Trail Tweaks: How to practice Camping Etiquette

What is Camping Etiquette?

Have you been into a camping activities? Camping in the woods can be really fun to outdoor lovers. There’s no other that can beat the billion star hotel accommodation right? Well, for mountaineers and campers, this is so common. Sleeping in a billion star accommodation with no fancy lights or whatsoever.

The satisfactions of camping offer every one of us the great outdoors, freedom from daily routine, and the incredible the joy of sleeping as one with nature. However, without appropriate Camping Etiquette, the campground experience can be one of noise, dust, and invasion by thoughtless acts, which can spoil the experience considerably.

The fundamental essence of campground etiquette is to leave no trace and can be boiled down to a single statement: “Leave nothing but footprints, Take nothing but pictures, Kill nothing but time, burn nothing but calories “. This would really adhere to the Leave No Trace Principles.

As a camper / trekker / mountaineer, I for one is an advocate of LNT. We should know and follow some of the best practices when outdoors. So here are my short-listed things that I think everyone should practice when having camping activities, the so called Camping Etiquette.

1. Law of the Land

Everyone should respect the regulations where you’re camping. Be sure to check posted signage or chat with the ranger or camp host. Honoring the leash law in places where pets are invited and dispose waste properly is one of the best things to practice. Do not just make camp fires, ask the authorities if it is allowed or not. If burning is allowed, make sure to equip yourself with any necessary permits. This is one of the most important component in Camping Etiquette

2. Be considerate when turning up to the camping site.

When arriving at the campsite late. Be considerate to other campers. Turn your voices down. Avoid boisterous noise. You may be joyously relieved that you’ve finally made it to the camp site at midnight but think about your neighbors that won’t be so happy if your tent-raising whoops of joy wake them up in the middle of their goodnight sleep.

3. Treat the campground as your own home

The campground can be considered as the home away from home. So consider every campground and should be treated as such. Even where the campers are not regulars, there is still a sense of community built up immediately from the fact that everyone is pursuing their love of camping. Everyone should know the campground rules and must respect them. Some commonplace concerns to be aware of include: proper waste disposal, cleanliness (avoid clutter), rules in washing the dishes and where to take showers.

4. Be considerate to other campers

• Unless you know one another, avoid pitching your tent right up next to your neighbor’s tent. Allow for tent privacy at all times and avoid peering into other’s tents.
• Avoid shining your flashlight into anyone else’s tent but your own.
• Don’t play flashlight games over someone else’s tent either! Keep flashlights down to the ground when walking about
• Don’t walk through other people’s sites; always walk around them.
• If changing clothes in your tent, keep your tent door zipped up so that others don’t get an eyeful of more than they bargained for.
• Be extra considerate of campers near busy facilities such as the bathrooms, toilets, or food areas. The constant foot traffic is to be expected but it should be quiet.
• If cooking food that has a particularly strong odor, be thoughtful of your downwind neighbors. If there is a central cooking place, choose that over cooking near other tents, to keep the strong odors away.

5. Be friendly to other campers.

When you are part in a camping community, even though you may not know the other people, give them your modest smile. After all, you all have a common goal of enjoying the camping experience. Offer help when others need it. Share your shelter when others need to. Share a tent and win a friend. Who knows, siya na ang forever mo bes. 🙂

That’s it! It is basically the few of the important things to observe when camping. let us all keep in mind these Camping Etiquette whenever we go on camping. Camping Etiquette is not limited to camping itself, we can practice these Camping Etiquette whenever we go traveling. Stay tuned for the next Trail Tweak!

How about you? Have you been practicing these things (Camping Etiquette) when camping in the mountains, parks, etc? Let me know your thoughts by leaving a comment below.