Throughout April we’ve talked about how to be a Conscious Camper, including how to clean up, campfire safety, and choosing eco-friendly equipment. But a big part of learning to be a Conscious Camper is being aware of others around you and treating them with respect. So today we’re talking about proper campground etiquette so everyone at the campground can have a safe and fun time.
Keeping Your Campground Clean
An easy way to be a conscious camper (and a good neighbor) is to keep your campsite clean. This means not throwing your stuff everywhere but keeping it within the boundary of your campsite. It also means picking up your trash and disposing of it in the proper receptacle so it’s not blowing around the campground. This helps to keep critters at bay and keeps the campground tidy for everyone. For tips on how to easily keep your campsite and campground clean, check out this other article in our Conscious Camper series.
Avoiding Critters
Heading out into natures means possibly seeing some wildlife. But wild animals are best seen at a distance and not scurrying through the middle of your campground. There are several things you can do as a camper to not attract wildlife.
First, protect your food and other products that smell like body wash, deodorants, soaps, and sunscreen. If you’re camping in bear country, many campgrounds have bear boxes installed to properly store your food and scented products. These locked storage boxes will protect your supplies from curious or hungry critters. Bears are smart creatures and keeping your food in a cooler in your car could mean they’ll just break into the car and help themselves. So be sure to use the installed bear boxes if you’re in an area where bears are present. If your campsite doesn’t have a bear box, you can purchase your own bear canister and use this airtight compartment to store your food.
Even if you’re not camping in bear country, there are plenty of other smaller critters like racoons and squirrels who would love to snack on your food. To avoid hungry animal visitors, pick up all food and store it inside your rig. When you’re eating or preparing meals outside, keep everything off the ground. Never leave food unattended outside as birds or furry critters can easily snatch some and make a quick exit. And if you do see cute little critters crawling into your camp, don’t feed them.
Be Mindful of Your Neighbors
Depending on where you’re camping and if you choose to boondock or stay in a campground, you might have RV neighbors. This is especially true with older and smaller campgrounds that have narrow spaces, which means you and your neighbors are going to be parked pretty close to each other. So follow campground etiquette be respectful of your camping neighbors!
It’s bad manners to cut through someone else’s campsite when walking through the campground. Be respectful of other people’s space and don’t trample other campsites. Similarly, if you have a pet with you, be sure to always clean up after them to keep the campground clean.
Another way to respect your fellow campers is to follow a campground’s quiet hours. Campgrounds are small, RV walls are thin, and sound carries. You might want to have a late night dance party, but your neighbors might not want to hear pounding bass at 2 a.m. when they’re trying to sleep. Basic common courtesy goes a long way with other campers, and who knows, you might even make a few new friends!
Campground etiquette is pretty simple – keep things clean, don’t attract wildlife, and be kind to your fellow campers. Following these guidelines will help you have a great camping trip!
