If you're planning a camping trip around the American Southwest, check out these tips for first-time campers to successfully achieve a relaxing getaway. You may have a lot of questions on your mind: What gear should I bring? How much food and water should I plan for? And probably much more! Having these questions on your mind can make a relaxing getaway stressful and anxiety-ridden. Yes for us, the goal of camping is to leave all stress behind, to get away from the city, away from the normal day-to-day! You can easily achieve this goal too using the below advice for novice campers.
TIP 1: PLAN AHEAD
This is arguably the most important piece of advice for beginner and seasoned campers alike. For example, did you know that many campgrounds around the Southwest now require advance reservations? The more popular the park, the harder it is to get a reservation. Some of the more popular hikes such as, Angels Landing in Zion National Park, also require you to reserve a hiking permit. For this reason, it's pertinent to check each park's requirements before setting out.
Another example for planning ahead is checking the weather and packing accordingly. Most of the American Southwest is a high desert, meaning that days can be brutally hot while nights can get chillingly cold. The potential of rain may also hinder your travels, assuming you plan to drive on dirt roads or visit slot canyons. Prepare by checking the forecast and both high and low temps during your stay.
TIP 2: VISIT THE VISITORS CENTERS
Most state and national parks have some sort of visitor center where you can talk to a park ranger and ask any questions you may have. Park rangers love to talk! They are experts of the park they are in and are incredibly friendly, so don’t be afraid to ask questions. Share your travel plan with the rangers to seek their reactions to it. I learn something new and interesting each time I walk into a visitors center.
Most visitors centers also have bathrooms, water refill stations, merchandise, free WiFi, and interesting history of the area. Especially if you have never been camping this should be your first stop. Also, I recommend buying a small souvenir from the gift shop in support the park you are visiting!
TIP 3: DON’T RELY ON CELL SERVICE
Most campgrounds, and most destinations in the Southwest in general, have very poor to no cell service. Therefore, before heading out, download maps and save any other pertinent information for offline use. Remember to send final texts or make calls before you leave the visitors center as this can be the last place that has any sort of reliable connection. Most importantly, let somebody know where you are and how long you plan on being there in case anything happens.
TIP 4: PLAN YOUR MEALS AND BRING REFILLABLE WATER BOTTLES
Supermarkets outside of the big cities are few and far between, and choice of restaurants may be lacking around the Southwest. For this reason, we recommend that you plan out all of your meals before you leave, and stock up on groceries wherever possible. Consider traveling with a cooler to keep your food fresh. It makes mornings and nights much easier if you already have an idea of what you are eating. Alternatively you can bring ready made meals that only require you to heat up water.
You should also bring a few gallons of water that can be refilled at the visitors centers. Regardless, it's always a good idea to keep extra water and snacks in the car. If you plan on backpacking, a water filter of some kind is necessary.
TIP 5: TEST YOUR GEAR
The first lesson you'll learn in tent camping 101 is to set up your gear before leaving on your trip. Whether you plan on renting or buying your gear, it is always a good idea to practice setting everything up as if you were at camp. Make sure your tent has all the stakes, poles, tarps. Your sleeping bag zippers work and your headlight has full charge. This allows time to see if everything works the way it should, and to fix it before you get too far. If you are backpacking for the first time, pack your bag and walk around with it and adjust the straps with the full weight in it.
TIP 6: SET UP CAMP ASAP
A quick tip for beginner campers is to set up camp as soon as you arrive, preferably while you still have daylight. Set up your tent, inflate your sleeping pads and unroll your sleeping bag. It allows for less stress when night falls and more time later to enjoy a campfire and settle in for the night. Depending on the complexity of your tent it could take some time to set it up, so hopefully you practiced it (see Tip 5).
Be wary of where you set up your tent, though! For example, never place your tent in a dry river basin as a flash flood could occur at any moment. Ideally, find a flat high location.
TIP 7: RESPECT THE WILDLIFE
Wild animals are wild and as such deserve respect. Approaching or feeding them teaches them bad and unnatural habits. All novice campers need to know that the National Park Service recommends to keep at least 25 yards for most wildlife and 100 yards from predators such as bears, wolves, mountain lions, etc.
In order to keep animals at a distance, store all food away from your sleeping area, and in animal-proof containers when unattended. Do not keep any scented items in your tent or backpack as it will entice animals to tear through your gear. Throughout most of the Southwest, your greatest enemies when it comes to food are rodents and bird. Those who backpack should use ratsacks or bear boxes to store their food overnight. Separate regulations apply in bear country.
TIP 8: KEEPING CLEAN IN THE WILD
Things that novice campers need to know is that campsites very rarely have some form of shower, so baby wipes are your best friend to feeling clean. You will get dirty, your hair will get greasy, it is a fact that you will have to deal with. If you truly can’t stand it you can use one of your water gallons as a shower or use dry shampoo.
THE AMERICAN SOUTHWEST
While we focus on the American Southwest in particular, these tips for beginner campers can apply to any camping adventure. The desert in particular is a place of extremes whether it is the weather, the landscape, or the wildlife. All life here has adapted to below freezing winter nights to scorching hot 120 degrees Fahrenheit summer days. It is dry, windy, beautiful, and absolutely worth a visit! Take the time to make sure your gear is best suited for the time of year you plan on visiting to fully enjoy everything the American Southwest has to offer. Hopefully these tips for first-time campers will have made your trip that much better!
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