Are you planning a camping trip? In planning for it, have you fully prepared yourself for what might come up while you are out in the wild? Though common sense can cover most of these situations, it never hurts to do some homework to ensure that you cover your bases. The information below will help you to plan.

Gets Dark

When you go camping, find your shelter before it gets dark. Once it gets dark, it is much harder to find wood for your fire, prepare food, and get your tent ready. Those that live in urban areas find this to be the case even more than those that are used to pitch black darkness. Do not wind up in this position. Seek shelter and make camp for the night well before darkness sets in.

Get everyone involved in choosing a campsite. Talk over what your destination state should be. The U.S. has dozens of great camping options. To make it easy, pick a few that you really like and then have a family vote.

It can be fun to camp, but you have to be prepared. When you are prepared, you avoid many of the common mistakes that are made on camping trips. If you are camping in a new location, research the local wildlife, geography and the climate before leaving home.

Dryer lint makes surprisingly good kindling for starting campfires. Start storing your lint in a bag a couple weeks before your trip. Place the lint you normally throw in the trash in a plastic bag to take with you. You can just go about your business after that.

If you are going camping, be sure to have a first aid kit. The contents of the kit may change depending on where you camp and who you are with, but it should contain basic supplies. For example, if you will be camping in a Southern state you should certainly carry anti-venom for the local wildlife that you may encounter.

Oranges can be used as a food source and a way to repel mosquitoes while you camp. After you’ve eaten the flesh of the fruit, save all the peels. When you need bug repellant, rub the peels on your skin to repel mosquitos naturally and on the cheap!

As you can see, there are a few things beyond the basics that are required for a successful camping trip. Camping is all about relaxing and enjoying yourself, but you need to be prepared. Take what you have found here and go forth into the woods!