If you’ve studied up on your winter camping tips and feel ready to brave the frigid temperatures, where are some good destinations for winter camping? Thankfully, it’s a big, beautiful world, so you shouldn’t have to struggle to hard to find a great winter camping destination. Here are a few stand-out suggestions:

Big Bend National Park

Big Bend National Park is located just north of the Mexico border in Texas, between San Antonio and El Paso. The park contains the gorgeous Rio Grande river canyon pictured blow.

The nice thing about considering Big Bend National Park as a winter camping destination is that it’s a nice warm-up to more extreme iterations of winter camping. January, the coldest month at Big Bend, still has an average high temperature of 60 degrees Fahrenheit with an average low of 35. Those temperatures are still extreme and require full winter camping preparation, but it’s quite a bit more pleasant than trying to negotiate a winter camping experience where the high temperature never goes above freezing.

There are four campgrounds in Big Bend, many of them located nearby restaurants and convenience stores. Backpacking and bird-watching are two popular activities in the park.

Mojave Preserve

The Mojave Preserve is a National Park in the southeastern part of California between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. This is one place you wouldn’t want to choose as a summer camping destination; the desert climate is scalding hot with highs regularly above 100. The winter is far more suitable although temperatures can get below freezing at night. One must follow normal winter camping protocol when camping here despite the fact that it is a desert.

Two campgrounds in the park are open year round. The park is known for it’s sand dunes, volcanic cinder cones, mountains, wildflower and Joshua tree fields. Roadside camping is also allowed. A favorite visitor activity is paying a visit to the abandoned mines and military outposts which can be found all over the 1.5 million acre national treasure.

Killarney Provincial Park

For some real winter camping, give Killarney Provincial Park in central Ontario, Canada a try. The park has a designated area for winter campers. They require all campers in winter months to file a trip plan with the park office. Temperatures at night can sometimes get as low as -20 Fahrenheit! The winter camp site includes a hut with a wood stove for frigid campers eager to warm themselves.

A popular activity for winter campers in Killarney Provincial Park is snowshoeing. The park is considered safe for blazing your own trail on foot in the winter since the terrain is fairly flat and relatively shielded from the elements by the dense forestry.

French Creek State Park

French Creek State Park is located in Pennsylvania in close proximity to Philadelphia.

For those appealed by the idea of winter camping with some amenities, French Creek State Park is a great place to look. They have ten cabins available to rent with electricity and heat. You won’t score many points with the hard-core campers, but it’s a good way to wet your beak to what it means to camp in the winter. The park is known for its hiking trails and is popular as a site of cross-country skiing in the winter. Ice fishing and ice skating is also popular.

Planning a winter camping trip around hiking, skiing, or snowboarding can add fun to your time in the frigid outdoors. With the right amount of planning and preparing, camping in the winter can be comfortable and safe.

No matter what time of the year you camp, having the proper supplies and equipment is imperative. This is especially the case in the winter when the low temperatures can contribute to frostbite and hypothermia.

A Good Pair of Boots

Perhaps the most important thing you can bring on your winter camping trip is a good pair of insulated, waterproof boots. They should go at least halfway up the calf.

Layering

You must protect your extremities against heat loss in the cold weather. Your body generates heat and you need proper clothing to insulate and trap this heat when camping during the winter. If you are participating in an activity like skiing, your body will generate more heat than usual so you will feel less of an overall need to trap body heat. This is why you might see people skiing in 25 degree weather wearing nothing but a turtleneck. But what happens as soon as you slow down and your body’s core temperature returns to normal? You start getting very cold and need to put on more layers to trap more of the heat being produced by your body. This is why you need to have several layers of clothing handy at all times when camping during the winter.

Pack several pairs of wool socks. Doubling up on socks will help tremendously in keeping warm.

Other Accessories

A hat is also imperative. Up to 70% of your body heat escapes through the head. Wear a hat while sleeping to stay nice and toasty.

For keeping your hands warm, mittens tend to work more effectively than gloves. Fingers help keep each other warm, so it’s best not to segregate them away from one another in gloves if possible.

If you’re able to pack clothing with a lot of zippers to help ventilate, your winter camping excursion will be much more bearable. Putting on and taking off clothing can be a real pain in the butt, so it’s nice to have pants and jackets that allow you to ventilate without having to remove your skis, boots, etc in order to cool down.

Final Tips

When playing out in the snowy weather, it’s important to stay as dry as possible. A clump of snow getting into your clothing will later freeze and could cause frostbite.

Bundle up even more than you think you need to at night before going to sleep. Your body temperature, and the temperature outdoors, will be at its lowest while you are sleeping and right when you wake up. A good sleeping bag rated to extreme, sub-zero temperatures is a must-have for winter camping. Keep a thermos of a hot beverage (tea is a good choice) in your tent in case you want a sip of something to warm-up with at night.

Finally, have fun and use common sense. Winter camping takes more planning and precautions than camping in the summer, but with the right preparation it can be a very worthwhile experience!

Portable Grill

Part of the fun of camping is being able to cook a meal over an open flame. Why take the easy way out by bringing a grill with you? With your campfire and some basic equipment, you can cook just about anything!

RV

The RV lifestyle has become very popular and is great for persons wanting to do some serious, long-term camping while enjoying some of the amenities of a home. But one is hardly necessary for a single camping excursion. It’s okay to camp the old-fashioned way by sleeping in a tent.

Air Mattress

It’s rather common for people to bring along an air mattress to sleep on in their tent. While this does add some comfort versus sleeping on the ground, isn’t the whole point of camping to reconnect with nature and escape the world of modern amenities? Unless you’re prone to serious back pain, a couple nights of sleeping on the ground won’t kill you. Think of it as a chance to reconnect with human history where sometimes sleeping on the ground was the only option.

Space Heater

If humanity survived thousands of years of evolution and sleeping outdoors without an electric space heater, you can too. Prepare by bringing adequate clothing (several thin layers is better than just a couple thicker layers) and sufficient blankets and sleeping bags. By doing this, you can leave the space heater at home.

Power Generator

If you’re going to go all the way out into the wilderness just so you can fire up a noisy generator and enjoy electricity, why not just stay at home? It’s entirely possible to sufficiently prepare for a camping trip that requires zero help from external electrical sources. You can do without a power generator on a leisurely camping trip.

Check and Prevent for Ticks

Most camping settings are loaded with ticks just dying to latch onto your dog as a host. Ticks can cause life-threatening diseases for your dog. You should be applying a tick and flea preventative medicine on your dog, such as Frontline Plus, on a monthly basis anyway. This is especially important if you are taking your dog into an outdoor, woodsy setting. Check for tigs regularly on your trip and have a pair of tweezers on hand to remove the entire tick (head included) from your dog.

Bring a Reminder of Home

While dogs love being outdoors, camping can also be anxiety-inducing for them if they do not feel a sense of home or “den” (remember, they evolved from wolves). Bring a special blanket or dog-bed along. Help adjust the dog to the campsite by taking him or her on a leashed walk around the premises before returning to the site of their familiar bed/blanket. This will help build a sense of normalcy for the dog and allow him or her to have a more enjoyable time with you while camping.

Bring Toys

Camping is a great chance for a real rowdy game of a tug-of-war or fetch with your dog. Let them get out all of that inner canine energy with their favorite toys and games in the great outdoors.

Store Food Safely

A loose, open container of dog food is an invitation to whatever animals may be nearby to come inspect. Keep your dog’s food sealed until he or she is ready to eat. If your dog can subsist solely on “wet” dog food for a few days, just bring along a few packages of that and feed him or her at their appropriate feeding time. Just be aware that if your dog is considerably more active while camping than they are normally that their appetite may increase.

Use Common Sense Precautions

Don’t take your dog camping and insist that he or she sleep with you in the tent when it’s 100 degrees with humidity outdoors. Dogs are very prone to heat-related sickness, moreso than humans. Be aware of this and always provide ample water, shade, and resting time for your dog.

Bring poop-scoop bags to clean up your dog’s waste.

Bring a brush and brush him or her nightly to remove various burrs, twigs, etc from their coat.

Make sure your dog has an identification tag.

Bring a leash and stake to tie him or her to, especially if part of your camping itinerary is involves getting rowdy at night; you don’t want your dog wandering off while you’re not paying attention.

Be aware that not all fellow campers and woodland critters are especially fond of your dog. Be responsible and sympathetic to this, especially if your dog is prone to barking or biting at strangers.

But as any experienced camper knows, camping is a great activity that is usually free from such horrors when proper planning and preparation have occurred.

So suppose you want to go camping but are having a hard time convincing a friend or significant other to go with you. You know perfectly well that if you can just get them in the woods, they’ll have a great time. But how do you get them in the woods? Well, here are a few approaches that may yield success:

Compromise

As with all things in life, sometimes you have to give a little to get something you want in return. Offer some type of compromise whether it’s a willingness to try something they want to do that you don’t want to do, telling them you’ll pay for the trip so there is no financial burden on their end, or even just remind them about all of the great things you’ve done for them and how it would mean a lot to you if they tried it out.

Prepare for Success

Remember, when camping with someone, you’re also auditioning to get them to camp with you again. Make it a great experience for them! Camping can be a great time for everyone, so figure out different ways to tweak your camping experience to keep everyone happy. This way, next time you want to go camping you won’t have to twist arms as hard. A good tip is to pinpoint some of the reasons why your companion doesn’t want to go camping and then do what you can to remedy those excuses. For example, if they say they don’t like sleeping on the ground, bring an air mattress with a foam cover. You can usually always make camping fun for anyone.

Know the Fears

Here are the common reasons people don’t want to camp:

• Fear of bugs
• Fear of animal attack
• No showers
• Sleeping on the ground
• Food quality/availability
• Climate discomfort
• Fear of being disconnected from the modern world

By knowing the typical reasons why some people don’t want to go camping, you can adequately prepare your sales pitch to dispel these concerns. Most people who are reluctant to camp can be talked into it as long as they feel like they are in good hands. Just reassure them that you (or a fellow camping companion) do this all the time and that everything will go smoothly. Throw in a little begging and whining and you should be all set.

A good rule of thumb to follow which indicates you are drinking enough water is the color of your urine. The lighter the color, the better. If you notice your urine is a bold, dark yellow, you are not drinking enough water. You should always have water on hand when camping outdoors. Do not embark on a camping or hiking trip without first securing an adequate water source. You may also avoid drinking caffeinated sodas. These are not a water replacement. Caffeine is a diuretic which removes water from your body. It should be avoided on hot summer days when your body needs every bit of water it can get.

Alcohol and camping go hand in hand for many people. That’s perfectly fine, but be aware that alcohol dehydrates the body and heightens the chance of heat stroke. Alcohol should be avoided in the heat with the sun blistering down. But if you insist on drinking, alternate a large serving of water in between every alcoholic beverage to remain hydrated. A better idea, if you insist on drinking, is to do so in the evening when it’s cooler out. Remember, not only is alcohol not a replacement for water, but it actually necessitates even more water. So if you would normally drink 6 glasses of water on a typical day, you probably need to increase that number to 10-12 on a day that includes drinking alcohol. Be prepared to urinate frequently!

The next thing to consider for preparing for the summer heat is clothing. Layers are your friend when it comes to clothing on a summer camping trip. Pack lots of light-weight garments that are light in color and breathable. You’ll need several changes of clothes to help you stay dry throughout the day. In the evening as the temperature cools off, it’s helpful to have several thin layers you can add to stay comfortable. Thin fleece jackets and lightweight sweatshirts are helpful in this regard. A hat is another crucial piece of camping clothing. Protect yourself from sun exposure and decrease heat stroke likelihood by wearing a hat.

Finally, don’t forget to pack sunscreen and bug protection. SPF protection is a must for everyone spending significant time outdoors. The sun’s UV rays do not discriminate and will ruin anyone’s camping trip by giving them a bad sunburn. For bug protection, you can use topical sprays and/or bug repellent candles. Long sleeved clothing will help protect you from being bitten by mosquitoes at night. Apply bug repellent to all exposed skin except the face.

Be prepared and your camping trip will be a blast!

Canadian Rocky Mountains

If you want to camp in one of the most scenic settings in the world, head to the Canadian Rocky Mountains! You will likely find yourself in either British Columbia or Alberta when planning a Canadian Rocky Mountains trip. There are opportunities for more organized, formal camping including tours complete with canoe trips, hikes, rafting, and mountain biking included. Of course, there is always the option to rough-it and be self-sufficient out in the woods among the bears, deer, and elk. Stay in a provincial or national park and enjoy easy access to nearby villages and other amenities like helicopter shuttle to the glaciers. The Canadian Rocky Mountains are a camper’s paradise where just about everyone’s ideal camping trip is ready to be planned and enjoyed!

Alaska

Head north to America’s great treasure waiting to be discovered: Alaska. There are 663,000 almost entirely uninhabited square miles of Alaskan wilderness to discover. That’s more than twice the size of Texas for some perspective! Fly into Anchorage or Fairbanks which are both serviced by many major airlines or make the long drive through Canada - it’s some 48 hours from Seattle to Anchorage - to start your Alaskan camping excursion. The real jewel of the Last Frontier is Denali National Park. The word Denali means “the high one” in the native Athabaskan language. Denali refers to what we know better as Mount McKinley, the tallest peak in all of North America.

Enjoy breath-taking views when staying in Denali. To give some perspective on this great national treasure: Denali National Park is only barely smaller than the state of Massachusetts in terms of total area. There are dozens of camping options and amenities within Denali National Park itself. If you’re lucky, you may get to spot a grizzly bear during your time in Denali. Just don’t get too close!

Montana

With an average of only 6.2 residents per square mile, Montana is a camper’s treasure trove. Montana offers a diverse range of landscapes. The Rocky Mountains run through western Montana. The eastern side of the state is flatter and features more prairies. Camp at the Beartooth Plateau and you’ll be staying on the largest continuous land mass above 10,000 feet in the continental U.S. Stay at Glacier National Park, also referred to as “The Crown of the Continent”, and fish in one over 130 lakes. Don’t forget to tour the glaciers while you’re there! Finally, check out Yellowstone National Park while in Montana. While most Yellowstone resides in Wyoming, about 3% of it is in Montana.

One thing that can become a pet hate when camping is getting soaking wet. Whether than is walking to the local shops or due to the fact that a tent is leaking, getting and staying wet on a camping trip can be an uncomfortable experience. The reality is that there are plenty of things people can do to prevent this from happening!

#1 Sealing The Seams

An unfortunate reality is that not all tent manufacturers are the best. The main leaks tend to occur at the seams. For this reason, try and visit a local camp store and ask for some seam sealant. This will ensure that if there is going to be a leak ? it will not be coming through the seams!!!

Do not just do this once, but do it after every camping season.

#2 The Double Ground Sheet

A ground sheet is designed to keep people camping dry, but it does not always have the desired affect. Sometimes water can collect at the edges and start to seep into the tent. It might seem like there is nothing that can be done ? but there is! Simply fit a sheet underneath the ground sheet and tuck the edges of the ground sheet under it. Instead of the water collecting in the edges, it will trickle off the sides and the sheet will absorb it all.

#3 Keep Everything Indoors

On a nice sunny day, it seems that most campers could not have a care in the world ?and who could blame them? This is what we live for! The reality is that any camper knows the weather can change for the worse ? extremely quickly.

In order to try and protect objects and equipment used during camping, ensure that everything that is not waterproof is kept inside. Of course, some tents are slightly compact so there might not be too much space available. That being said, try to ensure that nothing touches the walls of the tent as this is something that will usually lead to a huge leak!

#4 Get Dry As Soon As Possible

There is no escaping the fact that people might go out and get wet. The trick is to try and dry off clothes as soon as possible. It might be that these people have plenty of spare clothes, in which case they should put the wet clothes and shoes out of the way of everything else.

Conclusion

There are hundreds of tricks and tips to try and help people to stay not just dry, but warm as well. The more tricks people use, the more likely they are to have an extremely good camping trip ? one that they will not forget!

People that have young babies tend to avoid camping altogether, but the reality is; they can come along too. Whilst taking a baby camping might seem like a stressful experience, it is just a case of being extra specially organized to ensure that nothing goes wrong. Each individual set of parents will end up with their own guidelines to preparation, but this is a guide to help.

The first thing to try and do is get rid of the negative attitude of taking a baby camping. Taking a baby camping is just like living at home, but they are already being given the opportunity to experience the outdoors. Take into account all safety concerns that should be implemented in the home and there will be no problems.

Preparation is something that will make this camping trip a lot less stressful. There is no doubt that taking a baby somewhere means taking a lot more bits and bobs. Even things to prepare the car in order to fit everything in (prior to the trip) will ensure the trip is much less stressful.

When taking a baby camping, a list will certainly need to be made. Using a normal camping list for foundations, start to build a separate list for the baby. Babies will need things like extra sets of clothes, extra blankets, things like sun screen and maybe even a fan. All these items are down to personal preference, so try and plan ahead by thinking about exactly what a baby will need throughout a camping trip.

A camping trip with a baby should not be regimented; it should be just as fun as usual. Try not to get too caught up in ensuring that everything is ?right?, but make sure it is fun for the baby as well. Think about things to do and see and of course; ensure enough toys are on board to keep them entertained throughout the camping trip!

Now that all the pre-camping trip items have been prepared, the next step is to organize what to do when the camping trip begins. Trying to keep a baby on their normal sleeping pattern is something that should not be a problem. A simple camp fire and some quiet music can be an extremely relaxing way to end a day and parents will be able to hear their baby if they start to cry.

Conclusion

Whilst a lot of people shy away from camping with babies, this is something that is really not necessary. People can still experience the adventure that they are used to and take their baby along too. The main thing to take into consideration is that preparation is really the main agenda here to ensure that the camping trip runs completely smoothly!

Take Pictures!

Equip your kids each with a disposable camera and encourage them to take whatever snapshots from the camping excursion that they please. Kids like having their own camera to do with what they wish. Plus, the finished product is a bunch of pictures to give them fond memories of camping!

Scavenger Hunt

Nothing is quite as fun as a nature scavenger hunt. Send your kids out, with parental supervision, of course, on a nature scavenger hunt. Give them a specific leaf to find, a specific rock, have them find and take note of a number you’ve hidden in a certain place they’re given instructions to find, etc. You can keep kids busy for hours and having a blast with a good scavenger hunt!

Campfire Stories

One of the great joys of camping with kids is the chance to scare the crap out of them with a good campfire story at night. Tell your favorite campfire story, flashlight pointed at face, of course, and have them entranced for hours. If you don’t have a good campfire story, there are plenty classics available online that shouldn’t take too long to commit to memory.

Board Games

Bring a deck of cards and a couple of board games on your camping trip. You never know when your trip might get rained out or when there will be a moment of boredom where a deck of UNO will come in handy.

Have Them Help!

Camping is a great chance to teach kids the importance of responsibility and safety. Have your kids help you set up the tent and unload supplies. A great way to help your kids unload a little wild energy is to send them out on a mission to collect firewood. Have them gather as many twigs and sticks as they can. These will help keep the fire going later. You can also have your kids help prepare the food you’ll be eating at camp. Don’t forget supplies for s’mores. Graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate bars are a camping classic!

Star Gaze

Since most people live in urban settings these days, fewer and fewer kids truly know what a starry night sky looks like. Camping is a great chance to star gaze. Visit the site Earth Sky to learn a few interesting things to look for in tonight’s sky. Getting to see a constellation for the first time is a great memory for kids!