Do you put a tarp under your tent?
Going camping can be exciting, but to make sure your trip is truly enjoyable, you need to properly prepare. The hints and tips laid out here give you great advice for making your future camping trips a wonderful success.
To increase your sleeping experience while camping, bring a pad along that you can place under your sleeping bag. This pad acts as a barrier between you and the hard ground where twigs and tree knots may cause strange sleeping conditions. If a pad isn't handy, bring a few extra blankets that you can fold over on themselves to create some cushion.
While you have this vision of a fun-filled camping trip, many times scrapes and cuts just seem to come with all that fun. Be sure you take a first-aid kit with you into nature because accidents just happen, and it's always better to be safe than sorry. Hopefully, it will stay packed safely away, but you will have the peace of mind that you are prepared if something does happen.
A Frisbee makes for excellent support under paper plates, and can avoid the usual camping spillage and drops! Grab as many of them as you have around your home or yard, or pick up a few at your local dollar-type store. They conveniently stack for easy, space-saving packing and are tremendously helpful with little one's meals.
Keep the needs of your family in mind before selecting a destination. For example, if you have a baby or toddler, it may be best to stick close to home in case things don't go as planned. If you have teenagers, however, you may enjoy traveling to a different state. Choose what is best for you!
Take only photos and leave only footprints. That is the rule of thumb when camping. Only use the natural resources that you need and do not leave any traces that you were camping when you leave. Pick up all trash, extinguish and cover any fire pits, bury all human waste, and make the area where you camped look exactly as it did when you found it.
When collecting wood for a campfire, focus on three different sizes: the finger-size wood, that will catch fire right away, the arm-size wood that will keep it going, and the leg-size wood that will allow you to keep the fire going for a long time. Getting different sizes of wood helps you to start the fire and keep it going.
When camping, most people enjoy relaxing around a campfire. To prevent your fire from becoming out of control, you should incorporate a few safety practices. First of all, build your fire away from bushes and trees so that sparks from your fire will not start a forest fire. You will also want to use a circle of rocks to contain your campfire. Do not ever leave your fire unattended. Before leaving your campsite, make sure your campfire has been totally extinguished and that there are no remaining hot embers.
When traveling to your camping destination, plan on stopping and having a meal when you're near the campground, but before you actually arrive. Being well fed before arriving will ease frustrations if the campground is full, or if it takes longer to get your gear set up. Use this break to discuss your plans and to remind rent glamping tents everyone of how to remain safe!
Be sure to choose the right site for your camping experience. The camping site can make or break your trip. Try to choose a site that is not too far away from help should you need it. Choose a site that is flat and somewhat apart from trees. You want a location that is far from critters and close to aid.
When you are packing your clothing for a camping trip, remember that it is best to dress in layers. This way, you can add or remove clothing to make you more comfortable. Take along a rain coat that you can put on top of every other layer to keep you dry if it rains.
Pack extra flashlights and batteries. It can get quite dark at night, away from all the city lights. A light source is very important. Bring a few spare flashlights just in case. Make sure that you pack extra batteries as well. A light source is something you do not want to find yourself without.
Make sure you have cover in case of rain. When you're out in the woods, a rainstorm can be wet, cold and uncomfortable. Make sure you have some kind of protection against the rain, whether it be a tent, cabin or lean-to. In a pinch, you can use a garbage bag as a poncho!
Make sure you secure all sources of food at night when you go to sleep. There are many animals that can frequent campgrounds at night and scavenge your food, especially when left open and unattended for hours. You don't want to wake up to your food scattered everywhere, and you left with a shortage.
It is important that you dress appropriately for the outdoors when you go on a camping trip. Dressing in layers is the key! This proves perfect when temperatures increase in the summertime, or cool down in the wintertime. Don't forget to pack some rain gear in case the conditions turn wet.
Bring along plenty of zip-lock bags on your camping trip, for a great mixing tool with foods as well as great storage. Always make sure the bag is completely sealed, then pop in any foods you need to combine, like chicken and batter or steak with marinade! Zip-lock bags are the best at keeping anything you need water-proofed too.
Bring toilet paper along when you travel. You may be camping in an area that doesn't offer toilets, so you will need to find other places to go to the bathroom. You definitely don't want to depend on leaves for cleaning yourself, because they could have been in contact with poison ivy.
When camping out, you're going to have bugs. Some of them are fine, and some of them; you don't want them around you. To limit the amount of bugs you must deal with, keep your campsite clean. Bees and ants are attracted to sugary soda cans and messes, so dispose of your trash immediately.
Camping is an educational and rewarding adventure for kids, and equally so for adults. As you can see, making the most of your camping outing does not have to be difficult. This article has offered some ideas to help you prepare for some situations you may encounter and leave worries behind.