Looking for a Good Campsite
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One of the most important things to consider when going camping is where you’re going to place your campsite. It’s important to find a good spot to set up camp since you’ll be spending a good amount of time there for the next few days - cooking, eating, sleeping and relaxing, at the least. But what makes a good spot for a campsite? What sort of things should you look for?
A large area of reasonably clear, level ground is the most important thing to look for in your camping site. The size of your campsite will depend on several factors - how many people are camping with you, the thickness of the trees and growth in the area, the terrain you’re camping in, etc - but you want to find clear spot that is at least 10 to 15 yards square. You’re going to need room to fit your folding camping chairs around your campfire, so give yourself plenty of space.
Reasonably clear means as little growth, rocks and trees as possible. You’ll probably never find a spot that is completely clear, but look around a bit until you find something good. You also want the spot to be level - you don’t want your tent mate to be laying on top of you all night because you both keep sliding down to the low end of the tent.
One way to find a good camp spot is to keep an eye out for existing fire rings. If someone has already built a fire ring, then chances are good that they were able to set up camp there and you should be able to as well. In addition, using existing fire rings and campsites reduces the amount of work you’ll have to do in setting up, and minimizes the impact you’ll have on the area. These campsites will also usually have a place to hang your fuel camping lantern, to help provide light as you’re setting up.
The weather forecast is an important thing to consider for the days that you’ll be camping. If it is going to be windy or rain heavily, you’ll want keep that in mind. If a good amount of rain is expected then high ground is recommended, and camping near a copse of trees or a hill can help shelter you from the wind. Getting flooded during the night because you camped on low ground is a bad way to start your trip. If you’re camping in Vendee on a beach, then make sure that the ocean will be calm and there are no storms headed your way.
One important thing in selecting a campsite is looking for evidence of animals or insects. You don’t want to set your tent up on top of a wasp or snakes’ nest or near a bear cave. Give the area a thorough inspection before you set up camp, even though there’s little chance of anything really dangerous occuring in most national parks.
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