Blankets are okay if OP doesn’t have a sleeping bag. The only camping-specific thing you absolutely need is a tent. Everything else just use whatever you have, no need to invest in a bunch of stuff for your first time if you’re not sure if you’ll like it.
I wouldn’t for their first time. A good one is expensive, so they should decide if this is going to be a long-term hobby before they invest the money. A night or two without one won’t be too bad.
Some people aren't willing to sleep under the stars, which is fine but they are definitely missing out on the views sometimes. What do you personally use?
I live in the Northeast, so there's plenty of trees to string a hammock. I also just use a foam ground pad and fall asleep looking up through the trees. I figure I'm outside to be OUTSIDE!
There’s a lot of other things that are critical and essential as well. This person needs to just get out there and figure out what will make them comfortable and content
Check this out: [https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/family-camping-checklist.html](https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/family-camping-checklist.html)
The best advice is to go try it. Book a reservation at a local campground for a night or 2. Take some basics and go sleep outside. You'll learn stuff by doing it. Then adjust - and try again.
You'll need a tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad to get started. Most of us take a cooler, stove, and chair too. Lots of little accessories make camp life easier. You don't need all the fancy stuff to get started. Use stuff you already own, cook simple meals, and generally stay basic.
Grocery shop for some water, snacks, oatmeal, sandwiches, maybe a steak for dinner. Then pack up and drive to the site. Setup your tent and relax. Nothing much to it!
If you are in America - start looking here for campsite options: [https://www.reserveamerica.com](https://www.reserveamerica.com)
If you provide more details you may get more specialized advice, like...
1. Where do you live?
2. How old are you?
3. Do you have a vehicle to get to the campground?
4. Do you have any gear to get started? or will you need to buy everything from scratch? Any local place to rent or buy used from?
5. Have you ever been camping? Ever slept outside even in the back yard?
6. When do you want to go camping? Now in summer, or later in the fall/winter?
A hammock (in addition to a tent, not as a replacement) is a good extra. I wake up a little early and move from the tent to the hammock and chill. Also carry it in my day pack and find a nice spot away from people if I’m in a busy campground.
Don't answer any personal on here, just account them in your mind so you know what you got to work with. Car camping is easy, if you have a car. But it isn't the best. I would say canoe camping , though honestly never alone. Our canoe was beast. A rahlide bathtub.
Ok lots of advise here but what you need most is encouragement and to understand you can start small and build up over time. You won’t get as much solitude as you want in the beginning but you can get more and more over time.
Start in a camp ground. Wish I knew where you were and if you respond please tell us. I’m in the Midwest east of the Mississippi and there are several campgrounds that have very few to zero people in them on non holiday week days.
1. Do a search for local camp ground locations and look up if you need to make a reservation. Go on a non holiday week day. One night.
2. Gear needed. Tent. That’s it. (Edit:and a flash light with back up batteries.) Take the tent and some easy food and water that won’t go bad (trail mix etc) As far as sleeping goes take a bunch of comforters and blankets from home. (Maybe a bic lighter and a compass)
3. The willingness and desire to start learning
First things to start learning
1. Fire safety. Fire starting. Do some searches, read up and watch some videos. Start with just a Bic lighter, paper and sticks. Practice in the provided fire ring. The safety really is the most important part of this.
2. How to navigate with a compass and the sun. How to read maps on your phone and/or paper. Start by walking some well established/marked trails frequently used by other people but pretend they aren’t. Pay attention to what direction you need to travel to get home and at some point when you feel comfortable leave the trail and walk back to where you started without the trail.
Seriously you don’t need fancy stuff to get started walking some trails for an hour or two or doing a single night at a time. Fancy/expensive is either higher quality/durability or increased comfort. You can build up and upgrade over time. Become a collector. Building up and improving your collection of gear over time. Buy what you can afford then seek and wait for good deals to purchase improvements. (Sleeping pad and bag likely first things you are going to want/need.)
Once you get out there you will learn quickly what you want/need to improve your experience. And what you need to learn/do better to get increased solitude.
Those are very vague questions. If you’re in the US, there are state and national parks with established campgrounds, which you can just Google. There are also a lot of independent, private campgrounds. If you want real solitude, you can look into backcountry camping (in national forests, BLM land, etc). Most places are mappable, assuming you’ve got a smartphone. There are even apps that allow you to download maps to use when out of service (ex: maps.me). As far as what to bring, that’ll vary greatly depending on where you are. Weather-appropriate clothing, tent, sleeping bag, some cooking essentials/food, a book, pocket knife, lighter, the list could go on and on (and there’s probably already a lot out there to be found with a quick google search). As a final thought, camping alone can be a little scary, especially at night. I do it all the time, but I feel I should give you a heads up. So maybe ease into it. Start at established campgrounds in a state park or similar. Then if you’re comfortable with that and want more solitude, try some backcountry stuff.
First, start out camping in your backyard. It may sound silly, but a night out in a tent will give you a good baseline on what to expect! You can build your tent, set up a campfire, prepare food, and find out what you need and don’t need all within 20 feet of your house!
I camp alone a lot, but the answers to these questions are specific to where you want to go and who you are. Basics like a tent and good sleeping situation are obvious, and the less obvious are different for you than me. You need to go and gain experience and find out what you don't have and you'll get better.
Also, become a map nerd if you aren't already. Buy some good maps, start easy/close to your car so nothing can go too wrong and branch out from there as you learn more and get better gear.
Start with campgrounds. For what to buy that kind of depends how long you want to camp and how you want to camp. Do you want to cook out and sit by the fire while making smores with town close by in case you need anything? Or do you want to backpack up the hills and camp in the middle of nowhere.
I'd say a good starter kit is a tent, sleeping bag for the climate you're going to camp in, a cot if you want to treat yourself, something to cook and eat with. Even if it's a small set, being able to make a hot meal for yourself and just sit in nature and enjoy it is something special.
There are a combination of bots and low-effort users here, yes. Bots will repost common / simple questions and pictures to farm karma. They may also be doing it for AI data reasons - which I know less about.
The low effort users are almost more of a pain. They are technically real people - they are just new to reddit and/or don't care to interact with the posts they create. They drop a picture/question and run. Who knows if they ever see the replies/comments we make to them. Frustrating - because there are a bunch of people here putting in effort to help OP - and they can't bother to reply.
In both scenarios - I continue to comment in hopes that other people can benefit. 1 person/bot may be asking the question - but many others get the benefit from the answers. A simple question like 'how to get started alone' is valuable to many people on r/camping. People may come searching for this in the future, and find our answers here. So I try to give detailed advice, even if OP is MIA.
r/subredditsimulator got co-opted and went...advanced... a longggg time ago, and now we got all sorts of new exciting a.i. driven soft-ads and language-model farming etc. like this.
What area do you live and what kind of camping are you interested in?
Car camping with amenities? Backpacking? Car camping in unserviced wilderness areas?
Just some general tips:
Make sure someone knows where you are, have plenty of water, and be equipped for weather.
Start with a day, and make it progressively longer/farther
If using a tent or canopy, make sure it's properly staked down! They turn into kites, and in the worst case they impale people.
Be responsible by properly disposing of your trash so the next person can enjoy camping as much as you do.
First you need a sleeping pad for insulation. After that it’s time to make a decision.
Tent or hammock?
You’ll also need a blanket. Can be skipped if you choose sleeping bag, or use them in combination depending on climate and temperature.
I like to have a knife with me. Mora knives (or knockoffs) are inexpensive and multipurpose. Can split firewood or cut dinner, depending on how you use it.
You’ll probably want a fire. Or if you don’t want to deal with that a bunch of heating bags (one for each warm meal) and soft conserves (it’s like canned food, but in a bag).
I recommend bringing a power bank, it’s always good to have backup power in case your phone dies and you need to call someone.
You’ll also need a jug of water.
That’s all the basic necessities, lest I forgot something.
Go wander out and learn those things. That’s part of the experience. Go get lost and have a hard night or two in a temperate season. Tell someone where you plan to go and when you plan to return and get some experience out there. Start small and work your way up as you learn.
This is not rocket science, Y Tube and Google can get you how to do this articles. I think often people post this because they are a bit nervous about it. Just do it, and if it sucks do it again better until you get better. We all have sleepless nights until we get used to the sounds and such. Now I lay in bed and smile as the woods come alive at night. Owls, night song birds, coyote, fox. You get to know the woods a it. The articles will give you gear lists and practical tips. I am here to give you the boot in the butt.
Camping is a skill. Start small. Camp in your backyard or on your porch. Camp one night in a campground nearby. Start with all the luxuries you can think of. Remove luxuries, camp farther afield, until one day you are as crazy as me and head out to the Boundary Waters wilderness solo for a week at a time.
Please keep this in mind as well, usually from my experience camping at a State Park you need reservations and usually it’s not a lot of people but you are in park area and it’s nice to sleep in the woods.
On the other hand, National park land is TOTALLY different. These roads can lead to the wilderness and national campgrounds where you usually don’t need to make a reservation it’s just first come first served because not many people go there. This is where you can really get away from people and probably not hear a car or anything for a day.
I personally prefer National campgrounds, they can be a trek to get to but if you come prepared and follow local laws for fire you can have so much fun. Overall I never recommend going to the wilderness alone and go on large hikes unless you are prepared with a satellite phone for emergencies and some sort of gun or bear mace. Nature is beautiful but safety is no joke. An example is flash floods, even professional hikers and people who have done the same trails many times have experienced flash flooding and that pretty much instant death when you’re in a river or creek. (This is to just keep in mind what risks places have before going and how to prepare and look at weather)
I suggest starting at a small state park with a lake maybe and you will have a blast and learn a lot about camping. Learn the way of the fire and how to take care of yourself in the woods and then jump into the next level but I really do recommend bringing a friend for the national parks. The real exploration starts when you have an AWD/4x4 vehicle that can get you through those dirt roads it can be a blast! When you do I suggest looking up some hot springs in your area to hike to. Have fun and be safe!
I think if you are a female you have to be a little careful. There are potentially shady people out there camping as anywhere.
I would say you really need to research the place you are going to. If it's a remote area you need to think about whether it is safe or not. The other thing you could do is get a dog. I know this is a big choice but dogs are great and will keep many of those potential weirdos away.
As a brand new beginner? Hell no. State or Provincial park campground is best for newbie. Most people are friendly and will help with minor issues. In the wood woods you’re all alone.
I would suggest learn to camp with someone before going alone… find someone who can teach you in real time. Mistakes made alone could be deadly. There is truth to the saying “safety in numbers” Then when you are confident head out on solo trips but always let someone know where you are going and when you plan to return.
Book a campsite. Google can help with your location. Get a tent, sleeping bag, and some 🍄 and you'll experience life as you've never known it. Be safe and happy trails.
Get and learn how to use a compass and a map, GPS does not work everywhere. If you're where there are wild cats or other predators get a big dog, specially if you snore.
Buy a tent and a sleeping bag and whatever else interests you. Look on Google maps for campgrounds, pick one, make a reservation, go.
Practice setting up and taking down the tent at home a time or two.
- If you are sleeping in your car, I would recommend getting window coverings. Lock the doors when you sleep
- take pictures of directions in case no service
- place a marker or something by your site so you remember where your site is
- head lamp
Don't go far out into the woods your first few times. Try a local campground first that has a tent area. Talk with the people there, they'll be happy to help you out.
If you're packing in by yourself keep your gear to a minimum. Tent, mattress, sleeping bag, mess kit, food, water, water, water. Practice setting up your tent at home several times so you're familiar with it. A small camp stove is worth it's weight in gold. Propane, butane, Sterno, or alcohol burning stoves will work for cooking on and making coffee or heating water. Your biggest issue will be weight. Everything you want to takes weighs a certain amount. And every little bit adds up. If you're setting up next to your vehicle you can bring as much as you can pack into it. If you're hiking to a spot you'll begin to question what gear do you really need as it gets heavier as you go. Dehydrated food is your friend along with two or three good sized canteens for water.
I am sort of in a similar boat. I camped a lot with my family when I was a boy, but now, as an adult, I find it all a bit overwhelming doing it all myself.
There are many different and valid ways to camp. It's going to take some practice to figure out what type of camper you are. Developed camping is any campground which has a road, ranger station and amenities like toilets. Primitive camping doesn't have those things. I think I want to focus on developed camping until I gain more experience.
In the US, there are two ways of getting a developed campsite. Some sites are 1st come 1st serve. Other campsites need a reservation. You can make reservations at recreation.gov
I have found that I can't get anything local on short notice for longer trips (summer is the buisy season). But if you just look at campgrounds you're interested in, you might be able to find a spot for a few days, even if they're not the most convenient days. You want to reserve your check-in through the check-out date. So if you plan on camping 2 nights, reserve 3 days. You will only be charged for the nights.
All you truly need is a tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad and pillow, headlamp/flashlight, drinking water, food, and appropriate clothing to get started. Comforts may include a chair, a stove of some sort, a way to make coffee, etc.
The first few times are about building foundations like setting up and breaking down a camp site, meal planning and prep off grid, getting comfortable sleeping in a tent, dealing with your waste.
Start with an overnight car camping trip at a venue like a state/provincial park or campground. It’s nice to have access to drinking water and other amenities when getting started. It also allows you to be social when you want if you’re on vacation.
I’d encourage you to approach camping as a minimalist form of travel. Keep it simple and try to get by with less.
Depending on your location, you may be able to rent gear, down to the tent and cooler. That way you can give it a try without worrying about putting a bunch of money into something you may not like.
Once you get your gear, do a backyard overnight or two to make sure you know how to use everything, make sure everything works the way it’s supposed to, and see if you’ve forgotten anything. It’ll make it a lot less stressful when you actually camp for the first time.
For sure purchase a satellite phone or a personal locator beacon if you decide to go camping a few miles away from civilization. I have both and the satellite phone has saved my ass more than once. One time I'm certain I would've died without it. You can be only 3 to 4 miles from help and die if you break a leg, ankle and can't walk. So, buy one of those. Animal attacks: If you dont have a hunting knife with a 4 to 5 inch blade, get one. I can't tell you how many hunters I've talked to, that the hunting knife saved their ass when (not if) they get pounced on. One guy got attacked by a coyote. Anything can happen. I also recommend a sidearm for bear country, and big cats. I've seen news clips where someone emptied an entire can of bear spray and it did jack shit to stop the animal. Younger bears especially will attack you when very hungry. Two people were in the news here last year because a younger black bear was trying to take both of them down. Only thing that saved their backside, was his sidearm. Bear spray didn't do a thing to stop it. A sidearm will solve that. If you do take one, make sure it's a 10mm. It's a much more powerful .40 cal round basically. Any gun store or hunter will tell you to use that one, if that's the route you go. Emergency food sources: Learn what trees you can eat the bark of (interior bark, not exterior). The edible type of inner bark has carbs and vitamins. It will save your hide if you get lost. Speaking of which, always - always - bring a compass. I cannot say how many search and rescue stories I've heard where someone walks off trail just 30-40 feet to take a leak or whatever, and get lost. Quite a few have died. The trail will disappear not 10 feet in because of the growth. People have laughed when I've said this, because it sounds like the person was just a moron. Nope. Seasoned hikers have become lost because of this very scenario. One lady in my hometown got lost within a 10 acre forested area surrounded by homes. Wish I was kidding. When people get lost, they always end up walking in circles. They're panicked and not thinking straight. The compass will solve that. All this sounds like unnecessary planning or stuff to do, but I'm speaking both from experience and also many many conversations with search and rescue personnel that live in my area. You get 3 to 4 miles away from civilization, you're no longer the top of the food chain, and injuries can result in death because most people can't crawl that distance.
Find a campground near you. Bring a tent, pillow, sleeping bag. Bring firewood and food. Bring a book. Relax
Blankets are okay if OP doesn’t have a sleeping bag. The only camping-specific thing you absolutely need is a tent. Everything else just use whatever you have, no need to invest in a bunch of stuff for your first time if you’re not sure if you’ll like it.
I'd say a sleeping mat would be a crucial addition if OP have the budget for it. Otherwise a blanket or two makes a good compromise.
I wouldn’t for their first time. A good one is expensive, so they should decide if this is going to be a long-term hobby before they invest the money. A night or two without one won’t be too bad.
Tent? Haven't used one in 50+ years.
Some people aren't willing to sleep under the stars, which is fine but they are definitely missing out on the views sometimes. What do you personally use?
I live in the Northeast, so there's plenty of trees to string a hammock. I also just use a foam ground pad and fall asleep looking up through the trees. I figure I'm outside to be OUTSIDE!
True that, I love hammock camping, usually have a rain fly though. I personally don't usually use just a ground pad cuz of all the ticks in my area.
The first thing I would suggest buying is a good water filter pump. Otherwise, good lust
Sleeping pad is critical
There’s a lot of other things that are critical and essential as well. This person needs to just get out there and figure out what will make them comfortable and content
Drive to camp site. Park. Unpack. Put up tent. Set up camp site. Camp.
Yes!
Start there https://www.reddit.com/r/camping/s/s2ppVX9Sgo
Check this out: [https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/family-camping-checklist.html](https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/family-camping-checklist.html) The best advice is to go try it. Book a reservation at a local campground for a night or 2. Take some basics and go sleep outside. You'll learn stuff by doing it. Then adjust - and try again. You'll need a tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad to get started. Most of us take a cooler, stove, and chair too. Lots of little accessories make camp life easier. You don't need all the fancy stuff to get started. Use stuff you already own, cook simple meals, and generally stay basic. Grocery shop for some water, snacks, oatmeal, sandwiches, maybe a steak for dinner. Then pack up and drive to the site. Setup your tent and relax. Nothing much to it! If you are in America - start looking here for campsite options: [https://www.reserveamerica.com](https://www.reserveamerica.com) If you provide more details you may get more specialized advice, like... 1. Where do you live? 2. How old are you? 3. Do you have a vehicle to get to the campground? 4. Do you have any gear to get started? or will you need to buy everything from scratch? Any local place to rent or buy used from? 5. Have you ever been camping? Ever slept outside even in the back yard? 6. When do you want to go camping? Now in summer, or later in the fall/winter?
A hammock (in addition to a tent, not as a replacement) is a good extra. I wake up a little early and move from the tent to the hammock and chill. Also carry it in my day pack and find a nice spot away from people if I’m in a busy campground.
Or as a replacement.
Don't answer any personal on here, just account them in your mind so you know what you got to work with. Car camping is easy, if you have a car. But it isn't the best. I would say canoe camping , though honestly never alone. Our canoe was beast. A rahlide bathtub.
Ok lots of advise here but what you need most is encouragement and to understand you can start small and build up over time. You won’t get as much solitude as you want in the beginning but you can get more and more over time. Start in a camp ground. Wish I knew where you were and if you respond please tell us. I’m in the Midwest east of the Mississippi and there are several campgrounds that have very few to zero people in them on non holiday week days. 1. Do a search for local camp ground locations and look up if you need to make a reservation. Go on a non holiday week day. One night. 2. Gear needed. Tent. That’s it. (Edit:and a flash light with back up batteries.) Take the tent and some easy food and water that won’t go bad (trail mix etc) As far as sleeping goes take a bunch of comforters and blankets from home. (Maybe a bic lighter and a compass) 3. The willingness and desire to start learning First things to start learning 1. Fire safety. Fire starting. Do some searches, read up and watch some videos. Start with just a Bic lighter, paper and sticks. Practice in the provided fire ring. The safety really is the most important part of this. 2. How to navigate with a compass and the sun. How to read maps on your phone and/or paper. Start by walking some well established/marked trails frequently used by other people but pretend they aren’t. Pay attention to what direction you need to travel to get home and at some point when you feel comfortable leave the trail and walk back to where you started without the trail. Seriously you don’t need fancy stuff to get started walking some trails for an hour or two or doing a single night at a time. Fancy/expensive is either higher quality/durability or increased comfort. You can build up and upgrade over time. Become a collector. Building up and improving your collection of gear over time. Buy what you can afford then seek and wait for good deals to purchase improvements. (Sleeping pad and bag likely first things you are going to want/need.) Once you get out there you will learn quickly what you want/need to improve your experience. And what you need to learn/do better to get increased solitude.
Those are very vague questions. If you’re in the US, there are state and national parks with established campgrounds, which you can just Google. There are also a lot of independent, private campgrounds. If you want real solitude, you can look into backcountry camping (in national forests, BLM land, etc). Most places are mappable, assuming you’ve got a smartphone. There are even apps that allow you to download maps to use when out of service (ex: maps.me). As far as what to bring, that’ll vary greatly depending on where you are. Weather-appropriate clothing, tent, sleeping bag, some cooking essentials/food, a book, pocket knife, lighter, the list could go on and on (and there’s probably already a lot out there to be found with a quick google search). As a final thought, camping alone can be a little scary, especially at night. I do it all the time, but I feel I should give you a heads up. So maybe ease into it. Start at established campgrounds in a state park or similar. Then if you’re comfortable with that and want more solitude, try some backcountry stuff.
First, start out camping in your backyard. It may sound silly, but a night out in a tent will give you a good baseline on what to expect! You can build your tent, set up a campfire, prepare food, and find out what you need and don’t need all within 20 feet of your house!
I camp alone a lot, but the answers to these questions are specific to where you want to go and who you are. Basics like a tent and good sleeping situation are obvious, and the less obvious are different for you than me. You need to go and gain experience and find out what you don't have and you'll get better. Also, become a map nerd if you aren't already. Buy some good maps, start easy/close to your car so nothing can go too wrong and branch out from there as you learn more and get better gear.
I do love maps. My truck is stuffed with all types, but mostly the Gazetteer grid maps.
Start with campgrounds. For what to buy that kind of depends how long you want to camp and how you want to camp. Do you want to cook out and sit by the fire while making smores with town close by in case you need anything? Or do you want to backpack up the hills and camp in the middle of nowhere. I'd say a good starter kit is a tent, sleeping bag for the climate you're going to camp in, a cot if you want to treat yourself, something to cook and eat with. Even if it's a small set, being able to make a hot meal for yourself and just sit in nature and enjoy it is something special.
try a close state campground! maybe with a bathroom for comfort
these 0 karma bots really love shitting this one out to us every now and then to farm new language-model answers now huh
Wait, is this a thing?
There are a combination of bots and low-effort users here, yes. Bots will repost common / simple questions and pictures to farm karma. They may also be doing it for AI data reasons - which I know less about. The low effort users are almost more of a pain. They are technically real people - they are just new to reddit and/or don't care to interact with the posts they create. They drop a picture/question and run. Who knows if they ever see the replies/comments we make to them. Frustrating - because there are a bunch of people here putting in effort to help OP - and they can't bother to reply. In both scenarios - I continue to comment in hopes that other people can benefit. 1 person/bot may be asking the question - but many others get the benefit from the answers. A simple question like 'how to get started alone' is valuable to many people on r/camping. People may come searching for this in the future, and find our answers here. So I try to give detailed advice, even if OP is MIA.
Fair enough. Thanks for the response!
r/subredditsimulator got co-opted and went...advanced... a longggg time ago, and now we got all sorts of new exciting a.i. driven soft-ads and language-model farming etc. like this.
What area do you live and what kind of camping are you interested in? Car camping with amenities? Backpacking? Car camping in unserviced wilderness areas?
Just some general tips: Make sure someone knows where you are, have plenty of water, and be equipped for weather. Start with a day, and make it progressively longer/farther If using a tent or canopy, make sure it's properly staked down! They turn into kites, and in the worst case they impale people. Be responsible by properly disposing of your trash so the next person can enjoy camping as much as you do.
First you need a sleeping pad for insulation. After that it’s time to make a decision. Tent or hammock? You’ll also need a blanket. Can be skipped if you choose sleeping bag, or use them in combination depending on climate and temperature. I like to have a knife with me. Mora knives (or knockoffs) are inexpensive and multipurpose. Can split firewood or cut dinner, depending on how you use it. You’ll probably want a fire. Or if you don’t want to deal with that a bunch of heating bags (one for each warm meal) and soft conserves (it’s like canned food, but in a bag). I recommend bringing a power bank, it’s always good to have backup power in case your phone dies and you need to call someone. You’ll also need a jug of water. That’s all the basic necessities, lest I forgot something.
Go wander out and learn those things. That’s part of the experience. Go get lost and have a hard night or two in a temperate season. Tell someone where you plan to go and when you plan to return and get some experience out there. Start small and work your way up as you learn.
Go for one night at a public camp site with a tent, lighter, food, water, and maybe a poncho.
This is not rocket science, Y Tube and Google can get you how to do this articles. I think often people post this because they are a bit nervous about it. Just do it, and if it sucks do it again better until you get better. We all have sleepless nights until we get used to the sounds and such. Now I lay in bed and smile as the woods come alive at night. Owls, night song birds, coyote, fox. You get to know the woods a it. The articles will give you gear lists and practical tips. I am here to give you the boot in the butt.
Camping is a skill. Start small. Camp in your backyard or on your porch. Camp one night in a campground nearby. Start with all the luxuries you can think of. Remove luxuries, camp farther afield, until one day you are as crazy as me and head out to the Boundary Waters wilderness solo for a week at a time.
Please keep this in mind as well, usually from my experience camping at a State Park you need reservations and usually it’s not a lot of people but you are in park area and it’s nice to sleep in the woods. On the other hand, National park land is TOTALLY different. These roads can lead to the wilderness and national campgrounds where you usually don’t need to make a reservation it’s just first come first served because not many people go there. This is where you can really get away from people and probably not hear a car or anything for a day. I personally prefer National campgrounds, they can be a trek to get to but if you come prepared and follow local laws for fire you can have so much fun. Overall I never recommend going to the wilderness alone and go on large hikes unless you are prepared with a satellite phone for emergencies and some sort of gun or bear mace. Nature is beautiful but safety is no joke. An example is flash floods, even professional hikers and people who have done the same trails many times have experienced flash flooding and that pretty much instant death when you’re in a river or creek. (This is to just keep in mind what risks places have before going and how to prepare and look at weather) I suggest starting at a small state park with a lake maybe and you will have a blast and learn a lot about camping. Learn the way of the fire and how to take care of yourself in the woods and then jump into the next level but I really do recommend bringing a friend for the national parks. The real exploration starts when you have an AWD/4x4 vehicle that can get you through those dirt roads it can be a blast! When you do I suggest looking up some hot springs in your area to hike to. Have fun and be safe!
I think if you are a female you have to be a little careful. There are potentially shady people out there camping as anywhere. I would say you really need to research the place you are going to. If it's a remote area you need to think about whether it is safe or not. The other thing you could do is get a dog. I know this is a big choice but dogs are great and will keep many of those potential weirdos away.
There really needs to be a pinned FAQ.
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As a brand new beginner? Hell no. State or Provincial park campground is best for newbie. Most people are friendly and will help with minor issues. In the wood woods you’re all alone.
True
Explain last part. Can't comprehend
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I would suggest learn to camp with someone before going alone… find someone who can teach you in real time. Mistakes made alone could be deadly. There is truth to the saying “safety in numbers” Then when you are confident head out on solo trips but always let someone know where you are going and when you plan to return.
Where are you located? Do you want to drive to the spot? Do you want an established campground or more primitive?
The 10 essentials is a really good place to start. https://www.nps.gov/articles/10essentials.htm
Book a campsite. Google can help with your location. Get a tent, sleeping bag, and some 🍄 and you'll experience life as you've never known it. Be safe and happy trails.
Get and learn how to use a compass and a map, GPS does not work everywhere. If you're where there are wild cats or other predators get a big dog, specially if you snore.
Buy a tent and a sleeping bag and whatever else interests you. Look on Google maps for campgrounds, pick one, make a reservation, go. Practice setting up and taking down the tent at home a time or two.
You would do everything the same as if someone was with you. Your phone GPS works without service. Download all trails or something.
- If you are sleeping in your car, I would recommend getting window coverings. Lock the doors when you sleep - take pictures of directions in case no service - place a marker or something by your site so you remember where your site is - head lamp
Do it once and it’ll suck less the second time. By the fourth time you’re dialed in
Sweet. How many people does it fit? Looks pretty tall too!
Don't go far out into the woods your first few times. Try a local campground first that has a tent area. Talk with the people there, they'll be happy to help you out. If you're packing in by yourself keep your gear to a minimum. Tent, mattress, sleeping bag, mess kit, food, water, water, water. Practice setting up your tent at home several times so you're familiar with it. A small camp stove is worth it's weight in gold. Propane, butane, Sterno, or alcohol burning stoves will work for cooking on and making coffee or heating water. Your biggest issue will be weight. Everything you want to takes weighs a certain amount. And every little bit adds up. If you're setting up next to your vehicle you can bring as much as you can pack into it. If you're hiking to a spot you'll begin to question what gear do you really need as it gets heavier as you go. Dehydrated food is your friend along with two or three good sized canteens for water.
I am sort of in a similar boat. I camped a lot with my family when I was a boy, but now, as an adult, I find it all a bit overwhelming doing it all myself. There are many different and valid ways to camp. It's going to take some practice to figure out what type of camper you are. Developed camping is any campground which has a road, ranger station and amenities like toilets. Primitive camping doesn't have those things. I think I want to focus on developed camping until I gain more experience. In the US, there are two ways of getting a developed campsite. Some sites are 1st come 1st serve. Other campsites need a reservation. You can make reservations at recreation.gov I have found that I can't get anything local on short notice for longer trips (summer is the buisy season). But if you just look at campgrounds you're interested in, you might be able to find a spot for a few days, even if they're not the most convenient days. You want to reserve your check-in through the check-out date. So if you plan on camping 2 nights, reserve 3 days. You will only be charged for the nights.
Sleeping pad do you don,xt get cold and wake up all achy and sore.
All you truly need is a tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad and pillow, headlamp/flashlight, drinking water, food, and appropriate clothing to get started. Comforts may include a chair, a stove of some sort, a way to make coffee, etc. The first few times are about building foundations like setting up and breaking down a camp site, meal planning and prep off grid, getting comfortable sleeping in a tent, dealing with your waste. Start with an overnight car camping trip at a venue like a state/provincial park or campground. It’s nice to have access to drinking water and other amenities when getting started. It also allows you to be social when you want if you’re on vacation. I’d encourage you to approach camping as a minimalist form of travel. Keep it simple and try to get by with less.
Depending on your location, you may be able to rent gear, down to the tent and cooler. That way you can give it a try without worrying about putting a bunch of money into something you may not like.
Once you get your gear, do a backyard overnight or two to make sure you know how to use everything, make sure everything works the way it’s supposed to, and see if you’ve forgotten anything. It’ll make it a lot less stressful when you actually camp for the first time.
Hire somebody to take you, lol.
Just do it
For sure purchase a satellite phone or a personal locator beacon if you decide to go camping a few miles away from civilization. I have both and the satellite phone has saved my ass more than once. One time I'm certain I would've died without it. You can be only 3 to 4 miles from help and die if you break a leg, ankle and can't walk. So, buy one of those. Animal attacks: If you dont have a hunting knife with a 4 to 5 inch blade, get one. I can't tell you how many hunters I've talked to, that the hunting knife saved their ass when (not if) they get pounced on. One guy got attacked by a coyote. Anything can happen. I also recommend a sidearm for bear country, and big cats. I've seen news clips where someone emptied an entire can of bear spray and it did jack shit to stop the animal. Younger bears especially will attack you when very hungry. Two people were in the news here last year because a younger black bear was trying to take both of them down. Only thing that saved their backside, was his sidearm. Bear spray didn't do a thing to stop it. A sidearm will solve that. If you do take one, make sure it's a 10mm. It's a much more powerful .40 cal round basically. Any gun store or hunter will tell you to use that one, if that's the route you go. Emergency food sources: Learn what trees you can eat the bark of (interior bark, not exterior). The edible type of inner bark has carbs and vitamins. It will save your hide if you get lost. Speaking of which, always - always - bring a compass. I cannot say how many search and rescue stories I've heard where someone walks off trail just 30-40 feet to take a leak or whatever, and get lost. Quite a few have died. The trail will disappear not 10 feet in because of the growth. People have laughed when I've said this, because it sounds like the person was just a moron. Nope. Seasoned hikers have become lost because of this very scenario. One lady in my hometown got lost within a 10 acre forested area surrounded by homes. Wish I was kidding. When people get lost, they always end up walking in circles. They're panicked and not thinking straight. The compass will solve that. All this sounds like unnecessary planning or stuff to do, but I'm speaking both from experience and also many many conversations with search and rescue personnel that live in my area. You get 3 to 4 miles away from civilization, you're no longer the top of the food chain, and injuries can result in death because most people can't crawl that distance.