12 Tips for Safety When Camping and Backpacking
Camping and backpacking is a great way to escape from our technology-filled daily life and connect with nature. Whether you go on trips to the backcountry frequently or if this is your first ever trip to the forest, it is important to prioritize safety when exploring the great outdoors. Camping and backpacking trips can involve a range of hazards, from wildlife encounters to weather emergencies, so it’s essential to be prepared. In this post, we’ll share some useful tips for safety when camping and backpacking, so you can have a memorable and safe outdoor adventure.
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1. Check Equipment Before You Go
Before you even leave the house to go on any outdoor adventure, be sure to check over all your essential gear to make sure it is working properly. Items like your tent, water filter, and sleeping pad should be checked for holes and tears. Test out your headlamp battery and check your camp stove fuel levels.
These items are essential for being comfortable and safe while in the backcountry. If they are in poor condition, they won’t serve their purpose and are simply weighing you down. It’s good practice to test out your gear before every trip.
2. Maintain a Plentiful and Clean Water Supply
Another tip for safety when camping and backpacking is to consider your water supply before your trip begins. Take note of the water sources in the area and when you will be able to access them. If there aren’t a lot of trustworthy waterways, bring enough water to keep you hydrated for the entire trip.
While you’re out and about, keep track of where those water sources are in relation to you. Whenever it is convenient to do so, refill your water supply to make sure you always have a comfortable supply.
Never drink water that has not been filtered or boiled. Drinking directly from a lake, river, or stream can cause serious illness. It can be filled with bacteria, viruses, or parasites. Fortunately, there are quite a few ways to filter and purify your water (read more here!)
3. Have a Well-Stocked First Aid Kit
Always bring along a first aid kit and don’t forget to check over it’s contents before adding it to your pack. It’s a good idea to regularly restock your supply of frequently used items, like bandaids and pain killers. Also be sure to check over the condition of any rarely used items like safety razors, gauze pads, or medications that could expire.
If you’re not sure what to include in your first aid kit, here is a list to get you started. Aside from the typical first aid supplies, you should bring along any personal prescriptions or emergency medications such as epipens. If you’re hiking with your furry friend, be sure to bring first aid items for your pet. Some items already in your kit may help care for your pup, but other items like non-stick bandages (like these) or a soft muzzle (like this one) should be added just in case.
Finally, a great way to ensure a higher level of safety when camping and backpacking is to take a basic first aid or backcountry first aid class. In a course like this, you will learn essential skills to treat common wounds.
4. Choose The Right Campsite
There is a lot more to choosing a campsite than just finding a flat spot to pitch your tent. You should also consider your impact on the area and the area’s potential impact on you.
While it should be common sense, it is important to note that you shouldn’t set up camp in areas close to cliffs, near falling rock areas, or under any dead or dying trees. These are all potential hazards that you should be aware of when finding the right place to camp. While a site on the side of a rocky hill, for example, can be incredibly scenic, you may be setting up your tent i a dangerous location if the rocks are not stable.
In addition, make sure you aren’t too close to any heavily trafficked animal trails or any ant beds. This makes you a target for investigation by unwanted visitors.
Learn more about choosing the best campsite here!
5. Be Aware of The Weather
As much as we like to hope that the weather forecasts are accurate, they are typically not all that reliable. While referencing the 7 day forecast before going on a camping or backpacking trip can give you a feel for what you can expect, you certainly shouldn’t take it to heart.
Just because it says it will be sunny and warm all week doesn’t mean you should leave your rain gear at home. Especially if you are in the mountains, where the weather is notoriously unpredictable.
To ensure your safety when camping or backpacking, it is so important to know how to read nature’s signs of inclement weather. Severe weather warnings might not get to you when you don’t have cell reception, you need to read the warnings in the sky. Keep an eye on the sky and if you notice any of these warning signs, find some sort of shelter away from potential run offs and dead trees.
6. Don’t Use Your Stove in Your Tent
On a rainy night or a downpour of a morning, it can be really appealing to hunker down in your tent. You might consider striking up your stove and whipping yourself up a nice meal to enjoy in the warm, dry comfort of your shelter.
It’s not worth it.
If you read the fine print on the little propane tank that fuels a lot of camp stoves, it’ll warn you not to use it in enclosed spaces. Using it without proper ventilation can cause a buildup of carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide, which could cause poisoning.
In addition to those fears, having any open flame close to the synthetic fabric that tents are typically made of can cause some problems.
Just cook outside.
7. Store Food Properly
Hanger is real. Especially after being active in the forest all day long.
One thing you never want to see when you are camping or backpacking is your food stash destroyed by an unwanted visitor. When you store your food carelessly, you run the risk of having your food explored by the many hungry critters in the forest. Even if they leave some scraps for you, you won’t want to eat anything that may have been contaminated.
Hang your food up in a tree, stuff it into a bear can, or utilize any campsite-provided storage system to keep your food safe from hungry mouths.
Another point to proper food storage is to make sure you keep your food out of your tent. Whether you are in bear country or just racoon and mouse country, you don’t want any animals attracted to your tent.
To learn more about the ins and outs of proper food storage, read this!
8. Be Prepared for Wildlife Encounters
One of the best parts of being out in nature is getting the chance to see the beautiful wildlife in their natural habitat. That being said, wild animals can be unpredictable and dangerous. So you should know how to behave when you see one to ensure your safety when camping and backpacking.
A rule all hikers, campers, backpackers, and other outdoor enthusiasts should know and respect is to leave animals alone. That goes for all animals of all sizes. They may be cute, they could be small, but they can still cause some serious harm.
Not to mention they typically don’t want to be approached by humans and we should respect those wishes. So when you see one, admire it from afar and then go your own way.
Some larger animals like bears may be a bit more intimidating to encounter. If you are hiking in an area where predators like these are common, consider bringing along bear spray as a precaution and familiarize yourself with what to do in a bear encounter or mountain lion encounter.
9. Have a Safe Campfire
Did you know that burns are the most common type of injury people obtain while camping? Have you heard that 85% of yearly wildfires in the United States are caused by humans?
You know now, and hopefully those statistics got your attention.
Campfire safety is a key aspect of safety for camping and backpacking. Fortunately, having a safe campfire is easy to do. For starters, simply be aware of any restrictions and rules that the forest has regarding fires. Especially any rules stating when and where fires are prohibited. Be sure to also use an established fire pit whenever available and always have water or sand on hand in case it gets out of control. Finally, never leave the fire unattended and always extinguish it completely before going to sleep.
10. Protect Yourself From Insects
When you’re out in nature, it is impossible to avoid insects. Unfortunately, some bugs aren’t just annoying and gross, but harmful as well. Ticks, mosquitos, and biting flies are some of the most common insects that cause hikers and campers bodily harm.
The best ways to avoid getting bitten is to use bug spray and wear protective clothing. You can also hide out in your tent if the mosquitos are too much to bear in the evenings.
When you’re in an area where ticks are present, do frequent tick checks to increase the likelihood of you spotting them before they bite you. Ticks can carry harmful diseases such as lymes disease. Doing regular checks and knowing how to properly remove and dispose of a tick can help you reduce your risk of such illness. Learn more about how to deal with ticks here.
11. Protect Your Skin
An important aspect of safety when camping or backpacking that is often overlooked is skin safety.
While you might only think about sunscreen application while at the beach, the sun can do damage when you’re in the forest as well. Be sure to apply and reapply sunscreen throughout your trip. Especially if you are in an area where tree covering is scarce.
Skincare doesn’t stop at sunscreen, however. You should also apply moisturizer if traveling somewhere with dry or frigid air. Cracking, dry skin can be irritating and creates open wounds with the potential to get dirty and infected. Speaking of infections, also be sure to thoroughly clean any wounds obtained in the forest. Cover them with a bandage to ensure they stay clean.
12. Keep Track of Your Whereabouts
Every hiker’s fear is getting lost in the woods. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to significantly reduce your chances of getting lost.
For instance, you should never stray from marked trails. If you need to step away from the trail to use the bathroom or find a campsite, set up some sort of marking with rocks, sticks, or some sort of flag to help you find your way back. Just make sure to take them down when you are finished. You should also always carry a map with you and check it often. It is easy to take a wrong turn and wind up somewhere far from your destination if you don’t keep an eye on your route.
If you do get lost, take a break to calm yourself down and allow yourself to think clearly. When you feel more relaxed, you are able to evaluate the situation better and make better choices. If you feel truly lost, find water and some sort of shelter and stay in one place. Find ways to signal for help with smoke, a mirror, or flashing lights and wait for someone to find you. It is easier to locate a lost person when they stay in one place. As you wait, keep your mind busy. Maintain a fire, improve your shelter, or make crafts to keep yourself occupied with tasks rather than panicking over the situation.
Cover photo by Kevin Ianeselli on Unsplash
