Camping is a fun activity which, once you start, you will keep going. How to set up a campsite is the question that most beginners ask themselves. In this tutorial, we look forward to addressing all your concerns about a camping site and how to make your first experience easy and fun.
Camping, accompanied mainly by hiking and backpacking, are activities that do not require any special skills. You need information and the will to enjoy. While preparing for your first camping, you should not be anxious.
The steps we will highlight will make it easy for you to plan and execute your camping activity. We will also help you cut costs without jeopardizing your experience.
Following this tutorial will reduce the hustles you must go through before and during camping.
Your checklist for setting up a campsite
- A foldable Tent
- Sleeping cushion – you can go for the inflatable ones that you can fold into the luggage. Some tents also come with a cushion. Confirm this so that you do not make a double purchase.
- Sleeping bag
- Pillow – Preferably inflatable pillows that are more portable than the fiber ones.
- Headlamps – you should carry extra batteries. Also, consider buying the hybrid version that uses batteries and can be charged using solar energy.
- Camping chairs
- Camping tables – For camping chairs and tables, you should first find out whether the camping site offers them.
- Hammock – this is for extra comfort while basking on the campsite. As you pack your hammock, hope there will be an appropriate place to anchor it.
- Firewood – this can be sourced from near the campsite.
- Matches or lighter
- Stove and fuel
- Utensils include cooking pots, frying pans, plates, spoons, cups, knives, bottle openers, chopping boards, and wash basins. Please do not panic; there are camping utensils in the stores, most of which are foldable to make them more portable.
- If you can access the camping site with a car, you can carry extra stuff such as the grill, griddle, and Dutch oven. Hikers and backpackers do not have this luxury.
- Some entertainment – You can carry a book to read, a music player, or games to play with fellow campers. You should minimize technology since you have it daily.
- Personal effects – includes soap, oil, toothpaste, toothbrush, towels, and clothes.
Key Steps to Setting up a Campsite
Plan from home and carry all the required equipment
The first step is to plan your camping by identifying the location and items you need. If you are a beginner, you can get this information from online sources or interact with experienced campers on social media platforms.
There are stores all over that deal specifically with items for outdoor activities, but you can also shop conveniently from online stores such as Amazon.
Write everything down and start shopping as you tick away the items. This will help you remember all the necessities.
The site matters pick carefully.
For a beginner, setting up a campsite in bad terrain can be challenging and discouraging. Experienced campers can set up anywhere and survive, but we advise first-timers to be picky with the location.
The most accessible place to set up a campsite is where the terrain is flat and the soil is well-drained. On the ground, you should clear the area off any rocks before setting up your tent. Also, pick a place surrounded by trees to shield you from the wind.
It would help if you were careful to look out for old trees and extra tall trees, which can be a hazard in case there is excess wind. You can obtain crucial information about camping sites from online publications and social media groups for campers.
Light campfires at a safe distance
As crucial as campfires are, you should find out whether there are regulations against them. Some locations discourage campfires because of past experiences with forest fires.
When setting up a campfire, ensure it is at least 5 m from any vegetation that can catch fire. It would help if you also considered the direction of the wind since it might keep blowing out your fire or cause it to spread to unwanted places.
Keep any flammable liquids away. For caution, you should keep a bucket of water and sand nearby.
Finally, ensure your wood is dry enough; otherwise, you will not be successful in lighting the fire.
Identify the bathroom location and trash pit.
Before you set up a campsite, you need to locate the bathroom, which should neither be too far nor too near. While collecting information about your preferred camping location, you must have identified whether the campsite offers a bathroom and toilet facilities.
If these facilities are unavailable, you must carry portable ones, especially the toilet. You can do without a bath for a day or two, but you must relieve your bladder when needed.
You should also identify the location of a trash pit. Most camping locations provide bins labeled for different materials such as plastics, biodegradable trash, and medical waste. Please adhere to this classification since it makes disposal much more effortless.
If there are no designated waste disposal bins, we still advise that you sort out your trash so that it is easier for you to dispose of.
Store your food and water safety.
There is a high possibility that you will set up your campsite in the jungle, meaning you will be coexisting with some wild animals. You, therefore, need to keep your food safe; otherwise, you will not have anything to eat.
This is applicable in cases where you cannot access the camping site with a car, and the tents can only accommodate you for sleeping. You can hand your food on the nearby trees in well-secured bags to prevent some naughty intruders from feasting on it while you are enjoying your sleep.
A campsite that is near a water source
You should also consider a water source for drinking, cooking, bathing, and cleaning the dishes. The best thing is to choose a location with a nearby water source. You should, however, carry chlorine tablets to treat the water before drinking and cooking with it.
Keep your camping space clean and organized.
To enjoy your camping experience, keep the place clean and organized and if you are camping in a group, set up the tents neatly and maintain a reasonable distance between the tents.
It would help if you had enough tents to accommodate everyone comfortably and even small extra ones for storage.
Throw away any leftover foods and tidy up the cooking area before sleeping. Dirty dishes and food particles on the ground can attract rodents near the camping site, which might easily find their way into your tents.
An organized space has a sense of peace. Do not mess up your camping experience over such small things.
Remember the First in – Last out model when packing
You do not want to pour out everything from the backpack when setting up a campsite. It would help if you thought about this when packing and put the items you will need first.
You should have a packing list of what goes in first and will come out last. This arrangement will enable you to pick the items from the bag as needed, reducing the mess. Remember you are going out there to relax, so you must eliminate anything that might cause stress.
Conclusion
Camping can be a fun activity when planned and executed well. We hope that we have pointed out all your concerns on how to go about setting up a campsite. While at it, remember that perfection does not exist and what was to go wrong will go wrong.
Be open to adventure and learn from your experiences. Do not allow minor mishaps to prevent you from exploring further.
Let us know how this tutorial has impacted you or what we should have included. You can also share with other aspiring campers so that they can also get some insights.