Camping Etiquette

Sorry to take so long between posts. :( My son is on a camping trip with his Boy Scout troop this weekend, so I don't have to share the computer with him. LOL!

For this post, I will discuss camping etiquette. Not only will these make your camping experience more enjoyable, it will make it more enjoyable for the other campers in the campground.

Follow the list of rules that you are given when you pay the campground host your camping fees. These rules vary by campground, depending on the amenities available.

Keep your campsite tidy. When we go camping, we will go for a ride around the other camping areas. Nothing turns me off more than a untidy campsite with stuff all over the place. At home this is fine, since no one is there but you and yours, but at a campground, everyone who passes by can see what you have laying around. When you are done using something, put it away. Stack things neatly on the picnic table.

Wave and say hi to whoever is passing by your campsite. You might make some new friends this way, and ones who enjoy the activity you do, to boot.

Help others who are having difficulties. If you see someone struggling to put up a tent or start a campfire, stop by and offer to help. It's the friendly, neighborly thing to do. Who knows, the person you are helping may be a newbie to camping, and your helpfulness may be what he or she needs to go camping again.

If you fish, don't clean your fish at the campsite! Dead fish = nasty smell. Most campgrounds have a place especially for cleaning fish, so use it.

Don't use foul language! There are usually children at a campground, since camping is a family event. You wouldn't want your children hearing that language and asking you what that person was talking about. Save the cursing for when you're out on the lake and there's no one else around except the fish - and they may not want to hear it either.

Don't walk through other people's campsites on your way to somewhere else. Talk about an invasion of privacy! The Golden Rule applies to camping too.

Observe the quiet time, which is usually after 11 PM. Don't drink and get loud around the campfire all night. We all need our sleep, some more than others. Some people (and I am one) have to have it quiet in order to get to sleep.

If you are an early riser, try not to disturb those who aren't.

After you pack up all your camping gear to leave, check over your campsite one more time to make sure the campsite is clean. We were taught in Girl Scouts to leave the campsite cleaner than when we arrived. That means picking up all the small pieces of trash, etc.

Well, that's all for now. I welcome your comments and any other camping etiquette items I might have missed. Until next time -

Happy camping!
Diane