7 Tips on Camping and Hiking

One of the least expensive but most exciting types of vacation is a camping and hiking trip. It's the type of vacation that all family members can enjoy. And it's also such a great way to connect with nature.

The cost to have a hiking and camping trip is quite low compared to other types of vacation. The basic needs are a high quality backpack, tent, and stove. And these items can be used over and over again in your future trips.

Here are some tips you can use to have a great and exciting camping and hiking vacation:

1. Get a good map of the area you're planning to travel to. Make sure the terrains are not too hard for you to hike through.

2. Get all the necessary permits to have a camping and hiking trip in the area you're planning to go to. Also, make sure you check all the regulations concerning fires, cleanups, etc.

3. Dress with the appropriate clothes for hiking and camping. Make sure the clothes are made from material that's suitable for hiking and camping in the wilderness. And bring enough extra clothes with you in case you need them.

4. Know how to operate the equipments that you bring. Try setting up the tent once or twice at home to make sure you don't run into difficulty when you set it up in the camping site.

5. Pack sufficient foods for the trip. You're going to burn a lot of calories during the hiking, so make sure you bring enough foods that are high in carbohydrate, protein, and fat.

6. Find out where the water sources are in the trail. Drinking plenty of water is important in a hiking trip because it'll prevent you from dehydration, so you'll need to stock plenty of water in your backpack.

7. Take a first aid kit with you in case you'll need it in the trip. You might also want to bring a GPS system or a satellite phone if you're planning to travel far into the backcountry.

Camping Pack List

When you're getting ready to go camping, there's always the question of what gear to bring. Having too much stuff is no fun - especially if you're hiking in to your campsite - but you don't want to be without something essential either. A lot of what you'll need will vary depending on several factors - the length of your trip, the weather, where you'll be camping, etc - but let's take a look at what you can expect to need on most camping trips.

There are several things you'll need on any camping trip that you go on. Always bring the following:

Tent (or a tent equivalent, such as a heavy duty hammock, or the materials for a lean-to if you're roughing it)
Sleeping bag
First aid kit
Flashlight
Matches
Knife
Hatchet and/or machete (for cutting up firewood)
Food and water

For cold weather camping, you'll want to bring at least one of each of the following. There's no need to run out and buy new things. You'll be out in the woods and everything is going to get dirty anyway, so the old, beat up sweatshirt and jacket will do fine.

Sweatshirt (with a hood if you have one)
Jacket
Cap
Gloves
Sleeping bag liner (if needed, depending on the weather rating of your bag)

If the weather is going to be very hot, plan on bringing these items:

Sunscreen
Large hat (to keep the sun off)
Extra water
Canopy (to provide shade)
Fan (you can get a small battery powered fan at any mega-mart for cheap)

Lastly, if you're camping at a campground and won't be hiking in to your campsite, then there are several more things you might want to bring. Some of these will depend on the facilities available at your campground though, so do a bit of research before you go to find out what is available.

Camping chair
Hammock
Camp table
Camp stove or grill
Fishing pole
Small backpack for day hikes
Towels and swimsuits