passionate about what they do. They are a great resource of you take them time to say hi and ask a few questions.
- Eat well. If you are going to be out for three or four days you are going to get sick of hot dogs sooner or later. Allow some variety and always pack a couple of your favorite treats from home. Bring plenty of dog food if you are taking your little buddy. If you want to keep drinks cool put them in a watertight cooler and stick them in the river or lake (don’t forget to tie it up to the shore so your beer doesn’t float away). Always bring a camping stove. Campfire cooking is harder than it looks and if it is fire season you may not be able to have a fire at all.
- Always carrying the 10 essentials for hiking. This includes stuff like a map and matches, as well as rain gear and water. If you hike at all learn to use a compass. You can do this in your own neighborhood and it really only takes an hour or two to really get the hang of it. It is possible to get lost even on short hikes and you don’t want to get stuck a mile from your campground after dark because you couldn’t find your way back in time.
- Have a real first aid kit. Don’t throw a box of band aids and a bottle of sunscreen in the glove box and call it good. You probably won’t need a tourniquet, but there is a good chance that you will drink too much beer and need an antacid or want some Neosporin to put on the cut you got while trying to climb up the hillside to impress your girlfriend.
- Prepare for the weather. Check the weather report and always bring rain gear. Additionally, a blue tarp and a few bungee cords will protect your campsite from rain and leave you dry and comfy. There is really nothing worse than sleeping in a cold, wet tent except sleeping in a car full of cranky, wet people.
- Don’t get caught up in the gear. There is all kinds ways to waste money on camping gear and most of them are unnecessary. If you are camping in the middle of summer you do not need a winter mountaineering sleeping bag. While really high end gear is great if you get use out of it, most people don’t. Companies like Coleman make perfectly good gear for a fraction of the price compared tor REI or Marmot. If you hike spend your money on good boots. If you you like to cook spend a little extra on a nice cook set, but there is no reason to by the most expensive version of everything in your pack.
- Be flexible. This is actually the best way to have a really fun trip. Be willing to take the scenic route or try out the slightly more difficult trail. Buy some good local food for your camp meal. Try out fishing or bird watching. One of the greatest things about going into the wilderness is that it gets us out of our routine, so allow yourself a little spontaneity.
So now you are all ready to go. You’ve got the whole summer ahead of you and there are literally thousands of great places to camp in the US. Get out the map and find one. You won’t regret it.
