It's time to go camping, either alone, with a friend or your family. You may be in an organized campground or just on your own, but you don't have a camper. How do you set up a tent camp to be efficient, clean and comfortable? Let's look at the basic steps.
Steps
1
Choose your site carefully. In an organized camp, look for such features as access to water or the restrooms, level parking, trees for shade, nearby streams, southern or northern exposure.
2
Choose an unorganized site according to the jurisdiction's regulations. On most federal land, you must be a certain distance from roads, trails, streams, and other recreational features.
3
Arrange sleeping and eating areas separately. Keep animals away from your tent or sleeping gear by locating it far from the table, stove, and food storage and preparation areas.
4
Clean any existing tables, cabinets, fire rings or stoves. Use a small broom to sweep tables and cabinets. Shovel out old ashes and dispose in the bins. Clear out old trash and dispose in bins also.
5
Store food according to regulations. Many places require bear-proof storage in provided metal or wooden boxes. Keep foods cool in the shade or party immersed in running water.
6
Set up a tent or sleeping pad on a flat space. Survey it for ant hills, rodent holes, sharp rocks and sticks. Lightly remove uneven materials but don't clear-sweep the ground. Look for the three W's. Water, Widow Makers (Dead branches that could fall on your tent) and Animals (Animals)
7
Set up places for sitting and children playing. Mark them with guide ropes, flags, chairs, blankets, etc.
8
Hang up a clothes line for wet dirty clothes and towels.
9
Gather wood only as prescribed and place it near the fire ring or stove. Set a bucket of water nearby.
10
For unorganized camps, locate a toilet area away from the camp, downhill, and away from any water source. Place shovels for individual use along with a bucket of water for hand washing. Hang a towel on a tree branch or rope. Or dig a narrow trench 6 inches (15.2 cm) deep and up to three feet long and place the extra soil at the side. A shovel is used to replace the extra soil as the trench is used. Place a bag for tissue collection.
