The warm crackle and pop of firewood, the delicious gooey goodness of chocolate and marshmallows, and the absolute awe of seeing nature at its finest.
Those memories and so many more are central to any camping trip, and some of the best campgrounds in northwestern Pennsylvania are located in Crawford County! Here are a few tips to keep in mind for your camping trip, so you don’t sweat the little stuff and can enjoy the enriching experience of becoming a part of nature for a few days.
The Supplies
When you go on a camping trip, there are four primary pieces of equipment that you’ll need: A tent, sleeping bags, camp lights, and cookware. If you’re purchasing these items for the first time, it is important to keep two things in mind:
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Portability
You want to be able to carry and pack these essentials easily so you want to be on the lookout for supplies that are easy to fold, come with carrying bags, or have plenty of handles for hooking onto a backpack for easy carrying to a campsite.
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Quality
At the same time you don’t want to sacrifice the quality of your camping equipment. By investing in a great tent and sleeping bags from the get go, you can get years of use out of them, meaning that your camping trips in the future will be as simple as packing up your supplies and finding a great campsite.
At the same time you don’t want to sacrifice the quality of your camping equipment. By investing in a great tent and sleeping bags from the get go, you can get years of use out of them, meaning that your camping trips in the future will be as simple as packing up your supplies and finding a great campsite.
Pro-tips
- When purchasing a tent, always size up: if you expect to fit two people in a tent, get one for three people. Believe us, you will really feel the difference.
- Pay attention to what the temperature and environment settings are for your sleeping bag. If you expect to do a lot of early/mid-spring camping, you might want a sleeping bag that is a little warmer than one that you would use if you camp primarily in the summer months.
- Keep your backpack light by packing light in terms of cookware. The best way to do this is planning out your meals before you trek off. Plan meals that only require the use of one pot, and bring along only as many plates, spoons and cups as you need. Your back will thank you later.
The Location
Crawford County has been blessed with a number of great campsites, so it might be difficult to decide where exactly you should camp. If this is your first go at camping, you might want to look for campsites that have amenities such as toilets and showers. You might also want to look for campsites that are near a town, so that you can run in and purchase something that you forgot or feel closer to civilization.
We’ve also created this handy Google Map that lists out our favorite camping spots in Crawford County.
Setting Up and Tearing Down
Practice pitching your tent before you go on your camping trip! Consider doing a test run by spending a night in your yard to give you an idea of what this will be like, saving you time and stress when you get to the campsite because you’ll have a complete understanding of your equipment.
When you first arrive at your campsite, look for a clear area with even ground to pitch your tent, pitching the back of the tent against the wind.
After a weekend to remember while you’re packing up to go home, remember to clean up any trash and clear up the site — always leave the site as close as possible to how you found it.
This post was proudly sponsored by Bull Moose Marketing.