Are you thinking about your upcoming camping trip? Whether for a week or a day, planning must be done. The ideas presented in the following paragraphs are going to help you have a camping trip that is fun for all.

Do plenty of research on your camping site and ensure that it offers everything that your group will need. Consider the individual needs of each camper to ensure that everyone is taken care of. This alleviates the need to make supply runs, or worst case, have to end the trip too soon.

Water is very important when camping. When camping at a campground, there should be ample supply of water available, but on the trail, you will have to carry some with you. If you are going long distances, you should probably carry iodine tablets to sanitize any water you find before drinking. Be careful, dysentery can be deadly.

Take only photos and leave only footprints. That is the rule of thumb when camping. Only use the natural resources that you need and do not leave any traces that you were camping when you leave. Pick up all trash, extinguish and cover any fire pits, bury all human waste, and make the area where you camped look exactly as it did when you found it.

At night, create “bear bags.” Tie a rope around the bags with your food and your trash. Then, find a tree and toss bags over a branch, raising until they are at least seven or eight feet off the ground. Tie the rope around the tree so it is secure. This way, bears and other animals will not be able to get into your food and trash during the night.

If you are not prepared for your camping trip, your fun excursion can turn dangerous fast. Make sure you always go camping only after preparing yourself fully. If you are camping in a new location, research the local wildlife, geography and the climate before leaving home.

Consider having a “jungle breakfast” if you are on a camping trip with children. Portable foods, such as boxed cereal, juice, and fruit, can be tied to trees. Once the kids are awake, they can go search for their food. It is a fun way to start the day and something for the kids to look forward to each morning.

Take along a specialized pillow or two for camping. Your standard pillow that you have at home will not be comfortable if the conditions become humid. The will also pull moisture from the air and mildew will form quickly. Camping pillows are coated to prevent this from happening, keeping you dry and comfortable.

Make sure that the cooler you are taking with you is air tight. You do not want your food to spoil because the cooler was allowing the cool air to get out. Store your cooler in a shaded area where the sun will not work against it. This could save your food and your stomach.

When you select the location for your tent, be sure that it is the right place. The ground should be level and do what you can to avoid setting it up at the bottom of a hill. This will help you keep it dry if the weather should turn bad.

For your first camping trips, try to choose a place that you can drive to. If your car is nearby you can use it as a “fortress” of sorts when you are in the middle of nowhere. Not only can you enter it in case of wildlife attack; it can also protect you from the elements.

Take some preventative steps in order to avoid inadvertently draining the batteries in your flashlights during your next camping adventure. It’s easy to accidentally turn on a flashlight when rummaging through your bags. To avoid this, store the batteries backwards in your flashlights. This prevents the flashlight from coming on and will ensure it is ready for use when needed.

When camping out, you’re going to have bugs. Some of them are fine, and some of them; you don’t want them around you. To limit the amount of bugs you must deal with, keep your campsite clean. Bees and ants are attracted to sugary soda cans and messes, so dispose of your trash immediately.

A great idea when planning your camping trip is to make a list of everything you need before you go. As you pack each item, you can cross it off your list. This is really essential because you do not want to be stuck blowing up your air mattresses because you forgot to pack an air pump.

A great tip for anyone who is planning a camping trip is to bring along some hand sanitizer. Hand sanitizer is great for keeping your hands germ free, but it can also act as a disinfectant if you get a cut somewhere on your body and don’t have access to first aid.

Practice tying different kinds of knots, building fires and sharpening knives before you head out for your camping adventure. Knowing how to do these essential things ahead of time will save you from having to learn them on-site. Plus, you’ll have more time to enjoy yourself during your camping trip.

The best way to dress for camping is in layers. Even if you check the weather ahead of time, weather can change with very little notice. The morning may have a chill, but the afternoon may be balmy or sweltering hot. Late evenings often bring another cold spell. You will have to have a lot of layers of clothing so you are always ready for the weather, whatever it is.

You should now be better prepared to plan for your trip. You may have noticed that it takes the same amount of planning whether you are going for a weekend or a week. Get yourself prepared today so that your future trip will go as smoothly as it possibly can, and you can avoid any dangers out there.