Camping Dos

Be a Good Neighbor
Being a good camping neighbor is important for everyone including the other campers. You don't have to socialize and become lifelong friends with the other campers but having even just an ounce of common courtesy goes a long way.

Leash your pets
Not everyone wants to meet your dog or giant lizard. Keep your pets on leashes. The only exception to this rule is you happen to have a dog that is well trained in obedience and doesn't leave your camping area. A further exception to that exception is if the campground facility specifies that this is against the rules.

Be Prepared
BRING EVERYTHING. If you have to run to the local store for things you forget to bring you can expect to pay almost double the price.

Clean up after your pets
It might be gross but it needs to be done. The campers that come after you won't be looking forward to accidentally stepping in or setting up a tent on one of your animal's potty spots. Plus it stinks up the whole campground.

Share the bathroom
The bathrooms (if your campground has them) are available to everyone. For those of you bringing hair dryers, curling irons and straighteners be considerate of those looking to plug in their ipods, cell phones, mp3 players, dvd players etc. Also keep in mind that you are most likely standing in front of a sink in front of the mirror. Squeeze over a little will you and let some others share the space.

Pick up your trash
Pick up your trash before you go to bed at night and before you leave the campgrounds for good. There is no maid or maintenance crew that comes behind you and cleans up your camp site. Left behind trash only encourages raccoons, squirrels and other animals to enter the campgrounds.

Follow up:

Camping Don'ts

Use the public water pump inappropriately
Some campgrounds offer public water pumps. They are not typically intended for people to wash their hair in, bathe in, clean fish in or wash dishes in but people do it anyway. The water in these pumps are intended for people to fill pots, fill solar showers with, obtain water for boiling, put out campfires with, rinse non-soapy washcloths with or rinse hands off with.

Some water pumps do not have potable water. Potable water is drinkable. If the water is not potable a sign is usually posted at the pump.

When you do the things mentioned above that is not good for the water pump you are putting nasty things in our drinking water. Dysentery is no fun I'm sure. When it becomes a problem for the campgrounds they sometimes shut off the pumps.

This also goes for using the bathroom sinks to wash your dishes; especially those of you that leave chunks of food in the drain and basin. You may wash your hair and skin in the bathroom sinks but do NOT wash dishes there.

Be a loud and noisy camper
If you are a late night camper please take in to consideration that the other campers have spent a long day at the lake, on a hiking trail or wherever and may be hitting the sack for the night. Screaming babies and barking dogs should be immediately calmed. Campers understand that these things do happen but they also know letting the noise continue to go on for hours is being inconsiderate. Rather than ignore your family's noise make an effort to attend to it right away.

Leave your food out
Camping takes place outdoors. Usually in places that have wildlife. This means animals. All food should be put away at night. For lower elevations this means to store ice chests and other consumable products inside a vehicle. Higher elevations may require using a bear locker. Always check with the campground to determine how to properly store your food.

Word to the wise; toothpaste, canned foods, dish soap and hand lotions are equally appealing to animals.

Blare your radio
Lastly I leave you with this last bit of advice. I know what you're thinking and no I'm not saying you shouldn't have loud music. What I am saying is that if it is loud enough to sound like a concert in the forest then it is too loud. Not all the campers want to hear your 80's rock ballads, Christian anthems or patriotic country collection.

It seems that the more eclectic your music is the less other people want to hear it. Enjoy your music, but respect the other campers.

Written by Kelly Spies