10 Tips For Your Solo Camping Trip

Have you ever gone camping by yourself? Most people probably haven’t because a lot of people find camping with others to be more fun. However, since you are reading this article you might be considering camping on your own. Well, in this article we are going to touch on reasons why one might want to camp by themselves.

More importantly, though we are going to look at tips to remember when going on a solo camping trip. Solo camping can be just as fun and even more enjoyable than a trip with others to some people. The important thing is to stay safe though. With these tips, you will be able to stay safe on your solo camping trip and get the best experience from it.

10 Tips For Your Solo Camping Trip

Why

For some, they still might be wondering why you would want to go camping on your own. They may ask, “Wouldn’t it be boring being out in the woods by yourself?” Well, for some solo camping may not be the thing for them. For others, however, it is the best way to camp. That is because on a solo camping trip you can go on your own pace. You don’t have to worry about doing things on other people’s schedules. You can do what you want, stay where you want, and take your time enjoying nature. Also, it is quite going by yourself and this can give you time to think and refocus.

Tip 1

The first key thing to do though before a solo camping trip is a plan. That is why the first and most important tip is to have a plan. This will keep you safe in case something goes wrong. It is best to hope for the best but prepare for the worst. That way you are ready if something comes up. Also, tied in with planning is letting someone know your plan. That way if you don’t come back when you say you will or they don’t hear for you, they know where to look for you at. At the least, the person should know the day you are leaving when you are coming back, and where you plan to be at each day.

Tip 2

The second tip is to have a backup device. Your cell phone may not have service where you are going, so it is a good idea to have another means of contact with you. A satellite phone works the best because then you can get calls out in an emergency. Also, since your phone might die and then the GPS locator won’t work, it is a good idea to take along a personal locator beacon. That way if something does go wrong you can be found more easily. This is especially true if you end up off the trail and not where you told the people you would be.

Tip 3

Are you need to be confident about your camping skills. You need to know the basics of sitting up a tent, building a fire, understanding weather, how to navigate, how to purify water, how to deal with injuries, and how to deal with wildlife. If you can’t do these basic things, then you might want to go camping with others a few more times before going alone. You need to be confident about your skills when solo camping. That is because you are the only one out there and you are responsible for everything. It is better to have the skills and not need them, then to need the skills and not have them.

Tip 4

This next tip ties into the previous one and that is if it is your first solo camping trip, then you should go somewhere close. That way if you run into an issue you can get ahold of someone and they can help you. It is also to really plan out your first trip in case of an emergency because the less experienced you are the more likely their is something that you can’t handle might happen. As you get more practice solo camping though you can start going farther and also going longer.

Tip 5

We just touched on tip 5 some and that goes for more than a couple nights. Even if it is your first solo trip you should try to go for three or four nights. That is because you don’t get adjusted to sleeping in a new place until you have been their a few nights. To get the full experience of a solo camping trip you need to go for longer than one or two nights. After your first few trips, you can start to go for a week or two long trips and these will really give you the stress relief that solo camping can come with.

Tip 6

This tip is going to look back at the planning stage and how important it is. The 6th tip is to make sure to pack everything you need, but also pack light. You want to have all the basics and things that you might need for an emergency with you. However, you don’t want to over pack because you are responsible to carry everything with you. You want to pack your backpack efficiently so you can enjoy hiking and have an easy camp to break down and set up. If you don’t know what all you might need, then you can look up a list of things to take when solo camping. The key things are a tent, food, fire starter and matches, a rope, a tarp, first aid things, and cloths. This is just a simple basic list though and there might be other things that you want or need.

Tip 7

When you actually get out camping you want to pick your campsite carefully. You want one that won’t hold water, has good cover, and soft ground. If you can find a solo campsite that has a ranger on duty that is even better. That is because they can check on you and you can leave a schedule with them for emergencies. The key to solo camping is being safe and being able to relax.

Tip 8

Talking about relaxing you might have to learn how to relax. When solo camping you should block out the rest of the world. Try to avoid emails and “real life” things. You are out and nature and should enjoy it. Go out and see beautiful sites and landscapes. Enjoy the animals you are seeing and the sounds you hear. Also, enjoy the smells of being away.

Tip 9

However, don’t be afraid to sleep in and relax. Your solo campout is on your time. You shouldn’t feel like you have to constantly be doing something. You don’t have to spend the whole time hiking, or doing things. You can sleep in, read, focus on meditating, and other fun things. If you enjoy photography then take pictures of all the cool things. If there is a particular picture you want, then take the time to get that picture. The joy of solo camping is being on your own schedule and doing what makes you happy.

Tip 10

Lastly, stay positive. If something goes wrong during your solo camping trip, don’t let it get you down. Unexpected things are going to happen. What makes a good solo camper is how they deal with it. The more experience you get and have the better you will get at dealing with the unexpected. Don’t let one bad thing ruin your whole trip though. Deal with the problem, understand that it is a moment, and get back to enjoying the trip. Living your life this way can make it better, but it is especially true when solo camping.

Conclusion

So, keeping these 10 tips will help you have the best solo camping trip possible. The key is to remember to plan well. This means knowing where you are going, packing everything you need, and letting others know where you will be and when. Outside of planning though it is also very important to be confident with your camping skills and know the basics such as how to set up a tent and start a fire. For your first trip, it is wise to go somewhere closer and not as long. However, you still should go longer than a couple of nights so you can get the full experience of solo camping. The joy of solo camping is being on your own time and schedule and being able to relax. With these solo camping tips, you will be able to do just that and build up to longer and more adventures solo camping trips.