For those of you not familiar with the different levels of camping:
Car Camping/Walk-In - easy, drive right up to the plot, typically restroom/showers nearby
Primitive/Backcountry/Secluded - moderate, typically without restroom/showers nearby
Backpacking - difficult, you walk miles from your car with everything you need on your back
Suggested items when Camping With TOC
A Car, For Starters Ground Cloth (Tarp)* & Tent (Weight Not an Issue) with Rain Flap! Sleeping Bag, Pad, and Pillow Eating Utensils, Mess Kit (Plate, Cup, Bowl) Cooler with Ice Flashlight or Headlamp Lantern & Citronella Candle Portable Chairs Snacks Camp Soap, Washcloths, Sponge, and Towels Shampoo & Bar of Soap Antibacterial Hand Soap (Doesn't Require Water) Toothbrush, Toothpaste, and Dental Floss Deodorant Razor Comb/Brush Small, Hand-held Mirror Nearby Swim Hole? Swimsuit, Towel, Water Shoes/Sandals Sunscreen (which should be at least SPF 15 & applied 30 min ahead to be effective) Lip Balm Insect Repellent Hat, Visor, and/or Sunglasses Change of Clothes for Each Day, Plus Extra Set (Socks, Shirts, Sweatpants, Sweatshirt, Shorts, Underwear, Long Underwear, Pajamas, Hats or Gloves for Cold Weather) Sneakers and/or Broken-In/Waterproofed Hiking Boots Daypack with Water Bottles for Hiking Windbreaker & Raincoat Um, And, That Stuff You Have to Be 18 to Buy*To protect your tent from accidental snags on rocks or roots, you should always use a tarp or ground cover under your tent! Be smart when selecting a tarp or ground cover if one is not supplied. You want your tarp/ground cover to be cut exactly to the size of the bottom of your tent. Why? Because, if it were to rain, you don't want to encourage rain to collect in pools on the tarp and roll right under your tent. You can buy a cheap tarp at a discount store and the first time you set up your tent - cut it to size. Another word to the wise - set up your tent on high ground, away from the fire pit, and not at the bottom of any slopes in the ground.
Additionally, What You Might Need When Going (Especially On Your Own)
Water Food (Snacks, Fruit, Cheese, Crackers, Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Food, Butter, Cooking Oil, Condiments, Coffee, Tea, Hot Chocolate, Milk, Sugar, S'mores Ingredients, Juice Boxes) First Aid Kit (Bandages, Hydrogen Peroxide, Benadryl, Antibiotic Ointment, Burn Ointment, Thermometer, Prescriptions, Fever Reducer, Tweezers, Moleskin, Bee Sting Kit) Can Opener & Corkscrew Stove & Fuel Cooking Pots, Pans, Pot Holder, and Cooking Utensils Cutting Board, Measing Cup, and Measing Spoons Swiss Army Knife Skewers Paper Plates, Plastic Silverware, Paper Towels, and Napkins Baby Wipes Tablecloth Aluminum Foil, Plastic Wrap, Zipper Lock Bags Waterproof Matches & Firewood Rope or Twine Clothes Pins Duct Tape Lightweight Hand Saw Hammer or Mallot, Screwdriver or Multi-Tool Small, Hand-held Broom Bin for Washing Dishes Screenhouse and/or Portable Table Harmonica or Guitar Reading Material and/or Deck of Cards Guidebooks & Maps Mountain Bike, Canoe, or Kayak Car Adapter, if You Need Electricity Plastic/garbage bag to carry out garbage Toilet paper (plus a plastic bag to carry it out) Binoculars Camera and/or Video Camera Money for Campsite, Reservation InformationIf Taking Your Dog Along
Don't forget to see if the place you are going permits their presence.
Leash Water & Bowl Scooper & Bag Treats Food Toys Blanket or BedWays to Make Camping Easier
- Camp for at least two nights, if possible. There is a lot of work involved in packing and setting up and breaking down camp. The longer you camp, the more enjoyment you'll get out of your efforts.
- Organize, organize, organize. Store all of your gear together, if possible, so you can haul it all at once.
- Store small items together in plastic, lidded tubs. Store them in organized fashion, such as all your cooking gear in one tub, camp tools in another, etc. Put together a small container of eating and cooking utensils.
- Buy some things, such as dish towels, small dish detergent, spatula, cooking knife, etc., and reserve them only for camping. That way you don't have to pack them up each time you want to go; instead, they're waiting for you with your camp supplies.
- Camp with others. If you forget something, there's a good chance someone else will bring along what you need.