Are you feeling the call of the “great outdoors”? Spring and summer are just around the corner; the height of the camping season. For a nature enthusiast, there is nothing better than camping in a national park, state park, or designated recreational area. Whether your camping world consists of mountains, deserts, ocean areas, or rolling prairies, the glory of America really comes alive when you really live it! Seasoned campers know the best spots and have their favorites when it comes time to pitch their tents. Whether you’re a novice camper or only have limited camping experience, here are some tips to keep in mind.
First, if you have friends who are seasoned campers, ask if you can join them on their next outing into the wilderness. Ask questions, watch what they do and how they do it, and learn the do’s and don’ts of camping. Learn about designated campgrounds, campfire safety, hiking trails to campgrounds, reading topographic maps, bear-proofing your campground, and weather safety.
Then, get in the hands of a clothing store or website that specializes in camping gear and safety. This is a good time to ask your camper friend to come along or surf the web with you. All camping gear is not created equal! You’ll want the safest, highest-quality equipment you can afford that will see you through many years of outdoor recreation and won’t fall apart or malfunction when you need it most.
Depending on the location of your camp, you will need the following basic equipment: a back board that straps around your shoulders and holds all your camping gear, a waterproof, all-weather tent(s) with a liner plastic floor mat to keep it from sleeping on wet or cold ground, kerosene lamps, flashlights, a “bear bag” that you will hang from a tree to keep your food supplies safe from hungry bears, raccoons, and other nocturnal scavengers, material to start a fire and light cooking equipment if you are planning a camp of more than two days. About water purification tablets: never drink from rivers, lakes, streams or natural ponds! Nature’s water contains bacteria that severely disrupt non-immune human gastrointestinal systems. Unless you want to share your camping trip with a nasty case of diarrhea, treat all water with a purification tablet before drinking it.
Don’t forget necessities like sleeping bags, toilet paper, soap, food preparation materials, clothing that can be layered in cold weather, comfortable walking boots, a sturdy hat, sunscreen, and insect repellent. “Bear Bells” can be attached to your board or staff; bears hear you and smell you long before you see yourself. Use bells or conversation with your companions, and the bears will do their best to avoid you. Learn what to do if you have a sudden and aggressive encounter with a charging bear. A firm rule of thumb in the camping world is to never have a visual “stare” with a bear, wolf, or mountain lion; they take this as a challenge and could seriously injure or kill you.
You have dogs? Leave them at home when you go camping. They naturally attract the attention of predators. If you plan to fish or hunt, make sure you have a license to do so and learn your wilderness regulations on fishing gear and firearms.
By following these simple rules and steps, your camping experiences will be the adventures of a lifetime!