Boost Your Camping Know How With These Pointers

One of the best ways to spend your vacation time is by camping out in the woods with mother nature! Make sure you are properly prepared with the helpful tips in the following article and that you learn all you can about spending time in a forest before you set out!

Always locate your shelter before dark when you are camping. It can be hard to set up camp when it's dark outside. This is especially true if you are an urbanite whose sight is not used to the pitch dark. Avoid this hazard completely, by finding adequate shelter long before the sun goes down.

As a courtesy to other campers, don't leave your lighting on overnight, if you are close to others. Pack a timer that you can attach to your lights that will automatically shut them off after a certain time. Leaving lights on overnight is a popular complaint among most American campers!

When going camping, try to buy non-perishable items to eat. There are no refrigerators in the wild, so everything you bring has to be kept in good order. You can certainly bring a cooler to put food in, but the cooler will be added bulk on your trip. Therefore, make an effort to bring more non-perishable foods than perishable.

If you have a young child with you, do the math in advance with respect to how much baby food or formula they will need. Make sure you have supplies for them that will last the entire length of your trip. There are no guarantees that a store near your campsite will have these items or will have the type of items that you want.

Let people know where your group is headed. Just in case anything happens to any of you, you want to know that there are people who know where you are at. This is a good precautionary measure to take if something were to happen to your camping group, because help will be on the way soon.

When you reach your campsite, the first thing, you should do is to start collecting wood for your fire. You won't feel like it later on, and if you wait until dark you will have a harder time finding the kind of wood you need to keep a fire going. Do it right away.

Bring oranges with you since they are great for snacking and repelling insects. When you finish eating them, save all of your peels and rub them around your body to use as a natural insect repellent.

If you are camping with others, ensure that there is something available to keep everyone entertained. There is nothing worse than a bored campmate, as they will constantly pester you for activities. Talk to your family and friends before hand and make sure they know how to entertain themselves for the trip.

When you are going camping, do your best to get as early of a start as possible. It will be your job to pitch your tent so you have somewhere to rest comfortably, and that will be much harder for you to do once it starts to get dark outside.

Unless you are a wildlife expert, you should never drink water that you haven't brought to the campsite with you. Water may look crystal clear but actually be home to a host of diseases or bacteria. If you are in an emergency, always choose running water over stagnant water.

Flashlights are imperative to bring while camping as there is minimal light in the wilderness. You'll need these items to help you be able to see after dark, which may be necessary at times. Light can also help to illuminate the wildlife that is around you. When you go camping and your kids come along, it is smart to let them each have their own flashlight.

Just because your tent is labeled waterproof, do not count on it to keep you dry when it rains. Pack a couple extra-large tarps to take along with you. Use one to set on the ground under your tent and keep one dry to use to cover your tent if it looks like it is going to rain hard.

Consider leaving a handwritten note to the following campers. In this note, you can inform them of some things that interested you during your camping experience. You could even wish them well during their stay. This is a nice gesture they are certain to appreciate, and it only takes a few short minutes of your time.

If you have never been camping before, then be sure to bring extra of everything. This is most important for things like food and drinks. Since you are inexperienced you may underestimate how much food you actually need. Remember, you will probably be very active, and therefore need more food than normal.

Be prepared if you get lost on a camping trip. You should know how to use a map, compass, and GPS device before leaving for your trip. You should also keep these on your person during your trip. If you stray too far from your campsite, these items can help you get back quickly and safely.

You should have a method for purifying your water on hand when you camp, including a few purifying tablets. You may think that you've packed enough water, but in case of an emergency, it is best to pack a few tablets as backup. You should test these tablets at home before using them on your camping trip; this ensures you are familiar with the taste. You will want to get a different type of tablet it you find out that you don't like the way your water taste.

Reading a map and using a compass are two things that should be done before heading out for a used canvas tents camping trip. Even if this isn't your first time at the site, it's easy to get lost in the woods since a lot of things look the same. Also, this will help to avoid tragedy with friends or family.

If you will be camping for an extended amount of time, you may want to take the time to pack some entertainment. Don't bring a ton of electronics, but a book or music is great.

Hopefully after reading the advice in this article, you have a clearer idea of where to set up your next camping spot. Remember, where you choose to set up camp can be the factor that determines if your trip will be fun or not, so choose wisely and prepare for the experience of a lifetime.