Tips For A Successful (and Fun!) Camping Trip

Camping offers the great outdoors while relaxing and to reconnect with nature. This article has many camping experience.

It’s imperative that you pitch your tent before the sun goes down. Once it grows black in the woods, you can have a hard time setting up your tent, preparing food, and getting adequate firewood. This is particularly true for those city-dwellers that are not used to pitch-black darkness. Set up camp before dark to keep yourself from getting into this situation.

TIP! Find your best place for camping shelter long before nightfall. Once darkness falls, it is very difficult to set up camp.

Pick out your sleeping bag which is appropriate for the season. You are going to be really hot and uncomfortable camping in a sleeping bag is rated for sub-zero temperatures. If you use a lightweight sleeping bag during the winter, you may end up freezing and having a miserable time.You could even develop hypothermia.

Be sure to know the recent conditions of where you will be staying. For example, you will want to know if the area will be dry enough to find suitable firewood. It’s always prudent to bring wood that you have gathered beforehand, and to store it in a location where it will stay dry.

TIP! Never assume that you will find enough wood to burn, because rain can change that in an instant. It is good planning to take your own wood with you and store it where it is dry.

It is important to remember that your person and all of your possessions will get dirty during a camping trip.Enjoy being in the wilderness and don’t worry too much about getting messy. You can return to being clean when you’re at home.

Don’t miss the opportunity to add swimming activities to your next camping trip. You are probably going to miss the shower you have at home while camping. The coolness of the water will help you feel cleaner and more refreshed, so you won’t miss your shower as much as you thought you might!

TIP! See if you can integrate swimming into your camping trip. The thing people tend to miss most while camping is the convenience of their home shower.

Survival Kit

Bring a hankerchief or a bandanna with you. Not only can it keep the hair out of your eyes, it can also be a sack to carry things, a towel to dry your hands or a potholder to grab your coffee pot from the fire. It is very versatile, so be sure you take one with you every time you go camping.

TIP! Bring a hankerchief or a bandanna with you. Such an item can be used as a carrying bag, a potholder, a hand towel, a blotter or a paper towel.

Bring a survival kit that you can carry on you. Your survival kit needs to have water-purifying tablets, water-purifying tablets, a first-aid kit, a flare gun, and waterproof matches. This kit may just be what helps you to stay alive in case you get lost or something bad happens and death. Remember to take it everywhere you and do not leave it in your campsite.

Even when you’re trying to get away from the luxuries of life, it can help to bring something nice on your camping trip. Carry something small and convenient, such as a chocolate bar or some coffee creamer. Small things like this can increase your enjoyment of the trip.

TIP! A small luxury can help brighten up any camping trip. It could be something as simple as coffee or nice hand cream.

A jungle breakfest is a great activity for the kids. Tie up small boxes of juice, tiny boxes of cereal and fruit to trees in the woods.This is a bit more fun way to bring excitement to the morning.

Talk to your children about the dangers of camping before heading out on your trip. You can always visit websites that illustrate the dangers posed by poison ivy as well as other harmful plants.

TIP! When planning for a camping adventure with kids, be sure to speak to them about camping dangers. Go on the Internet together and read about safety, look at poison ivy pictures and poisonous animals.

Dryer lint makes surprisingly good kindling for creating campfires. Collect some lint in your clothes dryer to bring with you. Keep a plastic bag right next to the dryer to make collecting easier. This allows you to just get your kindling and leave when it is time to go.

Find the softest, flattest ground possible to set up your tent. Choosing a rocky or sloped spot will result in you feeling discomfort when you have to spend time in the tent. Always put a tarp down on the ground first so that water can’t get in and ruin the tent.

TIP! When you show up to go camping, pitch your tent wherever you can find flat and soft ground. An area that is sloped or rugged won’t make for the best place to put your tent.

Try to ensure your camp fully set up by nightfall. If you’re driving an RV, find a secure place to park. When pitching a tent, find a spot that is level and dry. Doing this before night comes around will save you become accustomed to your surroundings.

Prevent the hassle of accidentally draining your flashlight’s batteries when camping. It is very common for flashlights to be turned on inadvertently when going through camping supplies or while being stored. To ensure that this does not happen to you, you can put the batteries in facing the wrong direction until you reach your destination. This way, you’ll still have fresh batteries for your trip.

TIP! You want to make sure that you don’t end up with drained flashlight batteries when you head out on your camping trip. It is very common for flashlights to be turned on inadvertently when going through camping supplies or while being stored.

There may be spiders or bears that could pose a threat.Every camping spot has different dangers for the untrained.

Create a list of items you need for your camping trip. For trips that take a while to arrive at the destination, this is crucial. Start packing a couple of days in advance of camping, making sure to follow a checklist.

TIP! Make a list and check it twice before packing for your camping excursion. For trips that take a while to arrive at the destination, this is crucial.

If you camp in an area known to have dangerous wildlife, you need to make sure you’re very careful about your food. This will reduce the chances of wildlife coming near you on your trip.

Pack lanterns, flashlights and extra batteries when you go camping. Once the sun has set it is nice to have a source of light. Without a flashlight, you could easily stumble and fall or be surprised by local wildlife. If you have children with you on your camping trip, a smart thing to do is to give each of them a flashlight.

TIP! Pack lanterns, flashlights and extra batteries when you go camping. You will likely need to see when it gets dark out.

Sleeping Bag

Your sleeping bag should be able to accommodate a variety of camping conditions. Bags that are light are good for warmer places and a sleeping bag that’s heavier works best when things are colder. The main goal with your sleeping bag is to conserve body heat, which means having a snug bag that hugs the body.

TIP! Your sleeping bag should be able to accommodate a variety of camping conditions. Lightweight sleeping bags tend to work better in warmer weather and heavyweight sleeping bags tend to work better in colder weather.

Duct tape is an interesting item to pack with you on any camping trip. It is nearly as useful while you are camping as it is at home.It can be used as a quick patch in your air mattresses.You could patch a hole or tear in your sleeping bag, tarp or sleeping bag. You can even put some under your feet before long distances by putting duct tape on them. It can also be used to bandage injuries.

Take some time to think about the appropriate camping clothing ahead of time. Be sure you have enough clean clothes to last the entire trip. Also, be sure that you carry articles of clothing that are appropriate for the weather and climate of your camping location. Closed toe shoes and hiking boots are generally needed for camping.

TIP! Plan out your clothing prior to a camping trip. Be sure you have enough clean clothes to last the entire trip.

While it is vital to come up with a plan, sometimes things don’t go according to plan. Weather conditions may abruptly change for the worse, situations can arise, injuries or illness can strike. You need to pay attention to what you’re doing, avoid unnecessarily risky behavior, and you need to think before acting.

If you’re planning on camping, you need to remember to pack energy food like beef jerky and trail mix. After a long and tiresome day, you may want to eat these nutritious snacks instead of cooking. These foods are non-perishable; if you do not use them, you can simply bring them home.

TIP! Pack ready to eat foods in your camping gear, like trail mix and jerky. You may not be in the mood to cook, so having these with you can be helpful.

When you get to the campsite, pitch your tent on the softest, most level ground you can locate. Choosing a slanted or rocky area to camp at can make you uncomfortable when in your tent.Always lay down a tarp first to prevent any water damage to the tent.

Smart campers will leave their car or base camp with a charged mobile phone. Better yet, bring along an extra battery or two in case your phone runs out of juice. A cell phone will be your best friend in the event of an emergency, so keep it charged and available.

TIP! Always make sure that your cell phone is with you when you get to your campsite, and it should be fully charged. You may also want to bring a couple of extra batteries in case one runs out.

Pack extra flashlights and plenty of batteries when you are packing for your trip.You will need a light source to see in the sky. Having enough light can prevent injuries and potentially dangerous encounters with local wildlife. If you are bringing children on your trip, hand each of them a flashlight.

You must always pack a survival kit and first aid kit. These essential items can make all the difference between a ruined or shortened trip and being able to handle an unforeseen complication. Being prepared can prevent a serious situation from worsening and can buy you time when helping a sick or injured person to safety.

TIP! Have a first aid pack on hand, as well as a well stocked survival kit. These two items can be the deciding factor in whether you have to end a trip early or care for situations as they arise.

Keep an eye on your children at all times. There is quite a bit of traffic at campsites, and young kids can wander around in the woods, young children can quickly and easily get lost in the woods. It takes just a second and something unexpected to happen.

Clean your campsite when you finish camping. Be sure to bring plenty of garbage bags to put your trash in when you cleanup. Take any leftover food with you. The main rule when you’re leaving a campsite is that you should only leave your footprints behind.

TIP! Don’t leave your campsite a mess! Trash bags must be packed for use when cleaning up the site. Be certain to take your leftover food with you too.

Camping can be a fantastic time for all as long as you learn a little about it and immerse yourself in the situation. Camping is a great way to learn more about you. Utilize these tips when you are preparing for your exciting and fun camping experience. You will create memories that will last a lifetime.

It may seem trivial to remind you of this, but do not forget to bring toilet paper along when you pack. You may be camping in an area that doesn’t offer toilets, so you will need to find other places to go to the bathroom. It is best not to use something from nature to clean yourself, so toilet paper will come in handy.

TIP! It may sound silly to be reminded of this, but always make sure you take toilet paper on a camping trip. If there are no restrooms in your area, you will need to go out in nature.