BY Nick Bulanda
Published January 19, 2021
How to Make the Most of Camping Alone in a Campground
If you’re in need of a place to do some quiet thinking alone, and you’re a lover of nature, there’s nothing better than spending time camping alone in a campground. It can be a daunting thing, but once you warm up to the idea, it’s truly an amazing experience. Today, we want to offer up some tips for your next solo camping adventure. We’ll be specifically focusing on staying at a campground, so look elsewhere is you plan to go camp in the wild.
We’ve come up with a list of tips that should improve that camping adventure. By the time you’re through with our guide, you may not yet be an expert on solo camping, but you’ll have a good start. We believe that the only way to truly learn is through experience. We just want to help you get ready for that first trip alone. Stick around, and you might learn a thing or two!
1. Get to Know Your Neighbors
When you first arrive at your campground, take note of the other people around you. Are they very close to your site, or is there plenty of distance between you? If you’re the type of person who’s usually too shy to approach strangers, try to open up over the course of your trip! While you don’t have to feel obligated to spend lots of time with other people, it’s never a bad idea to have a sense of the people staying nearby. Who knows? You may even create a friendship that outlasts the length of your camping trip!
It’s also not a bad idea from a safety standpoint. Not only will you have a better sense of whether you can trust the people around you, but you’ll also know where to go if you run into an emergency. There are many advantages to getting to know the others around your campground. It may be a bit of an effort, but it might wind up paying off for you!
2. Pack Light, but Remember the Essentials
One piece of advice you’ll often here when camping is to pack light. This is definitely a good piece of advice, because nobody wants to have to haul around too much stuff, especially when alone. However, it is important that you remember to pack the most important things. That includes enough food and water for your entire trip, as well as all the important camping supplies like a tent, sleeping bag and more. A first aid kit is never a bad idea, and neither is a flashlight. Remember that you’ll be spending time alone, so it’s also a good idea to bring a book, something to write in, or another way to pass the time. Finally, remember to bring enough clothing, and some that’s good for all kinds of weather!
3. Stay in Contact with Someone You Know
It’s important to let the people in your life know where you’re going to be when you head out camping alone. Camping is perfectly safe when the right precautions are taken, but there’s no denying there’s a potential for accidents to happen. If your family and friends know where you are, it’s another layer of safety for your trip. If you’re staying in an area with cell phone coverage and a way to charge your phone, don’t be afraid to send a text or make a call to a loved one once in a while. It’ll reassure everyone that you’re safe and sound!
4. Research Your Campground Before You Book It
We don’t recommend choosing your campground at random. Instead, you should do some research at home to decide what the best place for you is. It’s not a bad idea to choose someplace close to home. Camping alone in a campground is a good idea, but you just want to make sure you know the campground you’re heading to. Are all of the campsites close together, or spread out? Is it a family campground where a bunch of kids will be running around? Is there plumbing and electricity outlets? These are the types of things you’ll want to know before you head out.
5. Stay Safe
Above all, you want to stay safe during your trip. When you’re camping alone in a campground, you don’t have someone you know there to watch your back. Always be aware of your surroundings, and keep important equipment on-hand. Trust your senses, and listen to what your body tells you. It’s natural to feel a little bit scared when camping alone. Truly, it’s something that everyone experiences. The trick is to know when to follow that gut sense of fear and when to move past it.
Camping Alone in a Campground Can Be a Blast!
If you follow these tips, you’ll be setting yourself up for a good time. There’s no better place to do some serious thinking and retrospection than in the wilderness. These days more than ever, we should try not to take our world for granted. Hopefully you were able to learn something new from our list. If you have any additional tips you’d like to offer, or want to share your own solo camping experience, our comments section is available right down below. Good luck on your next trip, and remember to be safe and have fun! We’ll be waiting for you back at home the next time you need camping advice.
