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.
Well! This is the first time I will be going to camp by myself and I need it for me to recreate and think things over. This post has really proved very helpful and detailed for me as I found most things here to ve very helpful. Thank you so much because I will make judicious use of this and make sure to keep all these to heart especially the food storage.
Thanks for the comment and if you need more info, take a look at my other post below. Good luck and enjoy!
https://worldexplorerclub.com/…
Greetings,
This is one of my favorite outdoor activities.
Though my level of expertise is not that great
Yet, i have tried to gather some knowledge from
Tv shows like Naked and Afraid.
So it is great to find a reliable source of tips
like this publication.
I have subscribed so that i do not miss out on the upcoming
Tips and will be sharing with my friends.
Thank you for making this available.
Thanks for subscribing and more tips will be coming soon.
Thanks a lot for this great post about camping tips, I wanna ask a question if someone is going for a camp in and he forgets to talk along with a first aid box and some accidents occur during the camping exercise, will there be something he can quickly improvise on about this? maybe some with some plants or any other thing thanks a lot for the tips you have listed about camping.
That is a great question, I haven’t had any major accidents happen throughout my camping career. Although you never know. Before using plants and such out there, I would recommend doing a little research on the area because there are plants that can do more harm than good. I would also get a book on basic outdoor survival skills. In there it will show you how you can use things that are readily available for first aid and emergencies.
Very well detailed and enlightening. Getting to ensure that the campsite is worth it alone has been a difficulty for me. I plan to go primitive and I would love to explore every possibilities to make the experience worth while. Though I and my hubby would be going to camp but then, the things I have learnt through here would prove vital when we get there. Really thoughtful of you to share
Thank you for your comment and going primitive is more fun than going to a campsite.
Hello there thanks for this awesome article this something that you cannot get anywhere else because most people don’t have the time to get this important things for the public.i have been looking for tips on camping because me and friends where planning on going camping but I just need some tips to tweak our setup.i just have one question do you have any go choice for camping tents?
It all depends when you are going to be camping. There are tents that are made for different seasons and some made just for warmer weather. And it also depends on your budget as well.
The main thing that you want to consider is how many people will be going camping. The rule of thumb in tents is that you should get one person bigger. For example, if two of you are going. Then get a three man tent.
Also, I would recommend getting one that has a vestibule. The vestibule is a covering just outside the tent so you don’t bring mud into the tent.
Make sure that a footing comes with the tent. The footing is a covering at the bottom to protect from objects puncturing through. If there isn’t one, you can use a tarp as well and it will do the same trick.
Good luck
Finally, I have found a great post about camping for beginners just like I am. I have never used this biodegradable toilet paper. Is it the same quality as the regular TP? I mean, I hate those when your fingers just go through and at the end, you don’t really need that paper at all…
So Is This biodegradable paper “stiff” enough?
Even though it is biodegradable, it is strong enough to not have your fingers go through. And by the way, I have had the finger go through the TP which is not fun when you are out in the wilds.
I am not a camper, although I was in the army and slept in army tents when in field maneuvers. But on to your site. Your topic certainly finds a wide and diverse market audience. People from all walks of life are connected to the outdoors. Many of us are beginners and your articles introduce and encourage us to experience the joys of outdoor activities. Your articles shout out that you are experienced in outdoor living and that your insights can be reliably accepted. I don’t think there was anything about your article that I found to criticize. I have read so many website articles that the author did not really know what he was writing about, but not yours. Your stories only added to your authenticity as a writer. Clearly your topic and article meshed perfectly. I enjoyed reviewing your site for this comment.
Thank you for your comment. For me the outdoors is refreshing and a place where I can feel freedom.