Are you getting the familiar urge to hit the road for a trip to the nearest campground? Whether you want to spend a week in the wilderness or just a night at the local campground, it is essential to have a plan. You can find everything you need to know about planning a trip that will be safe and fun in the article below.
When camping, bring the sleeping bag that appeals to the season that you are in. You are going to be really hot and uncomfortable camping in the summertime if your sleeping bag is rated for sub-zero temperatures. If you use a lightweight sleeping bag during the winter, you can spend your night shivering if it’s cold outside. In the worst case, you could be putting yourself at risk of getting frostbite or even worse.
Bring sleeping bags appropriate for the season. Don’t take a heavy sleeping bag out in the summer, it could make you sweat and be uncomfortable all night long. On the other hand, if you pack a lighter summer bag during cold weather camping, you are going to not get any rest. In the worst case, you could be putting yourself at risk of getting frostbite or even worse.
While it may be that there’s enough wood around to keep a fire going for a long time, some of the wood may be wet and cannot burn no matter what you try. Therefore, take some wood with you on your camping trip and store it in a location where it can remain dry.
Although you might assume the woods will offer you plenty of firewood for your camping needs, nature may surprise you with rain-soaked logs or wood that will not easily ignite. It’s always prudent to bring wood that you have gathered beforehand, and to store it in a location where it will stay dry.
Affirm that your insurance is intact before you leave on your trip. Sometimes when you go to a different place, you’ll have to get an additional policy to cover you. If you are going to a foreign country, this is especially critical. Be sure you’re prepared to be on the safe side!
Read up on your medical insurance. Sometimes, being covered while out of state requires an additional policy. This comes into effect, more so, when you are traveling out of the country. Be prepared in case there is an injury or illness.
Dryer lint is a great item to bring if you are trying to start a campfire. Collect your dryer lint about a month before you go camping. To make it easy to collect dryer lint, simply hang a bag next to the dryer and fill with your lint. That way, it will be convenient to just grab it at put it in your car at the last minute.
Kids might enjoy a camping activity called the “jungle breakfast.” Take juice boxes, mini cereal boxes and fruit and tie the food to trees. Once the children are awake, tell them they need to forage for their meal. It’s a great way to add a little magic to the camping experience.
Bring oranges. Not only are they nutritious, but the peels can be used for mosquito repellant. After enjoying the sweet juicy fruit, use the inside of the peel to rub on skin for a chemical free insect repellant.
Before the sun goes down, make sure that you have your camp completely set up. If you are traveling in an RV, park it in a well secured area. When you find a camping area, make sure that your tent is pitched on a flat area that isn’t near any unsafe ledges. Doing this when you still have daylight lets you get familiar with the area. By setting up camp during the daylight, you can avoid the frustration associated with setting up camp.
When taking children camping, you must make sure they understand camping hazards. Check out the plants that elicit poison ivy to better prepare for the dangers of camping.
Always have all your gear prepared before the trip. Forgetting your sleeping bag or food is not what you want to happen. Create a checklist if you feel like you are going to forget something.
Take a few things with you to entertain yourself while you’re camping. Create a good scavenger hunt list, pack some fishing poles and carry along some board or card games to entertain you while sitting in the middle of the woods. This is especially important if children are going to be camping.
Kids love camping, especially when you plan activities that they can do. When you are in the woods with nothing around but trees, they may become bored. They probably aren’t used to camping activities such as pitching a tent or fishing. Spend a day teaching them what they need to know before you leave for your trip.
If the area in which you’ll be camping is well known for wildlife that poses a danger, special precautions must be taken regarding your food. Take safety precautions, such as wrapping your items in many layers for protection. This will reduce your chances of being attacked.
Duct Tape
When you get to the campsite, set your tent up on the flattest, softest ground you can find. If you select a bumpy or slanted area, you will have an uncomfortable experience in your tent. Make sure to put a tarp down so that water cannot penetrate your tent.
A handy tool that will make your life easier when camping, is duct tape. A roll of duct tape has a great number of uses on a campsite. It can be used as a quick patch in the case of a punctured air mattress. It can seal a rip in your tent, sleeping bag, or tarp. When walking for a long time, it can also help avoid blisters. In a pinch, it can even serve as a bandage for injuries.
When going on a camping trip, it is vital that you bring several lanterns and/or flashlights, as well as extra batteries with you. Flashlights will be essential at night. If you have a flashlight or lamp you can avoid injury, such as getting poked in the eye by a branch. Make sure you have at least enough flashlights for each person to have their own.
Are you just starting out in the world of camping? Practice putting your tent up before going camping. By doing this, you will know all the equipment that you will need to take with you to effectively pitch the tent. This will also help you be able to accomplish the task quickly and efficiently once you arrive at your campsite, even if it is near dark.
Use an orange to help prevent bug bites. This can be used if you have forgotten your insect repellant. Rub the white, pithy insides of the orange skin over your skin. This can keep mosquitoes at bay for a number of hours.
Flashlights, lanterns and a few extra batteries must be taken for every camping trip. There will be times when you will need to see clearly after the sun goes down. Sufficient light can help you avoid falling or bumping into to animals. When camping with children, give each child a flashlight.
Decide what clothing you will need before you make your trip. Take extra pairs of clothes to last you throughout your whole trip. It is also important to have clothing that is right for the weather you might encounter. Make sure to pack a good pair of shoes to hike in as well.
It’s a great idea to bring along beef jerky or trail mix when you go camping. When the sun sets and you get too exhausted to cook that night’s meal, you can cheat once or twice and eat some of those tasty, filling snacks you’ve now decided to pack. Also, these types of snacks have a long shelf life, so you can always reuse them on the next camping trip if they don’t get eaten this time.
Figure out how to read maps and use a compass before your camping trips. Even if you are familiar with your intended campsite, you could still get lost because many areas look the same. Learning how to actually use certain items will help you avoid getting lost.
Learn how to read a map or use a compass ahead of time. You can get lost no matter where you are camping, keep that in mind. To avoid a potential tragedy, carry a map and compass with you.
Seal the seams on your tent when you’re putting it up. If tent sealer was not provided with the tent, you can purchase some at a sporting goods store. That can keep rain and critters outside your tent.
If you are tenting, it is important that you seal any of the seams in your tent. If your tent doesn’t have a tube, you can find easily find them. This will stop critters and rainwater from entering your tent.
Food poisoning is important to avoid when going on a camping trip. Food that has not been preserved, vacuum sealed or canned can spoil and give you food poisoning. Make sure food and drinks stay at a safe temperature by using enough ice. Most coolers have a plug that you can open, this drains the excess water, so your food won’t get wet.
When you’re done with your trip, be sure to leave behind a clean campsite. Trash bags must be packed for use when cleaning up the site. Look around for any excess food, don’t leave it behind. When you leave a campsite, the only thing left should be your footprints.
A first aid kid is essential to have in your camping gear. The kit has to have in it everything you need in an emergency situation. You need to put essentials in your kit such as splints, bandages, snake bite remedies and gauze for dressing wounds. Being safe is very important when you’re in the wild and accidents will happen, so be prepared.
One of the most common problems campers have is food poisoning from spoiled or improperly handled food. Bring preserved foods and foods that don’t spoil easily. Pack plenty of ice to keep any perishable foods cold and remember to pull the drain plug in the cooler so the food does not get soaked.
Always bring lots of sunscreen. Protecting yourself from UV rays is very important. Find sunscreen that will protect your skin adequately. You might even consider a sunscreen with bug protection. It’s not desirable to have a lot of chemicals on your skin as you camp.
Make sure that you take into consideration all safety precautions while camping. It is usually best to avoid the wild animals, big and small, that you may encounter. Small wildlife, such as squirrels, can be very dangerous despite their tiny size. Keep your food out of reach of bears at all time, and do not try to interact with them.
Take water purification tablets with you. You might think you’ve packed plenty of clean water, or you might plan to boil all your water, but sometimes unexpected situations arise and your supply is not enough. It is also a good idea to try out the tablets once or twice at home before you leave, so you have some idea what the taste is like. It would be bad if you were to dislike the taste and end up dehydrated during your trip.
After reading this article you should be ready to plan that camping trip. Most of the things you need for a week or also necessary for overnight trips. Get yourself prepared today so that your future trip will go as smoothly as it possibly can, and you can avoid any dangers out there.
When camping near running water, take care of any private business downstream from your camp. This prevents the water flowing near your campsite from being contaminated. Relieve yourself a minimum of 300 feet downstream.
