Camp Cooking and Campfires

Cooking at camp is where a first trip gets real. You have a stove or a fire ring instead of a kitchen, a cooler instead of a refrigerator, and rules that change from park to park. This category covers the whole loop, from choosing a stove to washing the last pan, in plain steps drawn from the National Park Service, Smokey Bear, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Leave No Trace.

The guides are written for beginners: families and couples on a first trip to a national park, a national forest or a state park campground. Fire and food rules matter most here, because they protect the forest, the wildlife and the people eating dinner. Those rules can change by park, by season and even by day, so each guide tells you what to check before you go and where to check it.

Start with campfire rules and fire restrictions explained to learn how fire stages work and how to confirm the status for your campsite. Next, read food storage at the campsite so your food, trash and scented items are handled the way your campground requires. When you are ready to plan menus, camping meal planning for beginners gives you a simple method.