Camping Tips

 Follow these safety camping tips and make the best out of your camping: 

• Make camp before dark. Traveling after darkness has resulted in many accidents from falls, so travel during daylight whenever possible. 
• Check for potential hazards. Be sure to check thoroughly for glass, sharp objects, branches, large ant beds, poison ivy, bees and hazardous terrain.
• Avoid areas of natural hazards. Check the contour of the land and for potential trouble due to rain.
• Inspect the site. Look for a level site with enough room to spread your gear.  
• Build fires in a safe area. Your open fires and fuel burning appliances must be far enough away from the tent to prevent ignition from sparking flames and heat. 
• Make sure your fires are always attended. Be sure you have an area for a fire that cannot spread laterally or vertically – a grill or stone surface is ideal.  
• Beware when encountering wildlife. Use a flashlight at night – many animals feed at night and the use of a flashlight may warn them away. To ward off bears, keep your campsite clean and do not leave food, garbage, coolers, cooking equipment or utensils out in the open. 
• Watch out for bugs. Avoid attracting stinging insects by wearing light colored clothing and avoiding perfume and cologne.  
• Beware of poisonous plants. Familiarize yourself with any dangerous plants that are common to the area where you are camping. 

• Think before you drink. No matter how clean or pure stream water looks, it’s likely to contain water-borne parasites and microorganisms that can cause discomfort or serious illness.  

These camping tips, along with related safety information, can be found on the USDA Forest Service Web site www.fs.fed.us