Camping can be a fun way to forget about your responsibilities. But, without the proper planning, your trip might not be so enjoyable. In this article, you’ll be given tips that can help your next camping excursion to go smoothly.
Find your best place for camping shelter long before nightfall. Once things go dark, you will find it very hard to erect a tent, locate wood and cook a meal. This is really important for people who live in the city. Don’t let this happen to you. Look for adequate shelter before it gets this dark.
Make sure your sleeping bag is right for the weather. A sleep bag designed for winter camping would make you sweat during the summer. On the other hand, bringing a light-weight bag in the middle of winter could cause you to wake up freezing. Using a lighter sleeping bag in the winter could actually lead to you developing hypothermia.
Don’t worry about over-packing for your kids. Camping can be messy. Children seem to be dirt magnets. As they go about enjoying the natural surroundings, you may find that dirt is added to dirt. You don’t want to interrupt their fun, it’s a joy of camping after all; but, keep some extra clothing with you for them. Always prepare!
Kids love camping, but you need to plan out activities for them to do on the trip. Your kids may start to get bored when you are out in the woods. Are they used to pitching tents and fishing? Expose them to these activities prior to embarking on your trip.
If you are a novice camper, choose a destination close to home for your first trip. You may run into problems that will require you to shorten your trip, like problems with equipment. Maybe you’ll run low on food or not have enough clothing with you. Lots of calamities can befall new campers, so sticking close to home at first is wise.
Pack plenty of food of the proper variety. Food that is resistant to spoiling, or that can be kept cold in your cooler, are the best options to choose. Food poisoning could put an end to your nice vacation. Learn the right type of food preparations meant for camping before you go.
Find a soft and flat spot to pitch your tent when you are camping in the wilderness. Picking a sloped or rocky spot causes you to feel uncomfortable anytime you sit in your tent. Prevent water from getting in by placing a tarp or plastic sheet under the floor of your tent.
Flashlights, spare batteries and an oil lantern are always handy items to have with you on your trip. You will likely need to see when it gets dark out. If you have the proper lighting, you can prevent experiencing bad falls or wildlife encounters. If your children are along on your camping trip, give them each their own flashlight.
Consider the erection spot for your tent carefully. You need to avoid setting up your camping site close to wasp’s nests and other insect breeding grounds. Granted, even if you are cautious, you should still protect yourself from insects using long garments to keep them off of your skin. You might also want to carry bug repellent too.
Utility knives are great to have when camping. It is even better if you have more than one. Utility knives serve many functions so bring along at least one.
Before setting out on your camping adventure, make sure you can read a map and a compass. You can get lost in the woods even if you have been to the area before. Avoid problems by learning to use these items that can save your life.
When your camping trip is over, make sure to leave a clean campsite behind. Be sure to pack large plastic bags for clearing away trash. Don’t leave any food behind either. The best practice to follow when camping is to clean the campsite well, and leave only your footprints behind.
So many people suffer from food poisoning because food is not stored and prepared correctly. If food is not properly vacuum-sealed, canned, or preserved, you risk getting sick from spoiled food. Take a lot of ice for keeping food cold and pull out drain plugs so you don’t soak the food.
What will you do about cooking food while camping? Before leaving, you will want to know what cooking method will be used so the proper supplies can be packed. Open-flame cooking is great fun, but you need to be prepared with the right equipment to take advantage of this.
Always do everything possible to stay safe while on a camping trip. This means you need to avoid large and small wildlife. Don’t be fooled into thinking that smaller animals are safe to be around. Even a small animal can be deadly, especially if they are carrying a disease. Everyone should know, but some are unaware, that you should never feed any bears or other wildlife when camping.
Make sure that your camping trip schedule is full of fun activities. You do not need to stick to just sitting around a campfire and roasting marshmallows. Try to be creative and do some activities that every family member can have fun with. Take older and younger kids into consideration when thinking of something to do.
As was said before, camping is often enjoyable. However, if you do not prepare yourself, the trip can quickly turn into a nightmare. Use this advice to make sure that the next time you go camping, everything goes smoothly. Always keep in mind that you should be enjoying yourself!