Camping is a great activity, but not everyone sees it this way. There are some stigmas associated with camping, such as the potential dangers that the wild may bring. There is no need to be fearful of camping, as long as you have enough knowledge. The following article contains useful camping advice.

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.

You need to maintain your cleanliness while camping. Good hygiene is difficult when you are camping sometimes, but you can keep yourself clean. A bottle of hand sanitizer is excellent to have so you can clean hands before eating. You can also use rubbing alcohol on areas of your body that are not sensitive. A mild biodegradable soap and a sponge can be used to take mini-baths when water resources are low.

If you’re camping with your family, try finding campsites that are pet-friendly. This is a great way for you to get your animals out in the fresh air. Your kids will be happy to have your animals there with you, so it can be a great experience for all of you.

Collect more wood than you think you are going ot need. Unless you go camping every day, you probably don’t have an accurate idea of what “enough wood” actually looks like. You can always leave the extra wood in a pile as a gift for anyone that uses the campsite after you.

Make sure that you are aware of the perils around the camping site that you choose. For example, there might be poisonous spiders or dangerous trails. Every camping area has its dangers.

When camping, most people enjoy relaxing around a campfire. To prevent your fire from becoming out of control, you should incorporate a few safety practices. First of all, build your fire away from bushes and trees so that sparks from your fire will not start a forest fire. You will also want to use a circle of rocks to contain your campfire. Do not ever leave your fire unattended. Before leaving your campsite, make sure your campfire has been totally extinguished and that there are no remaining hot embers.

When taking a dog along, be certain they have a leash and are always supervised. Some people fear dogs. You should keep that in mind while you are on your camping trip. Also, dogs have the potential to wreck your campsite, or that of someone else, if they are allowed to run loose.

When planning a camping trip, be sure to plan on getting to your campsite before dark. This way you will have daylight in order to set up camp, check out your site for dangers, such as broken glass, dangerous tree branches and other potential dangers or problems that can be fixed before bedtime.

If you are on a camping trip and forgot the bowls for stew, make your own from large plastic soda bottles that have been emptied. Just rinse the bottle and cut down the plastic to the depth you need. Lightly sand the edges to smooth out any rough spots and prepare to scoop up dinner!

Do not underestimate the power of Duct tape It is an essential tool when you camp, so make sure it is in your box of “essentials.” Duct tape can be used to repair tent poles, patch shoes, fix holes in mosquito netting, as well as many other things. Duct tape is a life saver.

It is a great idea to put your tent together at home before you go out camping. Some tents can seem very complicated, and you do not want to get stuck in the dark without your tent being assembled. If you practice when you are at home, you will already have the experience of setting it up, and it will go smoothly.

If your children are with you, establish a daily routine early on. This will help them adjust to their new surroundings and have a good time. Try to stick to a certain bedtime and eat your meals at about the same time each day. Your kids will be happier, and you will be as well.

When you go camping, try to pitch a tent in an area that is directly in a spot where the morning sun will beam. This is a great idea since it can get very cold in the forest. It will make your tent a little warmer so you can sleep a bit more comfortably.

Always inform friends and family of your camping trip and location. Make sure to establish contact numbers and pertinent information on how to find you should something untoward occur. When you have a safety net like this in place, it will allow you to relax on your trip, knowing help can always find you.

If you have more than three people camping with you, take along more than one tent. You are going to want to have some privacy at one time or another. The additional tent will make it possible to get some “me” time while at the camp site. It also gives you additional storage to keep animals out of your supplies.

Make sure to seal the seams in your tent when you are setting it up. You can get a tube of sealant at a sporting goods store if you didn’t get any with your tent. This will prevent rain or little critters from getting inside.

After reading the camping advice in this article, no one should see camping in a negative light. Camping should be seen for the wonderful activity that it is, not as a potential danger. If you remember what you’ve read here, you should be able to camp safely without any problems.