Camp 101: Everything You Need For Planning Your Next Camping Trip

Many view camping as a chance to escape from the opportunity to relax and connect with nature. The following tips can make your trip more enjoyable.

Let everyone know they have a say in the campsite and should help pick a favorite spot. Talk about the state you would like to go to. There are thousands upon thousands of places to choose from. If it is the simpler option, try picking a few you favor and letting your whole family vote on them.

TIP! All participants should have a say in where you go camping. Engage in conversation about what state and location they would like to visit.

While you may think that nature will offer up enough wood to keep your fire embers burning, you may encounter only wet wood that won’t burn. Bring along some wood and store it in an area that is not moist when you camp.

If you have bought a brand new tent in preparation for your camping trip, set it up at home first before you use it for camping. It will help you make sure that all of the parts are included and learn how to set it up right. This will also eliminate some of the frustration associated with setting up a tent.

TIP! After you buy your camping tent, set it up at home rather than waiting until your trip to set it up for the first time. This allows you to check and see that all the pieces are there and that you know how to assemble your shelter correctly.

Make sure you know what the weather before starting your trip. There are numerous websites that can tell you should expect at the area you are going camping at. This information can help you better prepare by having the right clothes and equipment.

Put together a survival pack and have it on you all the time. You should have a bandanna (to use as a sling or tourniquet), wound coverings, something to use for sprains, matches, a knife, tablets to purify water and a compass in your kit. You may find that this kit makes the difference between life and death in an emergency situation. It is important that you carry your survival kit with you at all times.

TIP! Build yourself a survival kit; keep it with you anywhere you go while camping. A survival kit should consist of matches, first aid necessities a flare gun and a knife.

Camping is a great time but it can be very dangerous if you’re not able to properly prepare. Always be well prepared prior to leaving on a camping trip.

Check over your medical insurance before going on a camping trip. If you go to another state, you may have to have another policy. It is even more critical if you are camping outside of your country. It is important to always be prepared.

TIP! Make sure your medical insurance is up-to-date. Sometimes when you go to a different place, you’ll have to get an additional policy to cover you.

Juice Boxes

Ensure that you pack everything that you will need before leaving for a camping trip. You can not afford to forget an important item like your sleeping bag or your tent. Create a checklist if you feel like you are going to forget something.

TIP! Double check that you have all of your necessary equipment prior to your camping trip. For example, your trip can be ruined if you forget your sleeping bag or tent.

A ‘jungle breakfast’ can be a great way to add excitement to your trip.Tie to the trees small boxes of cereal, juice boxes, and juice boxes. This adds a fun game for the kids and makes their camping experience more interesting.

If you will be camping in an area that is known for having dangerous wildlife, you need to double up your precautions when it comes to food. These precautions include tightly wrapping your foods and storing them away from your tent. You also have to just forgo certain foods entirely. You will be less likely to have an attack with these procedures.

TIP! If you are camping deep in the woods, take extra care with your food. Keep things tightly wrapped and store them away from the site of your tent; if needed, avoid certain types of food altogether.

Emergency kits are a camping trip.Take into consideration all the possibilities that nature has to offer, so keep some anti-venom on hand.

Keep an eye out on your camping area. You don’t want to overlook something like a snake hole, take a little precaution. If you must erect your tent near dense areas of vegetation, make sure that you wear tops with long sleeves and full length pants in order to protect your body’s skin from insect bites. A strong bug spray is also something you want on hand, especially if the vegetation is very thick.

TIP! Find a great location to set up your camper. You have to be sure you don’t set up next to stinging insects or anything unsafe.

Kids love to camp, especially when you plan activities that they can do. They have probably aren’t used to fishing or fishing. Teach them how to perform these things ahead of time to ensure a great trip.

Trail mix and jerky are great snacks for a camping trip. It’s likely that you’ll be so worn out at dinnertime that you will only feel like snacking and not cooking. Even if you don’t eat them, these are non-perishable snacks that have a long shelf life.

TIP! If you’re planning on camping, you need to remember to pack energy food like beef jerky and trail mix. You may not be in the mood to cook, so having these with you can be helpful.

If a pet accompanies you to the campground, always keep up with him. There are campers who fear dogs. You should be respectful of other campers in the site. Also, because it is a new territory, so be sure to keep control of them at all times.

A camping trip could be a relaxing, tranquil experience, or it could end up being a vacation from hell. Preparation is the difference between the two. If you are able to think ahead about what you might come across, and protect yourself against it, you will have a great time camping.

TIP! Camping is something that can relax you, or you may find yourself enduring a trip that isn’t so great. The difference between each experience all comes down to how prepared you are.

If you are camping in a location with dangerous wildlife, be sure to incorporate extra precautions to stow away food securely. This can help you to prevent an attack.

Duct tape is handy to bring along on your camping trip. Tents may be durable, but eventually they can rip. If your tent has damage, duct tape can be used to fixed it so you do not have to worry about getting wet at night.

TIP! Take along some duct tape on your camping trip. While most camping equipment is durable, they can tear or break easily.

Are you the proud owner of your first tent and a first time camper who has just bought your very first sleeping tent? This will help you to be prepared with the confidence to pitch your tent at any time. This lets you get it done before darkness falls at your campsite.

Take time to learn map and compass reading. Although you may be familiar with the area where you are camping, you can still get lost when you arrive because many areas can look similar. Also, this will help to avoid tragedy with friends or family.

TIP! Before setting out on your camping adventure, make sure you can read a map and a compass. Even if you’ve already been to your future campsite, getting lost once there is still a possibility since many areas of the site will look the same.

Make sure that your sleeping bag is fit for where and when you are camping. If you are camping in a colder climate, use a heavy-weight bag and use a light-weight one in the summer.You must have a body closely so that body heat can be retained.

When erecting your tent, ensure that you are able to seal all seams. If your tent doesn’t have it, you may purchase a tube at a sporting goods store. This ensures not only rain, but also critters, are kept from your tent.

TIP! When pitching your tent, always make sure you seal the seams. If your tent doesn’t have it, you may purchase a tube at a sporting goods store.

Keep one eye on your children when you go camping. 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. Disaster can strike in seconds; this makes it imperative that you aren’t watching closely.

As you leave for home, clean up your space. Include trash bags in your supplies to make cleanup easy. Remove any traces of food from the campsite. One big camping rule is that only your footprints should remain when you go home.

TIP! As you leave for home, clean up your space. Trash bags must be packed for use when cleaning up the site.

Even if you’ve been to your campsite before, the area could have changed and you could become lost. You can prevent disaster by knowing how to use these great lifesaving tools.

Choose an appropriate sleeping bag for the season. For example, in the summertime, a lighter bag will keep you cool. But during the cold of winter, you need a thermal bag that will keep you protected from the elements.

TIP! When choosing a sleeping bag, make sure that you pick one that is meant for the season and climate in which you plan to camp. In summer weather, for example, you’ll need a light bag that will help you stay cool.

Clean out your campsite before you finish camping. You will want to bring trash bags on hand for cleaning up all refuse. Make sure to take any food that is left over as leftovers too. The main rule when you’re leaving a campsite is to just leave your footprints behind.

Always bring toilet paper and baby wipes when you go camping. Though leaves offer a natural alternative, it can be very unsavory to do so when paper and wipes are readily available.

TIP! Toilet paper and baby wipes are smart items to pack on any camping trip. Unless you really want to rough it by using leaves, you should always pack plenty of bathroom tissue and wet wipes.

It may sound silly to be reminded of this, but remember to take toilet paper along when you go camping.If you don’t happen to have toilets at your site, toilet paper is imperative to have. It is not advisable to use leaves, so toilet paper will come in handy.

Save your dryer lint and bring it with you when you camp. Lint is quite an effective fire starter. The flames generated by lint are super-bright. You just need to use some lint with a spark, and you can enjoy a nice, warm fire.

TIP! Empty the lint out of your dryer vent and bring it along on a camping trip. You may think this is odd, but lint makes a terrific campfire-building aid.

Sleeping Bag

You must always set up your shelter before dark. If night is already falling, there may not be enough time to get things built before dark. It’s easier to build your nightly shelter while you have plenty of light to help you see what you’re doing.

TIP! You always need to have your shelter set up before it gets dark. It is not always easy to set things up when you can not see well at night.

Choose an appropriate sleeping bag that is made for the season. In the summer you want to have a light, you need a lightweight option.When it’s wintertime, you need to have a sleeping bag that will handle sub zero temperatures.

If your favorite canine or feline is traveling with you while you camp, make sure to pack for him too. Make sure you have a way to restrain them from other animals. It is advisable to also pack a leash. Your pet’s licenses and vaccinations should be up to date. Be sure to pack up water and food specifically for your pet, as well as bowls to serve it all in. Clean up any mess they make, and make sure their waste is properly disposed of.

TIP! When bringing your pet along on a camping trip, make sure that you have everything they will need. Restraints are necessary in case other animals appear.

Make plans in advance so you can have fun activities planned beforehand. You do not need to stick to just toast marshmallows.Try to think of things to do that every family member can have fun with. Think about the ages of both your younger and older kids when choosing activities.

Keep a trail map handy at every turn. It is easier than you might think to make a single error and get seriously lost. A map will lead you in the right direction and can serve as a life saver if you are in a large camp site.

TIP! Purchase a detailed map of the campsite that you are about to enter into. It is easy to get lost by just making a wrong turn.

One thing you must take camping is a solid first aid kit. Make sure the kit contains everything you may need for accidents and injuries. Your kit for first aid should contain painkillers, a kit for snake bites, bandages, snake bite treatments and wound dressings.

It may sound obvious, but your campsite is not your house. Do not leave your campsite filthy or throw trash around. When your camping is over, you should strive to leave the area just as you found it. Respect for nature is important to preserve it as long as possible.

TIP! Remember that the outdoors is home to many animals. That means you shouldn’t just throw your trash around or leave a dirty campsite.

Take some indoor activities with you can do inside. Be certain you have a plan in place if the weather shows up. You may end up spending a great deal of time indoors if it rains. This does not have to mean the end of your trip. Be certain to have lots of activities along to pass time wherever you are.

Be sure to have extra clothing and food along whenever you camp. Extras are very handy, especially for emergencies. You need to be able to cope with any unexpected situation, such as bad weather or delayed departures.

TIP! Don’t skimp on clothes or food for camping trips. It is smart to do this, in case something unexpected happens.

Look for easy-to-prepare recipes that you can make outside in order to have a more interesting menu. Don’t forget to pack spices and seasoning favorites.

If you are camping at a public campsite, you have to follow the campground etiquette. The rules may be posted by the entrance, and there are some unwritten rules as well. Stop playing music if it is past 11pm so you do not disturb any of your fellow campers.

TIP! Practice proper etiquette when camping in public areas. That could mean unspoken rules of conduct or specifically posted regulations.

As long as you plan things out properly and know what is going on, you can have fun camping. Camping is also a way to learn a lot about who you are. Keep the info shared here with you in mind so that you can make the best of your trip and come home with many great memories.

Stake out the restroom possibilities as soon as you get to your campsite. It doesn’t need to be a portable toilet. Find a spot that is away from others to take care of your business. Also, don’t forget toilet paper unless you want to use leaves.

TIP! If you are planning on camping, make sure your campground has an outdoor restroom or area you can use as such. The site may not have an actual restroom.