What makes a good camping trip - BackwoodCampingSupplies.com

What makes a good camping trip?

Camping was a way of life for those that inhabited the earth long before our lifetime. It is a key factor in history, and was a way of survival before modern technology. Today, camping is a way to get away from fast-paced living, and a chance to enjoy nature without all of the modern complexities of todays busy lifestyle. My family enjoys regular camping excursions on the Meramec River in Leasburg, Missouri, and I have been camping on this same land since I was a young boy. I have many wonderful memories of running in the woods with my cousins and friends, and it brings me a great deal of pleasure to see my son and his friends doing the same. On this web page, I will share what I do to make our family camping trips successful, and I invite you to send me your camping stories and information, which I will post on this page to share with anyone who is interested in camping.

Camping does not always mean the same thing to everyone. There are different types of camping - Recreational Vehicle Camping, and Tent Camping. There is wilderness camping, and there is campground camping. There are different varieties of campgrounds - State Forest Campgrounds, and privately owned and maintained campgrounds. There are different ways to get to your campsite by car, by hiking or backpacking, or by being dropped off by outfitters. Therefore, as you can see, camping can mean something completely different to two different individuals.

What makes a good camping trip? Well, again that depends on the individual. For us, a camping trip is considered good when the ultimate result is that we all had a great time. There is a lot to do to make a trip successful. There is a lot of planning involved, and it is a lot of work. Organization is the key to packing all of the essential camping equipment and camping supplies. There is an abundance of camping equipment available today that will help make your camping experience comfortable. If you are comfortable and get a good night's sleep, you will be ready for a full day of camping activities. Creativity is the key to making the camping trips interesting and exciting. Being one of the adults on the trip means that I will be setting up camp and breaking it down, however, my son is getting old enough to help, reluctantly. Do not be discouraged by the amount of work it takes to camp. It is well worth the effort, and you will not be disappointed, and neither will your kids.

Getting Organized: The first thing I do is create a camping checklist with everything I will need for the trip. The equipment and supplies vary with the season, weather, campers, etc. Click on the checklist for a detailed inventory of camping gear and supplies that I use. It is a good idea to evaluate the equipment on your list to determine if you need to update or replace old, worn out or outdated camping items. A camping trip can be a little less enjoyable if your tent leaks, however, it will make for some good stories if it rains on your camping trip.

Plan Your Meals: I always make sure that I plan our menus by the meal and make a shopping list with all of the ingredients needed for all of the meals. I do have a tote that I keep stocked with essentials such as salt, pepper, plastic wrap, aluminum foil, oven mitts, paper towels, napkins, moist towelettes, etc., and I replenish this tote after each camping trip. Doing this makes packing for the trip a little easier, as I just have to make sure to put the tote in the back of the truck. Click here for a list of what I store in my tote. Maintaining a tote of essentials makes shopping for your camping trip a little easier as well. My main objective is to keep the meals simple and quick. Click here for sample menus and ideas.

Clothes: Of course, this depends on the weather, the type of camping you will be doing, and any activities you have planned for your trip. Our camping trips are usually just weekend getaways, and more often than not during the warm summer months. For the summer camping that we do, less is better. For fall camping, layers of clothing is important. Click here clothing checklists.

Pack for the Kids: In addition to packing clothing for the kids, it is very important to make sure that you pack things to make the camping trip enjoyable for your kids. If your kids are bored on the entire trip, it will be difficult to get them enthused about going camping again. I always make sure to pack things that my son and his friends find interesting. One year they were really into water balloon launching, so I thought they might like target practice with a slingshot. They played with the slingshot until their arms hurt. When the kids were younger, they would spend all day skimming rocks. Sometimes I pack the fishing poles, or the metal detector and a camp shovel. Washers, whiffle ball and bat, and battleship are all favorites at our campsite. Click here for ideas about packing the fun stuff.

Campfire: What is camping without a campfire? Boring! Even when the weather is hot, we always have a campfire at night. We use a camping stove for cooking our meals, but a campfire is still essential. Every campsite should have plenty of wood for a campfire. Build your fire far away from your tent to keep it from getting scorched or burnt by flying embers. Be cautious about catching the surrounding area on fire, and keep an eye on your kids. They will, without a doubt, play with the fire, and they could get a serious burn. Make sure that you include a fully stocked first aid kit in your list of camping equipment. Click here for a list of items to include in your first aid kit.

Water: Every campsite should have plenty of water. I always pack clean fresh water to use for cooking, and bottled water for drinking. Since our favorite campsite is right on the banks of the Meramec River, we have a great source of water for cooling off, or to use in our portable shower. The kids love hanging out in the water, lazing around on lawn chairs or tied off in inner tubes.

Waste: Managed campgrounds will normally have facilities such as outhouses or indoor restrooms and showers, designated trash disposal areas, etc. It is up to you to keep your campsite free of waste, and to leave your campsite in good order. If you are not camping in a managed campground, then waste management at your campsite requires some additional work. Food waste not properly disposed of and dirty dishes will attract bugs, flies, and critters to your campsite, so unless you like uninvited guests to your campsite, make sure to keep it clean and tidy. Click here for more tips and information about campsite waste disposal.

Hope you find the information here helpful. Keep in mind, the ideas and tips here are just the way I go about planning my camping trips.