The Lure of Camping
The lure of camping has been a part of our DNA since the days of the mountain man, hunting, trapping, enjoying the great outdoors, the aroma of the forest, escaping the city, having a campfire, and just roughing it. Yet, unless campers were in scouting programs as a child, many of the campers that come to the forest, have no idea how to safely camp in the forest. I have often said that we as campground hosts, need to stop campers at the entrance to the campground and do a Camp 101 class before they can camp. Anyone can buy a tent online or at the local sporting goods store or on the internet, for a reasonable price, but do they understand that there is more to camping than setting up a tent? The following are just 10 common sense principles every camper needs to know before they go camping.
10 Camping Principles Every Camper Needs to Know
- What amenities are available at the chosen campground? Checking the website for the campground you are going to, the website will tell you if there is water, power, sewer hook-ups or even showers. Then you can make your Checklist for what to bring.
- Are fires allowed? A check of the website for the campground should inform the camper if fires are allowed or if there is a current fire ban. Can I bring my own firewood? Burn It Were You Buy It is a real thing, invasive species are ruining our local forests, check out the website BurnItWereYouBuyIt.com and learn about this today. Read Firewood and Invasive Species now!
- If you are going to a campground that has no water available and plan to have a fire, bring extra water to put your fire out. It is also advisable to bring a shovel with you, if you have a small car, you can buy a foldable shovel at your local sporting goods store. Be responsible with fire. Read Different Firewood Types
- If you are using water to wash your dishes, strain the food debris from the water over a large area. Do not dig holes for your water disposal, this can damage the campground ecosystem. A good suggestion for this water is to use it to put out your fire.
- Do not go to bed at night with a fire burning in your site, do not go on a hike and leave you site with a fire burning, and please do not leave the campground at the end of your stay with a fire burning. It only takes a spark to get a forest fire started. Be responsible! Read Camphosts and Campfires Now!
- Trees are a natural resource, you came to the forest to enjoy it’s beauty, respect the trees. Do not carve on them, do not tie ropes to them ( if you have a hammock, use wide web straps and select appropriate size trees to hang the hammock on), do not cut branches off them for your fire, do not mutilate the sapling trees, and do not put ash from the fire pits around the base of the trees.
- Tents are great portable shelters; they range in price $25 to $1000, they can have multiple uses, purchase one that suits your camping style. Set up the tent at home before you go camping so you know how to set it up, make sure you have all the poles, tent fly, ground cloth, and stakes to secure the tent. When setting up the tent at the campground, select a place that is on high ground so if the weather changes you will not have a river running through your tent. Do not dig trenches around your tent, if you chose to go to a mountain campground, it is not okay to dig a flat area for your tent, these actions cause erosion. Think about the Principles of Leave it as You Found it. Read Tents-Which one is Right For Me
- Parking, I could write a book about campers and their cars. Park your car in a safe manner. Do not allow your car to impede traffic, do not park a hot engine over pine needles or other combustible material, and do not park off the road in campgrounds.
- Music is great pastime to enjoy in your den, your car, or on headphones. Music should not be played in a campground at volume that will disturb guests in the site next to yours. Be respectful to others!
- Respect other campers sites, do not cut through their site for any reason and teach this to your children, do not play music that will disturb your neighbors, do not play games in your site or on the roads that will disturb others (throwing frisbees ,footballs, or softballs), do not talk loud, do not smoke any substance that will disturb them, and do not set up your site in a way that will encroach on their site.
What is Camp 101 Anyway
Camp 101 would be a course that would include all of the above listed principles, these principles that every camper needs to know, are rooted in common sense. Principles like: thinking of others, being responsible with fire, trip planning, and respect the forest or campground. Following these principles will ensure that you and your fellow campers will have an enjoyable camping experience.
