Family Camping - Tips for the Trip

Choosing a camping site Take a collapsible bucket Dealing with Bugs Animals and your campsite Courtesy Tips Dressing for the trip

Security while camping Photography Tips Sleeping comfortably in a tent. Building a campfire Fun things to do while your camping

Taking your pet camping

Choosing a camping site

Rain is always a possibility, don't choose a low area where water will settle or place yourself in the path of a drainage ditch. Mosquitos tend to gather around water. So a nice view of the lake might not be so great in the evening when the bugs come out. Another tip, Take a look above you as well for dead tree limbs hung up in a tree that could come loose with the right wind. Remember that the wind tends to blow downhill at night so have your opening face downhill, this can be nice in the summer but cool in the winter.

Collapsible buckets are handy in many ways and they are lightweight and easy to pack away. They are great for washing up and dipping water from hard to reach sources. Another great idea is to put a bar of soap in a sock and tie it to the handle. Find a collapsible bucket on ebay

A few items to remember: Citronella Candles, Avon skin so soft, bug spray with deet. Remember that mosquitoes and biting flies seem to like dark colored(navy and black especially) clothing and the perfumed scents of many grooming products (soaps, shampoos, colognes, etc.) Dress in bright clothing and try using unscented deodorants, soap etc.

Remember don't leave your garbage near camp, store your food away in the car or in a tree, not on a picnic table or in the tent. You should avoid eating in the tent as well, smells can be left behind.

Remember to respect others especially when it comes to noise (children and pets) and please clean up, park staffs are often understaffed and overworked.

Here's a few tips for dressing on your next camping trip. Remember to bring an older jacket for the campfire, sparks can ruin your favorite clothes. Remember your sunglasses. Take a hat to keep cool or to keep warm. Gloves for warmth and work are essential. Extra socks especially for sleeping and changing after a hike( wet feet and sleep don't mix), polyester socks don't retain moisture. Don't forget rain gear maybe a pair of waterproofed boots During cold weather blue jeans are generally a bad choice. The cotton will not dry quickly if it gets wet and they are not very warm. Wear layers to make adjustments to varying temperatures. The best approach to dressing in layers is to use polypropylene underwear to draw moisture away from the body, a middle layer of pile material should be loose fitting, the outer layer should keep outside water from getting in but allow inside moisture to evaporate Gore-tex is great for this purpose.

Keep these tips in mind for your safety. Know where you can get access to a phone. Check in with someone before you leave and after a hike. Have the local police phone numbers as well as the phone number of Park Rangers with you at all times and give to the person you touch base with at home. Don't let strangers know where you will be located though, you never know. Talk with the kids about safety issues, have a plan for the unexpected.

Keep the sun behind you to avoid glare in your photos and try to frame your photos. Remember to protect your gear from moisture.

Tip one: Throw some leaves in the air and try to see which way the wind is blowing. Position your tent with the entrance away from the wind. You will be warmer in cold weather. You also want to be aware of where your fire will be so that the tent is not full of smoke when you are ready to go to bed. Tip two: Clear the ground under your tent, check for tree roots and small rocks. Use a ground tarp below your tent to prevent moisture. Throw the ground tarp down on the ground and lay down on it to see how level the ground is and if any rocks will make you uncomfortable while sleeping before you pitch the tent. Make sure the ground tarp is completely covered by the tent. Otherwise rain might collect below your tent. Tip three: Keep your tent tidy. Crumbs and garbage will atract ants. Tip four: Get a self inflatable mat and a pillow if possible. Tip five: Take some Advil or ibuprofen for sore muscles. Stretch those tired muscles before your lay down. Put on a pair of clean dry socks. Tip six: When you put up the tent drive your stakes and tie your lines as if you were expecting a big storm. It could come up in the middle of the night you never know. Tip seven: Whenever you pack your tent away make sure it is dry. Putting up your tent before you leave to camp and letting it air out can help with musty smells.

For a biodegradable fire starter take some toilet paper rolls stuffed with lint from your dryer. have some waterproof matches. You can make them by dripping candle wax over the heads of wooden matches before you leave home. Dry twigs and leaves are great to start the fire but you need logs to build up coals for a long lasting fire and for cooking etc. Hardwoods like oak burn cleaner evergreens like pine and cedar will usually smoke and crackle more because of the sap. Start with twigs and leaves and build a teepee with bigger sticks and logs. As you add wood remember that air needs to get to the fire. Stack the logs so that the fire gets air and can burn below the wood. Don't add plastic plates and containers to your fire. These items are not biodegradable, they are toxic and are just plain messy for the next guy who builds a fire in the same spot. Start the fire early so that you will have a nice build up of coals later when you want to sit around it for warmth.

Bring a telescope. Bring a small short wave radio. Bring a camera. Bring a pack of cards. Study your field guides for plants and birds and see what you can see on the trip, a knowledge about the history of the area can make things more interesting.

check the rules at the park. Think about flea and tick protection, vets have shots for protection and immunization against lyme disease. Take a chain with a stake. Take a "test trip" camp near home to see how the pet does, not a bad idea for the whole family.