Top 10 Camping Tips
Fun for Everyone
Camping can be a fun and exciting experience for all. Here are some tips to make it even better.
Respect Your Camping Neighbors & the Environment
DO NOT:
10. Leave your dog's poop where it lands. Pick it up with a scooper or plastic bag and throw it away in the garbage! It is very unpleasant (and downright NASTY) to step in dog poop, especially when your dog didn't do it or you don't even have a dog.
9. Burn your trash in the campfire. Not all trash burns well and some things may even be toxic. Use trash bags for all refuse and dispose of properly.
8. Party late into the night. Everyone wants to have a good time on the camping trip but some people do like to sleep.
7. Talk or play music loudly. Neighboring campers do not want to hear your conversation or your taste in music.
6. Take up more than your share of space or encroach on a neighbor's campsite. Sometimes campsites are a little small but check dimensions if you can before you reserve so that you have ample space for your camping equipment.
5. Chop off branches or chop down trees in the campground to use as firewood. Dead wood on the ground is usually ok to use. It is against the law in many states to bring in firewood from another state so check with the campground first. Transporting firewood more than 50 miles from its origination point can introduce insect species and disease to a new area.
4. Be unfriendly to other campers. You don't have to become best friends but you can meet people from all over the world while camping. That's part of the fun of it.
3. Set up camp in the middle of the night. OK, sometimes this is inevitable but try to confine set-up to daytime hours.
2. Walk/bike through other campsites. Imagine someone riding a bike through the middle of your front yard at home!
1. Leave your campsite dirtier or messier than when you arrived. Even if it isn't yours, clean it up. Popular reminders such as "Leave only footprints, take only photographs" and "Pack it in, pack it out" should be followed.
Leave no trace.
The Leave No Trace organization has a multitude of tips for enjoying the outdoors without disturbing the natural order of things. Check out their website at http://www.nols.edu/lnt/.
More About Camping
- The Top 5 Reasons to Go on a Family Camping Vacation
Camping as a family can be a blast. Here are my top five reasons to explore a family camping vacation. - Camping in the Southeast United States - My Top Six Spots
Camping in the Southeast United States offers a variety of experiences, from the beach to mountains. Here are six favorites. - What You Should Know Before Camping in Cades Cove
Make reservations for this popular campground - especially for holidays, all summer and October. The 159 sites fill up very quickly. Online reservations are available at http://www.recreation.gov. ...
