Today, we are discussing etiquette for campground camping. There are certain unspoken rules when you camp- laws of the land, if you will. Knowing these rules can keep you and your family from being labeled as rude, obnoxious or a newbie. These rules have been passed down from generation to generation. Don’t forget to pass these rules down to your camping kids.
- Quiet time is for being quiet. I’m not sure why that is confusing for people.
- Campers are some of the friendliest people you will meet. Be friendly. Have fun. But always respect your camping neighbor’s space.
- Leave no trace behind. My family always told us to leave it like you found it. Clean up your mess and don’t destroy nature while at the campground.
- Don’t feed animals at the campsites. Wild animals are like mooching friends- feed them and they will never leave. They may become aggressive as they demand more food. This is not safe for your family or for future campers.
- Don’t leave food out at night. Contain it or hang it. Secure food in airtight containers or hang from a tree limb or hook.
- Don’t bring firewood with you. Buy firewood close to the campground where you are camping. Moving firewood long distances transports insects and disease and may destroy trees and forests. Look for more information in an upcoming post (later this week). Or visit www.dontmovefirewood.org for more information and state guidelines.
- Playing music at your campsite is fine. Blaring music is not.
- Honesty is the best policy, even while camping. I am surprised by the number of campers who arrive late at night and try to sneak out early the next morning. Few campers get away with this nonsense. The campground hosts are diligent when working the campground. Besides, renting a campsite is cheap. Just pay the money.
- When fishing at the campground, if someone catches a fish, don’t try to force your way into their fishing spot. That is just rude.
- Place grey water in grey water drains located in campground or other approved dumping stations. Grey water is waste water from washing dishes, laundry and bathing. Dumping grey water into the environment has been found to be a significant risk to public health due to the large amount of bacteria in the water.
- Never leave your campfire unattended and always completely extinguish your campfire when you are done with it. As Smokey says, “Only you can prevent forest fires.”
Respect nature. Respect the animals. And respect the other campers.
We have all encountered ignorant or obnoxious campers from time to time. By following these simple rules, you can have a fun-filled trip without getting sideways glances from the other campers. These are just a few of the camping rules we follow. Do you have any camping rules you would add?
I’ll see ya around the campfire.