Ready to go out on a fantastic adventure exploring nature and sharing campfire stories with your fellow campers? Keep in mind the following useful tips while you’re on your way:
1. Go camping during a park’s off-peak season if you want more camping privacy.
2. Choose campsites from steep cliffs to avoid nasty accidents.
3. Bring a guide of safe natural edibles instead of guessing which “looks” delicious enough to eat.
4. Natural edibles you can eat include: cranberries, milkweed, wild leeks, cattail, blueberries, and arrow roots.
5. Avoiding lighting campfires during dry, windy conditions.
6. Use the following in case of needed fire fuel: white pine, red pine, jack pine, black & white spruce, white cedar, hemlock, and balsam fir.
7. Rub crushed jewelweed (aka touch-me-nots) leaves and stems to any affected poison ivy area as a backup natural remedy.
8. Hang your food pack high between two tree limbs from hungry bears.
9. Stuck in the middle of lightning storm with no shelter nearby? Retreat to a ravine (or any low spot). Leave tents since their metal poles will certainly attract electricity.
10. Dry your tent before returning it to storage or else you’ll wind up with a moldy surprise the next time you attempt to use it.
11.Extra Tip: Pick up your GCPL Georgia State Parks & Historic Park pass to start your camping journey today!
The following books referred in this article are available at any GCPL location:
1. The Happy Camper: The Essential Guide to Life Outdoors by Kevin Callan
2. Car Camping for Everyone: A Step-by-Step Guide to Planning your Outdoor Adventure by Mary & Bill Burnham
Happy Camping!