No matter what, it’s always exciting to plan a trek and go camping amidst the wilderness to clear your mind. But in addition to the fun parts, it’s also essential to choose the best campsite suited for your comfort and security.
If you’re all alone in the process of deciding the best campsite for your group or family, don’t worry we’re here to help.
There are multiple factors and considerations that go into deciding where to pitch your tent while camping in the woods, below is a list of 10 things you should consider while making that choice.
1. Plan Ahead For The Morning Sun
If you are not a morning person, you probably won’t prefer the bright morning sun heating up your tent. So for all those night owls, we suggest that you pitch your tent under a tree or shade where the sunrise won’t hamper your sleep.
It’s not necessary that the tent stay in the shade throughout the day, but just until the time you wake up, the sun shouldn’t be right above your head. You can choose a spot that’s deep into the woods and you’re protected from the heat. And rather the best choice would be to get an area map of the place you’re going camping to understand the ground level, wind situation and other things better.
2. Intercept The Weather
One of the supreme things to know, when planning to camp outdoors, is obviously the weather. If it’s really breezy and stormy, choose a place where the rustle of wint won’t disturb your sleep. You should find the direction of the wind clearly and make sure your tent doesn’t face that direction.
The simple rule of thumb is to make sure your tent faces downhill since the wind usually travels from mountains to plains. You should also avoid places that have large pits and holes in the ground, because if mother nature decides to pour, you’d wake up in the middle of a pool of water and mud. And for the time when you’re indeed camping in the rain, you should go with the best rain jacket as mentioned on Res Marty’s outdoor blog.
3. Choose A Flat Ground
Another important factor to consider is the condition of the ground where you’re going to pitch your tent. If you want to relish a good night’s sleep after a long day of trekking, it’s best to avoid choosing a bumpy campsite.
Ensure that there are no large or even small rocks and bumps which can cause discomfort and pain while sleeping. You should assure the ground is relatively flat and there’s no hard rocks, and if there are some rocks which you can’t get rid of, then make sure your legs are laying in that area.
4. Avoid Possibly Dangerous Areas
To avoid potential injuries, make sure you check the areas around your campsite. You wouldn’t want to pitch the tent under a dead tree branch which can fall off and smash your tent. And you also need to avoid camping around a rockslide, loose rock ridge and avalanche paths.
5. Be Mindful Of Your Food
You’re perhaps aware that it’s likely to encounter a grizzly bear when camping in the woods. And you might also know that they can smell your food, so to avoid any dangerous situation of a potential attack from a bear, it’s essential to take care of your food. Avoid keeping any edibles inside or right outside your tents.
For your own safeguard you can hang food items on some tree branches far away from your tent or leave them secure inside your vehicle. Just make sure you close the vehicle door and disguise it under some bushes and shrubs. You don’t want to be the person who has their car windows broken by a grizzly, do you?
6. Steer Clear Of Insects And Bugs
Yes, we know it’s hard to avoid bugs and flies when you’re in the jungle, but you can try. You can be proactive and take some necessary actions like avoiding mosquito-breeding dirty water or trees that are beetle’s favourite.
You should also make sure you cover your tents completely and check there’s no hole or rupture in your tent and tarp from where insects can enter. And to avoid having those bees with your food, make sure you cook in a rather open and windy area away from buggy trees.
7. Keep Away From Stinky Areas
This might be way too obvious, you don’t want to wake up to a foul smell in the middle of the night. Accordingly, avoid areas that have a stench, or even moist and damp areas.
As for your private tidy-up, make sure you choose a spot far away from your tent so the smell doesn’t wake you up. Evidently, you’d want to avoid areas near to a dumpster or garbage cans, and also ensure you keep your waste tightly sealed and away. This will also keep insects and bugs away from your tents.
8. Look Out For A Natural Playground
If you’re going into the wilderness, we’re sure you aren’t just going to Netflix and Chill in your tent. So assuming that you want to savour-in the beauty and adventure of forest life, we’d suggest you choose a campsite close to nature’s sport.
By this, we mean that you choose a spot which has the most opportunities of playing, climbing and even fishing. You can look for boulders and logs which you can climb or maybe a tree where you can set-up your own tree-house or hammock. And of course, places near lakes, ponds and any clean and fresh stream is the best option.
9. Choose A Spot Near Water Source
As mentioned earlier, choosing a spot near a water source gives you an added bonus. You get to drink fresh water, enjoy the lake view and even use the water for cleaning and washing purposes. But avoid static and dirty water, since it’ll have more chances of animal waste and mostiquotos relishing in it.
But should seek for an area slightly away from the lake or river, since higher promiscuity has chances of floods in case of rains. And ensure that you stay hygienic and don’t pollute the water with your garbage and maintain its purity.
10. Don’t Leave Any Trace
This is not exactly a point to choose a campsite, rather a tip on what to do when you leave one. You don’t want to leave behind any traces or cover which can make anyone track you down or follow you. So for your safety, make sure you clean up neatly behind yourself.
If you’ve set up a fire station, ensure that you clear out any waste. It’s also best to leave out the stones and rocks as they were when you first arrived, or you can choose a spot that looks like it’d already been used for camping before.
These were some of the tips and tricks to help you choose the best location for your camping spree and we hope you found these helpful. Lastly, we just want to say this- have the best time of your life!
Author Bio
Res Marty is a wistful camping and trekking fanatic who’ve had uncountable trekking experiences. He loves to share tips and tricks for new campers and hikers who’re looking for an adventurous trip.