Tent Camping List

Making Preparations For Tent Camping

My husband Bill and I are in the middle of digging out all our camping gear and sorting through it.  We are trying to decide what we actually need and trying to downsize.
Both of us have been camping as adults for well over, I hate to even say how long,  yea, over 30 years! 

A few years back, we decided to purchase a small cabin in the woods and have been spending wonderful peaceful weekends there...... sleeping on an actual bed.

We still tent camped with our son, who was in the Boy Scouts. But Daniel has been out of Boy Scouts for about two years now, since turning 18.

Camping with our son's Boy Scout Troop

Daniel waiting for Old Faithful.  He is now 21, sigh.......

The camping desire never left us.
We even traded in our early 1980's tent about 3 years ago for a newer model. The newer tents are so easy to put up! And the water proofing material sure has improved in 30 years!

Well anyways, after a couple trips out West we decided the only way (and the best way) to see
Yellowstone National Park again would be tent camping.
 

Me in a Yellowstone shirt cause I'm a goofy tourist!

So we are sorting through our camping gear, removing a lot of the things we needed when Boy Scout camping, and adding a few newer, more efficient items. Our current sleeping bags are about the size of a small car alone, so those need to be updated.  Next to staying dry, a good sleeping bag is one of the most important items to have when camping.  We plan to get back to basic tent camping, get comfortable with it again before our trip out west.
I have always used a check list when packing so we do not forget anything. I keep a copy of the list on my hard drive, then print out a copy and check each item off as I pack.

Below is the newest revised camping list I made.

Dutch Oven cooking

It does not detail food items to take because that changes each time we camp.  Sometimes we take sandwiches and/ or eat at a local diner.  Other trips, I cook all our meals at our campsite over a nice coal bed or we do a lot of Dutch Oven cooking.
That involves a meal planning list.
I also do not list toiletries or clothing, because that too changes with each trip, depending on the time of year, the weather and the location we are camping.
One of the most important things I've learned is too keep it simple. 
A phase our friend, Tom Thornton taught us is:
K I S S, for Keep It Simple Stupid.
You can make the camping experience as easy or as hard as you like, but camping should be fun and enjoyable.  It's a time to get away from work, the TV, the computer, and yes, I'm going to say it, the cell phone!
When packing for camping, you can fill boxes and boxes of camping gear, or pack very light.
We have friends that camp with everything they need in a backpack. 
We have done both, but we were more of the "fill the entire van full" type of campers when the kids were little.
You can choose to eat out, just eat sandwiches or cook over the campfire. 
Either way can be just as  fun. It's all up to you.

Cooking over a campfire 

But if just the packing for camping becomes such a big ordeal that you dread it, and so are putting off camping, you need to rethink all the stuff you're packing.
Make camping easy and fun, and forget all the clutter.
As I tell Bill, I am camping for enjoyment, not to cook and wash dishes.
Below is a basic list, there are many other things you may want to take.  Hopefully this will get you started!
Also, this list has changed for us because our kids are grown.  If you are camping with children, the list will be much longer!
We were camping while I was pregnant, and we camped when the kids were very small.  It is do-able!
In my opinion, camping is just good for the whole family.

"So why do it? Family Togetherness! Memories for a Lifetime! Instill a Love of Nature! "
~ Backpacker Magazine~

Autumn Smoky Mountain camping 

Camping List:           

FIRE / STOVE
Kindling / Fire starter
Lighter fluid
Coleman stove
Charcoal
Lighter / matches

BEDDING
Tent
Wool blanket
Air mattress
Air pump
Sheet
Moisture Barrier
Pillows
Sleeping bags
Tarp and Rope

COOKING
Table cloth
Paper towels
Cooking pot
Pot holders
Dish scrubber
Paper Plates
Plastic ware
Ziploc bags
Hot dog roasters
Tongs
Spatula
Wire grill brush
Dish soap
Dish towel
Can opener

PETS
Dog Food
Dog dishes
Leashes / Tie-outs

PERSONAL
Reading head lamp
Book to read
Camera
Cell and Charger
Electric car plug
Toiletries
Camp slippers
Baby wipes
Washcloth / towel
Rain jacket
Toilet paper
Tent potty
Boots / Keens
Eye glasses

OTHER
Lantern / Mantles
Small flash light
Fishing poles
Tackle box / Worms
Deck of cards or games
Folding chairs 
Trash bags
Coffee Cups
Camping Axe
Knife
Bug spray
First Aid supplies
Map of Park / Directions

FOOD
Coffee and Sugar
Water
Mustard / Ketchup
Seasonings
Salt and Pepper

PRINT THIS LIST

Wonderful early morning hot cup of coffee 

A few helpful hints:

1.  Firewood should never be taken with you.  The Emerald Ash Borer can be transported from one area to another in firewood. The Ash Borer KILLS trees.
2.  Always make sure to have a moisture barrier under your tent or under your sleeping bag!
(The purpose of a ground cloth (tarp) under a tent is to provide a vapor barrier to keep that cold, damp moisture in the ground from wicking into your bedding and gear.)
3.  No matter what the weather man says, be prepared for RAIN!
4.  Weather permitting, camp slippers are one of the best things to pack.
5. Tent Potty container.  Pitch black at night, cold, scary.  All that needs said.
6. Part of camping is experiencing the nature around you, the lake, mountains or forest, get out there!
7.  Stay away from the cell phone, it should only be with you for emergencies!
8.  Remember to let someone know where you will be and for how long.
9.  Do not be intimated! Take a small mattress or thick pad or cot to sleep on.  Be comfortable!
10. Speaking of comfortable, take whatever makes you comfortable.  A favorite pillow or blanket......
11.  An extra tarp usually always comes in handy, and rope. (see #3 about rain).
12.  Make the meals easy! serving Spaghetti, cheeseburgers, sandwiches or other quick food items gives the cook time for relaxation too.

Tent camping and sunset along Lake Superior, Canada

Now get out there and see the world from a tent!
Elizabeth
   
Here is an easy to prepare camping recipe:
 
Ziploc Bag Omelet

Ingredients:
2  eggs, slightly stirred
Small handful of precooked sausage, bacon, or ham
About 1/4 cup chopped onions, peppers, etc.
About 1/4 to 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
Put eggs in a Ziploc bag. Add cheese, meat and vegetables.   Season to taste. Place baggy in a pot of boiling water for about 5 to 10 min. Using pot holders or ladle remove from water. Open bag or cut top open and slide omelet onto plate.

PRINT THIS RECIPE

Camping campfire for cooking or roasting marshmallows

Helpful Camping Websites:
 
Easy Camping Recipes
 
Camping With Kids


Places to See:

Camping in South Dakota

Lake Superior Circle Tour

St. Augustine, Florida Trip Ideas