It doesn’t matter where you decide to camp, always prepare yourself for a fun time. Read the following article and you will find ways to make your time under the stars a success. You will be thankful that you followed the advice from this article.
If you’re bringing kids on your camping trip, over-pack for them. Camping can be a messy affair. Kids simply love to get dirty. As the day moves along, your children are going to get really messy. By packing a few extra changes of clothes, your children can be presentable at dinner. Staying prepared is the best way to avoid issues on your trip.
You might think you can find enough wood for your fire in the woods, but the wood you find might be wet and not want to burn. Make sure you bring some of your own dry kindling and make sure it stays in a dry area.
Examine your medical insurance policy. You may need an additional policy when you are traveling on your camping trip. Popping over the border into Canada could also cause an issue. It is important to always be prepared.
Bring a survival kit with you and be sure to always have it on you. Things to include in your survival pack are a knife, matches that are waterproof, first aid kit, flares and tablets to purify water. For any life threatening situation, these items may be the only thing standing between you and disaster. Keep your kit with you at all times; don’t leave it at the campsite.
Be prepared to handle any emergency that may arise and have a plan in place. The content of this kit should be personalized to the type of camping you will be doing. Some extra emergency supplies like anti-venom may be included, too, depending on the types of wildlife you may encounter.
Make your kids a “jungle breakfast”. Pack breakfasts of cereal, juice and fruit in bags and hide them somewhere on the campsite. When your kids get up, have them hunt down their breakfast. This is a wonderful way to add fun to their camping enjoyment.
Before camping, get some camping pillows. Since standard pillows can pick up a lot of humidity, debris or even creepy-crawlers, leave them safely at home. On top of that, they will mildew rapidly as they suck in moisture. Camping pillows do not have these problems.
During a camping trip, try to go swimming at some point. When you’re out camping, it’s really easy to miss your shower at home. 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!
Make sure that you are aware of the perils around the camping site that you choose. That include deadly spiders, sheer drops, and flash flood areas. Every location has its own dangers.
Before you embark on any camping trip you should be sure you have emergency supplies on hand, like a first aid kit and more. Your kit’s contents will change depending upon the season and location of your trip, but you should always bring the basics. Species specific antivenom should be packed to protect against animal bites.
Camping’s main idea is to generally live off of the land, however, you still need to be well-prepared. While a sleeping bag is obvious, it is still a good idea to bring extra blankets. This is useful for nights where the temperature gets too cold or as extra padding when sleeping on hard ground.
Pack oranges on your camping trip for nutritious and convenient snacking as well as organic mosquito repellant. After you’ve enjoyed the orange, keep all the peels. If the mosquitoes are swarming, rub the peels over your body to keep them at bay.
An orange peel may just be the natural answer to repelling mosquitoes when you’re out camping. Thus, if you forget the repellant, but remember the oranges, you’re still in luck! Rub this inner peel of the orange over your exposed skin and watch the magic at work. This should keep you free from mosquitoes and other pesky insects of the woods for hours.
Try to get your camp fully set up by nightfall. If you’re driving an RV, find a safe parking spot. When pitching a tent, a level, dry area is needed. Doing so before nightfall will allow you to familiarize yourself with your surroundings. This can help to reduce the stress that you have during your trip.
Take pictures of your children with you when you camp. While it is a worst case scenario, a child can easily be separated from the rest of the party, and a picture will make it easier to locate them. Always keep one ready for emergency use, especially when a good distance from the home.
Remember the Boy Scout motto – be prepared! It is important to plan, but sometimes unexpected things happen. Weather conditions may abruptly change for the worse, someone could get sick or injured, along with a number of other possible mishaps. Never take unnecessary risks or be careless, and always think before you act.
Beef jerky and trail mix are great foods to bring on your camping trip. These grab-and-go snacks are great for taking on a hike or as a snack after a long day when you don’t feel like preparing a meal. Such foods will also remain edible for quite some time, so will not go to waste if you don’t eat them up on your trip.
If you are pitching a tent, look for soft, level ground. A sloped and/or rocky area will make any time spent inside the tent very uncomfortable. Always lay down some tarp first to prevent any water damage to the tent.
A wonderful tip for camping is to take extra utility knives. The versatility of a utility knife makes it priceless when you are out camping. Bring one to slip into your pocket and throw a backup knife into your bag. You never know when your utility knife will come in handy!
Prior to leaving for a camping journey, be sure to draft a list of necessary supplies. If you have to travel a long way to reach the campsite, this is particularly vital. Pack your bags at least a day or more ahead of time, and keep a list to check off your items.
It might silly, but remember to take toilet paper along when you go camping. If you camp somewhere without restrooms, you are going to have to go in the woods. You do not want to use leaves to wipe yourself, as they may contain poison ivy, so take your toilet paper with you.
Be sure that you have a good amount of lighting devices with you, as well as means of keeping them running. You will likely need to see when it gets dark out. Make sure areas are well-lit to avoid falls or animal issues. When camping with children, give each child a flashlight.
Do not set your camp near a bathroom. People quickly realize that camping near bathrooms is a bad idea. While you can use the bathroom area for lighting, it also is an attraction point for a lot of people. Because of that, they aren’t really as convenient as one might think.
Don’t let your kids out of your sight. Cars and campers will be pulling in and out, and there is always the possibility of little ones getting quickly lost in an unfamiliar forest. It doesn’t take much time for something to occur, so be sure your kids are properly supervised.
Take the measures necessary to have a safe camping trip. That means avoid camping near areas that have large animals. Small animals can pose a threat if they feel they are in danger. Avoid feeding bears if you happen to see them.
Carefully plan what types of clothing you will wear during your camping trip. This way you’ll have enough clean clothing for your trip. Also, check the weather so that you can dress accordingly. Robust hiking boots that do not tear are another great item to bring while camping.
Here is a quick way to see if you would enjoy camping in the outdoors. Pitch a tent in your backyard, and sleep in it for the night. Stay out of the house. You will probably enjoy camping if you enjoy doing this.
Camping can be a great experience or it can be a miserable one. Whether it goes well or not is usually determined by how prepared you are. If you prepare for different scenarios, you’re more likely to have an enjoyable trip.
First aid kits are critical to any camping trip. This should include anything you might need if you have an accident. Pain killers, bandages, snake bite supplies, and gauze should all be included in the kit. You must be prepared for any type of accident or illness that could occur while camping.
Learn how to read a map or use a compass ahead of time. 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. Using a map or compass can actually save your life if you’re lost. Learn to use them so that you don’t suffer a tragic fate.
Keep water purification tablets packed when going on a camping trip. Even if you plan ahead or boil any water you can collect, you may need something in a hurry. Try a couple of tablets out before you leave home to ensure you know what the water will taste like. To remain properly hydrated, you need to drink plenty of water, so before you leave on your trip, make sure that the tablets you choose do not give the water a taste so unpleasant that you will not drink it.
Always bring lots of sunscreen. It is vital that you protect your delicate skin from the sun’s rays. Choose a sunscreen that has a high SPF. If possible, you may wish to purchase a sunscreen which provides additional protection against biting bugs. This can minimize the amount of chemicals you are putting on your skin daily.
Ensure that you go to the bathroom downstream if applicable. This way, the water will not be contaminated by your refuse. Try to take care of this business more than a hundred yards from your campsite.
As you’ve read, camping can be something that you all enjoy. By using the information that you have learned here, you can plan for a trip that even those who do not like the outdoors can enjoy. So, get into nature and marvel and soak in the many miracles that are out there.
If you camp in an area that hosts snakes, snake-proof your campsite. Stay away from piles of rocks or wood as well as thick or deep brush. Check everything you have to makes sure a snake didn’t slither into things like your clothes, bags, or boots. Keep your tent sealed, and pack the edges with sand or earth to prevent a snake from crawling under it when you’re asleep.
