First time camping mistakes to avoid on your first trip

Most first camping trips go wrong in the same few ways. People arrive late, skip a test pitch, sleep cold from the ground and have no plan for rain. Here are those four, plus a few small ones, and what to do instead.

The big one: arriving after dark

Setting up a tent in the dark, with kids or a tired partner, makes everything harder. You miss good ground, drop small parts and decide badly about where to put the tent.

Rule: plan to arrive with at least two hours of daylight left. If the drive is long, shorten the trip or camp closer to home. If you will arrive late, choose a campsite where your spot is marked and flat.

What goes wrong first. The headlamp is at the bottom of a bag. Keep it in your pocket on arrival day. Keep it where you can reach it.

Skipping a test pitch

A tent you have never put up can take an hour the first time. Poles may be missing, and instructions are hard to read at dusk.

Put it up once in the yard or a park. Check every pole, stake and the rainfly. Learn how it packs. Then pack it the same way every time. How to set up a tent for the first time walks through it.

Sleeping cold from the ground

The ground pulls heat from you faster than the air does, even in summer. People bring a good sleeping bag and a thin mat and wake up cold.

Rule: put a real sleeping pad under you, not just a blanket. The next question is how warm it needs to be. Sleeping pad vs air mattress helps you choose.

No plan for rain

Rain does not ruin a trip. Having nowhere dry to sit and cook does. Pack a tarp to rig over the cooking spot, a change of dry clothes in a sealed bag and a board game. What to do when it rains while camping has the simple plan.

Pitching in the wrong spot

Common first-timer errors:

• Low spots, where water collects in rain.
• Under dead branches that can fall.
• Near a stream bank that can rise.
• On a slope, so you slide all night.
• In the middle of a path.

Pick flat ground, slightly raised, with the door facing away from the wind. Clear stones and sticks first.

Bringing too much, or the wrong things

You do not need everything. You do need these: shelter, sleep system, light, water, food, a way to cook and a first aid kit. The beginner camping gear checklist lists them without extras.

Food mistakes

• Planning complicated meals. Keep the first trip simple: one pot, few ingredients.
• Forgetting the can opener.
• Not storing food properly. Follow the campground's rules on wildlife and food storage.

Skipping the plan

Tell someone where you are going and when you will be back. Check the forecast the day before. Check the campground's rules, fees and fire rules on the official page.

A simple first weekend plan

A plan keeps the day from slipping. This is an example, so change the times to suit you.

Mistakes about people, not gear

Gear gets the blame, but plans fail on people too.

• Planning too much. A first trip with a full schedule leaves no space to rest. Leave gaps.
• Not telling the group what to expect. Say before you go that sleep may be rough and the toilet may be a walk away.
• Ignoring tired kids or friends. A hungry, cold person turns a good trip sour. Feed and warm people first.
• Not agreeing on a stop point. Decide in advance what would make you go home, such as a bad forecast.

What goes wrong first. Hunger and tiredness. Keep snacks within reach, and call a rest before anyone asks for one.

After the trip

Make a short note on your phone while it is fresh. What did you forget? What did you not use? What would you move? The second trip is better than the first for nearly everyone who does this.