Great beginner camping tips

Going on your first camping trip should be an adventure and not something that you dread to do.  One of the greatest things about going camping is that you get to refresh your mind and your overall wellbeing.  I think all of us know how the day to day living can take a toll on our minds and that can start building monotony in our lives.

So, with that said camping can liven up your senses and help with a fresh new perspective.  And who knows, maybe you will want to continue on this journey and create a new hobby.

There are a lot of things that can happen before, during, and after your camping experience.  So in this post, I am going to go over some great beginner camping tips that you can use to make your experience better.

Now, this is just a few that I feel are important that I feel will help you big time as a beginner to the camping world.  As you grow in your camping experience, you will find things that will help you and make it easier for you.

So, for now, let’s take a look at these tips so you can get started in this awesome outdoor activity.

Setting up your campsite

Setting up your campsite doesn’t have to be rocket science, although there are some things that I am going to suggest here.

One of the things that I’ve seen a lot of people who are new to camping do is pick any old spot to set up their campsite.  If you are going to a campground which is already set up with sites that are flat and ready to go, then great!  You can pick the site that is to your liking.

The one thing that you must know is depending on the time of year that you plan to go camping, it will dictate if there will be space available.  Some of these sites, you have to book months in advance.

On the other hand, if you decide to go primitive.  Meaning there are no showers, bathrooms, or running water coming from a spigot.  Then you won’t have to worry about booking a space.

When I pick a spot whether it’s on a campground or via primitive, I’ll try to find the flattest spot to pitch my tent.  Also, I take into account the trees that are around so as to not have branches come crashing down on me in the middle of the night. And other aspects of the site as well just of the sake of safety.

I also bring along a table and camp chairs to eat meals or play games on.  Some of the more civilized campgrounds provide picnic tables so that is one thing that you won’t have to pack.

If you are on a camping trip out in the backcountry where there aren’t any bathrooms or showers, you can set up a portable shower and the same goes for your latrine.  You should set up your latrine 100 to 200 yards away from your camp and any body of water.

Whether you are taking a portable latrine or going the old cat hole route, always use biodegradable toilet paper on your campout.  The reason for that is they break down quicker than your normal toilet paper.  And there are a lot of different brands to choose from.

Since this might be your first time camping, I would recommend bringing along a propane stove with two burners.  That way you can cook your food and not have to worry about building a fire and getting it nice and hot to start cooking your food.

If you decide to build a fire at your camp, make sure to check on the campground rules in regards to this.  Most campgrounds only want you to use wood that is from around the area.  This would stop insects and diseases from being introduced to the local flora and fauna.

Making meal time easy on your campout

When you reach your destination campground, you will have a lot of things that you will be thinking about especially if this is your first time camping. Meal preparation should be the last thing that you would want to worry about.

For my first campout, I remember we took easily to cook foods such as hot dogs and hamburgers.  As time progressed we learned to prepare our meals beforehand and put them in Tupperware containers.  And when the time came, we just took them out and heated the food up.

If you decide to go out for longer then an overnight camp, sure you can still bring along the hot dogs and hamburgers.  Although that can get old really fast.

Planning your meals before you leave the house and putting them in containers and storing them in coolers over ice will make it easier for you in the long run.

Speaking of coolers, most everyone has the old igloo coolers around.  They work great with the exception that they don’t hold ice together as long.  This means if you are on an extended stay at camp, you will have to make a run to the local convenience store to get more ice.

Some coolers are now made to keep ice longer.  Although they might be a little bit pricey but well worth the investment if you plan to take a lot more camping trips.  So, if you plan to stay longer then a day, I would look into investing in that type of cooler.

Where to store your food

Where to store your food in camp all depends on where you are camping at.  For example, if you are in a national park, there is a good chance that there are bears there.  And as most of you know bears have been known to break into cars just to get at food.

My suggestion is if you know that you are in bear country and don’t want that problem, you should store your food in a bag and tie the bag with rope and hoist it up into a tree.  The other thing is you would want to put it a least 100 yards away from camp.

Generally, bears and other critters in the woods shy away from humans.  With the exception of the ones that have been trained by people who leave food around and don’t clean up after themselves.  That is when bears who are opportunistic will start to come around your camp looking for goodies.

It reminds me of watching Yogi bear cartoons.  And how he is always looking for a picnic basket.  But just so you know, the real ones aren’t gentle loving creatures.

With that said, if you are not in bear country, you can safely store your food in your vehicle.

Before going on your camping trip whether you are going to a campground or primitive, I would do some research as to what kind of creatures live in the area.  This is not to scare you, although if this is your first time camping, it is better to know then be surprised.

One more thing about your campsite is that it is good practice to leave no trace behind.  Which means not to leave food scraps or trash.  Whatever you brought with you, must be brought out.  That way the next campers will be able to enjoy the outdoors as well

How long should my first campout be

The amount of time that you spend in your first campout is entirely up to you. Although since this would be your first time doing this, I would recommend going out for just a day.  That way you can get the feel of setting up your tent and campsite.

You have to remember that there are going to be a lot of things going on at once and it will take a little bit to get used to set up.

On your first camping trip, I would suggest going out with a person who has already done it several times.  That way you can learn the tips and tricks that they use.

And as time progresses and if you decide to stick with it, you will ultimately have your own tips and tricks to make your experience much better.

Let’s put this knowledge to work

You now have an idea of camping from some of these great beginner camping tips.  Although as time goes along and with experience, you will have more tips that you will develop for yourself.

And when that time comes, there is going to be someone else who will want to learn about going camping.  That is when you can share your tips with them.

Hopefully, this will help you in your camping quest, I would appreciate it if you leave a comment or have a question down below.