Camping with large groups is extremely pleasing, bringing all people together and connecting with nature. No matter if you’re camping with your family, friends, or co-workers, camping with groups will help to get a large number of benefits. The good thing is the benefits will be both physical and mental.
However, to get the maximum advantages from group camping, you will need to know some crucial things. Unfortunately, most campers are unaware of these things, resulting in facing different problems while camping.
If you are so, don’t worry – here we will talk about some crucial things you should know about camping with large groups.
Camping With Large Groups – Things to Know
While heading for a camp, especially a group camping trip, you will need to prepare properly. Otherwise, you and the other members have to encounter different challenges at every step. Here we have talked about what things you should know about camping with large groups.
#1 Arrange An Energetic Team
Making a group with the right members is possibly the first thing to become successful in camping. This is because group camping requires multiple helping hands to execute tasks together.
So, surviving in your camping area won’t be easy if you create a group with weak members. Besides, you will need to carry different things to the camping area that require the healthy man to bear the things. So, you should arrange an energetic team for your group camping.
#2 Decide Campground
After arranging a good team, you have to decide the camping area where you want to go. For that, it is better to take every member’s opinions. However, when deciding on a campground, there are three main options: private, public, and dispersed campground.
You should choose a place where all group members can perform different activities, such as canoeing or kayaking. Apart from that, if members are hardcore rock climbers, bicyclists, or fishing buddies, choose a place that these facilities offer.
#3 Reserve The Decided Location
Once you decide on the campground, reserve the location at least six months in advance since you are going with a large team. This is because some campgrounds are so popular that you won’t get any reservations if you don’t reserve before.
However, remember that most campsite grounds require paying in advance while making the reservation. So, it is better to prepare to make payment when you are about to make a reservation.
#4 Ensure A Proper Shelter
While camping, shelter is the most important factor to keep in mind, especially if you are going to a solitary location. In that case, it is better to set up a big tent that will be enough to provide shelter for you and the other members.
For example, if you are going to a camp with more than 10 members, having a big 16 people tent will be enough to shelter.
This tent will protect all the members from different types of weather conditions, such as wind, sun, rain, and outdoor pests. Even the tent can be used to store different instruments and gear with a bit of privacy than outdoors.
#5 Assign Responsibilities To Group Members
Working together will help make camping more enjoyable than doing alone. For that, you should divide different responsibilities among all the members, depending on the members of your group.
For example, you can make groups, setup-up teams, food transportation groups, cooks, clean-up teams, fire teams, and so on.
However, you don’t have to divide different responsibilities if you have a small group. But if you have a group of more than 16 people, you should assign tasks group-wise to make the camping event much smoother.
#6 Create A Meal Plan
Arranging food will be difficult in the camping area, especially for a large number of people. For that, you will need to carry all the necessary food to the camping area. In that case, you can create a meal plan, including cooking facilities, food, and food prep ingredients.
Remember that, while camping, you should choose meals that are easy to cook and require fewer ingredients. As there is no facility for food refrigeration in the camping area, you should carry non-perishable ingredients. In that case, you can carry dry items such as pasta or rice, which don’t require refrigerating.
#7 Bring Necessary Supplies
While camping with different members, you will need to bring all the necessary items. Otherwise, it will be tough for you and the other group members to survive in the camping area.
For example, breaking the only brought water bottle will cause a sudden end to the trip. So, it will be better for you to bring adequate water, first aid supplies, sleeping bags, an extra tent, stove gas, fire-starting materials, and fried food.
#8 Choose Reusable And Biodegradable Items
It is a common scenario that most campers ruin the camping area with different perishable items. For that, campers should use non-perishable items that will reduce waste in the camping area.
In that case, you can bring reusable products like drinkware, silverware, and dishes to limit waste. Besides, using biodegradable items will ensure you and your group members are eco-friendly with nature. This is because disposable items are harmful, not to either humans or animals.
#9 Obey Camping Etiquette
Camping is an enjoyable experience, but it shouldn’t be irritating reason for others. For that, you and your member should obey some simple camping etiquette rules. For your convenience, below, we have pointed out some rules.
- Keep the noise level minimum as high noise can disturb other people, even animals.
- Respect other members’ decisions and facilities.
- Clean up the area yourself, after making the area dirty.
- Avoid performing any activities that can disturb the local animals.
#10 Put Our Fires Dead Properly
Extinguishing campfires improperly can cause significant damage and endanger the lives of both humans and animals. Even camp stoves, candles, and lanterns can cause a big fire. That’s why it is better to inspect for fire dead before leaving the camping area.
However, some campgrounds don’t allow making any campfires, especially during dry periods, while others allow only fire rings or pits. So, making a campfire, and following all the safety precautions is better.
Some Frequently Asked Questions About Camping With Large Groups
While considering camping with a large group, it is common to have different questions in mind. For that, some questions have been answered here that is asked by most of the campers. Check this section; you may find the answer helpful.
1. What Makes A Large Group Camping Successful?
Proper planning and execution are the preconditions for making a large group camping successful. No matter how many members you have in your group, if you execute your plan properly, you can take the most out of your camping.
2. Is Wild Camping Legal?
Typically, it completely depends on where you want to camp. Some certain places in the USA, including grasslands and national forests, are legal for wild camping. However, gathering enough information about the campsite should be better before camping.
3. What Items Should You Bring Camping?
While going to a group camp, you should avoid some items which will make your camping smoother. The items are excessive electronics, fragile items like glass, too many clothes, and fashion accessories.
Conclusion
Camping with a large group is exciting, but the entire camping will be ended by a lack of proper plans and execution. In that case, knowing some important things discussed above will help you make your camping successful.
Typically, you will need first to arrange a good team and find a place where all the campers are likely to go. However, before going to a group camp, it is better to have a complete idea about camping at large so that you can solve any question in all potential ways.
Featured Photo by Arthur Poulin on Unsplash
Read Also: 10 Basic Camping Essentials
