These hiking and camping pointers can help you get the most out of your time in the great outdoors. They’re not just meant to make your time in the woods more enjoyable; they’re also meant to make it easier for you to share that enjoyment with others.
The golden rule applies in the environment and in other spheres of life as well. Do for others what you would like them to do for you in the wilderness. Keep your campground neat and tidy, and try to leave as little of an environmental footprint as possible so that others can take pleasure in the natural beauty that surrounds them.
Here are a few pointers to help you have more fun, have less of an impact on the environment, and be a good neighbor to your fellow campers, all at the same time.
the three seasons of the year
Get your camping permit early, especially if you’ll be camping during a busy time of year. If at all possible, try to track down what you’re after on the internet. If you wish to go camping in a national park or forest, for example, look up the appropriate agency online. Find out how to apply for a permit after that. Getting your permit early in the day is easier if you wait until the day of your hike. This increases your chances of securing a quality camping spot.
Consider where you’ll be spending the night before you set out on a hiking trip. Begin by having a brief discussion with a park ranger or by consulting a guidebook.
One or both of these actions will provide you with a sense of security and calm.
Campsites are most likely to be found near water, such as rivers and lakes, as well as trail intersections. Keep this in mind as you navigate your way through the map.
Arrive at your campground at least two hours before sunset. While it’s still light out, it will be much easier to set up camp. Count on my word. Camping in the dark has never been my favorite experience.
Cooperate: Do not set up camp anywhere other than the specified areas. Imagine that you’ve found the perfect spot to set up camp. Yes! There’s a wonderful creek just next to it, and the view from here is spectacular. But what does the notice on the wall read? What? No tenting? Yes, that’s exactly what it means, and there’s a solid explanation for that. It may take some time for that area to recover. As a result, make the appropriate decision. Take a break from the old campsite and look for a new location where you can set up shop.
Make the least feasible environmental impact possible. Keep your campsite away from trees and shrubs. Set up your tent in an area where others have tented in the past. Alternatively, you might pitch your tent on a flat rock or the ground itself. In this approach, you won’t ruin a virgin area of land.
When deciding on a website, keep others in mind. Give them some breathing room and respect their point of view if at all possible. The tent’s walls are flimsy, and there are none between you and your neighbors until bedtime. Do not obstruct your neighbors’ enjoyment in any way. In the wilderness, the rules for being a good neighbor are even more important.
Knowing How to Pick a Great Spot: Your first concern for selecting a camping spot is the proximity to water. But keep a safe distance from one another. It is ideal to be a few hundred feet from the ocean and the trail, but this isn’t always possible. You’ll be able to hide from the trail and provide water for wildlife at the same time.
You’ll need water to prepare food, wipe up spills, and replenish your water storage tank with filtered drinking water. In case you packed fishing gear, it’s possible you’ll fish for dinner. You can also put yourself to sleep by listening to the sounds of nature, such a creek or the lapping of a lake’s water.
If you’re plagued by critters, you may want to move to a more open area.
You can utilize trees or boulders as a windbreak when you’re dealing with high winds. Avoid going down into the ruts. In such areas, moisture and frigid air tend to collect.
If you intend to spend longer than one night at your camping, look for a shady area. This will protect your tent from the damaging effects of the sun.
You can wake up to the rising light by positioning your tent’s opening toward the east. The other option is to change the direction of your tent’s opening if you’d want to sleep a little bit longer.
Stay above the high tide line when selecting a camping spot on the beach. One thing is to go surfing. Surfing in a tent, on the other hand, is a whole other ball game.
Winter
When setting up camp in the snow, avoid regions where your tent and your trampling feet can kill the underlying plants. Be responsible. Also, keep an eye out for animal droppings. For wildlife, they may point to a critical route.
Choose wisely: As we said before, camp on higher ground rather than in the hollows where chilly air tends to accumulate. When selecting a campground, keep in mind where the sunrise will occur first so that you may get the most out of your time there. It’s best to get some sun as soon as possible.
Avoid regions where there are indicators of strong winds. Some of the signs are covered in hard and icy snow, while others are covered in softer snow.
Avalanche! Avalanche-prone locations should be avoided at all costs. In snow-collection basins, look for mowed trees and other debris. Look up the hill to see whether there are any couloirs with a severe drop. In the event of any of these warnings, it’s time to find a new camping spot that’s less dangerous.