All camping guides

45 guides in five topics. Search by word, or filter by topic.

Showing 45 of 45 guides

Dome tents pitched on a sunny grass campground beside a forested hillside

Camping Basics

How to Plan Your First Camping Trip

Plan your first camping trip in order: trip type, place, dates, rules, forecast, then a checklist you can tick off.

6 min read

White camper van with a pop-up roof parked on a grassy campground below green mountains and blue sky

Camping Basics

Types of Camping Explained: Car, Backpacking, RV and More

Car, RV, backpacking, dispersed and backyard camping compared, with the official rules that set them apart.

6 min read

Canvas bell tent glowing warmly under a wooden shelter strung with lights against a deep blue night sky

Camping Basics

What to Expect on Your First Night Camping

A timeline of your first night at a campground: arrival, setup, dinner, quiet hours, a cold night and the morning.

6 min read

Dark teal SUV parked beside a beige tent on a shaded forest campsite with dappled sunlight

Camping Basics

Car Camping for Beginners: A Simple Starter Guide

Drive-up camping is the simplest start. See how it works, what the car changes and which campground rules to check.

6 min read

Smiling couple lying on a colorful blanket inside a green tent, looking at a laptop together

Camping Basics

Camping for Couples: How to Plan a Trip for Two

A trip for two works best with a clear task split, a shared pace and a site with space. Here is how to plan each part.

6 min read

Group of friends sitting around a small fire pit at night under string lights, with a tent behind

Camping Basics

Camping With Friends: Sharing Plans and Duties

Group trips run on site limits, shared gear and clear duties. Check the rules, then split the plan before you go.

6 min read

Man pouring hot water into a pour-over coffee dripper while a smiling woman watches at a camp table

Camping Basics

A Day at the Campground: Your Camp Routine From Morning to Night

How a camp day runs: morning chores, afternoon rest, evening fire care, posted quiet hours and check-out timing.

6 min read

Three tents pitched on a sunny green lawn beside a calm lake with a forested shore

Camping Basics

How Many Nights Should Your First Camping Trip Be?

One, two or three nights? Use distance, weather, experience, kids and booking rules to choose the length of your first trip.

6 min read

Small gray dome tent pitched on a lawn in front of a two-story house

Camping Basics

Backyard Camping: A Practice Run Before Your First Trip

Use one night in the yard to test the tent, stove and sleep setup, and learn what only a real campground can teach you.

6 min read

Two orange dome tents pitched on a sandy clearing with green hills and cloudy sky behind

Gear and Camp Setup

Tent Types Explained: How to Choose Shelter for Camping

Dome, tunnel, cabin and A-frame tents compared, with simple rules for matching a tent to your trip.

7 min read

Two men setting up a gray dome tent on a grassy clearing among tall pine trees

Gear and Camp Setup

How to Pitch a Tent Step by Step

Six simple steps to pitch a tent, plus how to choose the spot, handle wind and practice at home first.

6 min read

View from inside a tent of sleeping bags and blankets on the floor, with a waterfall outside

Gear and Camp Setup

Building a Sleep System: Bag, Pad and Pillow

How the pad, sleeping bag, pillow and sleep clothes work together, and how to match them to the forecast.

6 min read

Person frying eggs in a pan on a portable camp stove on a wooden table with bowls nearby

Gear and Camp Setup

Camp Kitchen Setup: What You Actually Need

Where to put your camp kitchen, the short list of gear you need, and how to handle water, hand washing and cleanup.

6 min read

Woman in a pink jacket over a red hoodie and knit headband looking across a grassy mountain slope

Gear and Camp Setup

How to Layer Clothes for Camping

A simple base, insulation and shell system for camp days and nights, plus what to pack and what to avoid.

6 min read

Vintage green lantern glowing warmly on a stick among leafy plants near a small campfire grill

Gear and Camp Setup

Camp Lighting: Lanterns, Headlamps and Good Habits

Headlamps, lanterns and tent lights explained, plus red light, spare batteries and courteous habits after dark.

6 min read

Aerial view of a campsite on golden sand dunes with RVs, trucks and trailers parked together

Gear and Camp Setup

How to Set Up a Campsite: Where Everything Goes

Where the tent, kitchen, fire ring and food storage go on a campsite, and how to use the space well.

6 min read

Backpack, boots, sleeping bag, toiletry kit, camera and folded clothes laid out on a wooden floor

Gear and Camp Setup

How to Pack for Camping: Car and Backpack Organization

Pack by job and order of use: a bin system for the car, a loaded test for the backpack, and a plan for food and trash.

6 min read

Camping tents on grass with clothes hanging to dry on a line

Gear and Camp Setup

How to Clean, Dry and Store Camping Gear

Unpack, dry, clean, inspect and store your gear after each trip so it stays fresh and ready for the next one.

6 min read

Person stirring a steaming pot on a small canister camp stove, with a steel bottle and jar nearby

Camp Cooking and Campfires

Camp Stove Types for Beginners

Compare canister, liquid fuel, alcohol, wood and charcoal stoves, and learn the safety and fire rules to check before you buy.

6 min read

Campfire burning inside a ring of large stones on a gravel campsite pad with a wooden bench behind

Camp Cooking and Campfires

Campfire Rules and Fire Restrictions Explained

Learn how fire stages differ by place, where campfires are allowed and how to confirm the rules for your campsite on the day you arrive.

6 min read

Stone fire ring in a clearing, with tree stumps around it as seats

Camp Cooking and Campfires

How to Build and Put Out a Campfire Safely

Step-by-step campfire basics: pick the spot, build in layers, keep it small and drown, stir and feel until the ashes are cold.

6 min read

Close-up of a black bear-proof storage container with yellow warning stickers

Camp Cooking and Campfires

Food Storage at the Campsite: Protecting Food and Wildlife

Learn what counts as food, how storage rules differ by campground, and a simple routine that keeps your food, trash and wildlife apart.

6 min read

Camp table set with food containers and glasses between two green folding chairs on leaf-covered ground

Camp Cooking and Campfires

Camping Meal Planning for Beginners

A simple five-step method to plan camp meals by day and by person, with a planning table and a checklist for your first trip.

6 min read

Camp table by a lake set with bread, fruit, cucumber, bowls and a moka pot for breakfast

Camp Cooking and Campfires

Easy No-Cook Camping Meals

No-cook camp meal ideas by time of day, a sample two-night menu, and the USDA cold-food rules for perishable foods.

6 min read

Family of three walking across a park lawn carrying a lime-green cooler and a picnic basket

Camp Cooking and Campfires

Packing a Cooler: Food Safety on a Camping Trip

Pack a cooler the USDA way: cold sources, packing order, raw meat placement, a thermometer and the 40°F (4°C) rule.

6 min read

Smiling woman washing dishes outdoors in a bowl

Camp Cooking and Campfires

Cleaning Up After Camp Meals: Dishes and Trash

How to wash dishes, strain and dispose of dishwater, and handle scraps and trash at camp, with the rules that change by campground.

5 min read

Neatly stacked pile of split firewood logs showing pale cut ends

Camp Cooking and Campfires

Firewood Rules at Campgrounds: Buy It Where You Burn It

Why campers should not carry firewood, how far is too far, what heat-treated wood means and when gathering is allowed.

6 min read

Campground loop with travel trailers and a pickup truck below forested mountains with snow-dusted peaks

Where to Camp

National Park Camping: How Campgrounds Work

How national park campgrounds work, how to reserve a site, and which park rules to read before your first night.

6 min read

Orange dome tent pitched among tall pine trees in a misty forest

Where to Camp

National Forest Camping: A Beginner's Guide

Learn the two ways to camp in a national forest, how to reserve a campground, and which local rules to check first.

5 min read

SUV with a rooftop tent parked on open desert flats with snowy mountains and a folding chair

Where to Camp

Dispersed Camping on BLM Land: What Beginners Should Know

What dispersed camping on BLM land means, the general rules to check, and how to find and respect a spot.

6 min read

Wooden picnic table in a campsite among tall pines with a sunlit lake in the background

Where to Camp

State Park Camping: Why It Is a Good First Choice

Why state parks suit a first trip, how three states run reservations differently, and what to check on your state's page.

6 min read

Man in a white shirt sitting inside a green dome tent, looking at his smartphone

Where to Camp

How to Reserve a Campsite on Recreation.gov

A plain walk-through of searching, filtering and booking a campsite on Recreation.gov, plus tips for busy campgrounds.

6 min read

Small yellow tent and folding chairs in a grassy clearing below hillsides of red and green autumn foliage

Where to Camp

Off-Season Camping: Fall, Winter and Spring Planning

How to plan camping outside summer: what may be closed, how to confirm it, and where to check the weather.

6 min read

Yellow wheelchair accessibility symbol and parking lines painted on dark asphalt

Where to Camp

Accessible Camping: Finding Sites and Facilities That Work for You

How to find accessible campsites, which official pages to check, and what the federal Access Pass covers.

6 min read

Two campers sitting in an orange tent entrance holding up a large paper map between them

Where to Camp

How to Read a Campground Map

Learn to read a campground map: legend, site numbers, loops, restrooms and entrances, and how they help you pick a site.

6 min read

Campsite with a teal tent, folding chairs and a small table in a wooded clearing

Where to Camp

First-Come, First-Served vs. Reserved Campsites

How reserved and first-come campsites differ, how to claim a walk-up site, and how to plan a backup.

6 min read