How to Prepare and Camp Safely During a Pandemic

It’s no secret that the pandemic has impacted everything from our everyday lives to our plans for the future. And with travel more or less off-limits everywhere throughout the world, camping is, for many, the only solution to get out and clear your head a bit.

That being said, camping in regular conditions isn’t just a way to travel, it’s also a way to socialize and meet other people. But in this case, meeting new people isn’t something you want to do. There are a few other things that you shouldn’t do, too, so let’s take a look at a short checklist for preparation and camping during a pandemic.

Prepare Your Gear

When going camping during a pandemic it’s best to use a sleeping bag in a hammock. This way you can go camping with a group of people and avoid getting infected by sharing a tent. It also means less gear and fewer items that might help transmit the virus.

So, in case of a pandemic, “the right gear” is more about safety and hygiene. So let’s take a look at what to prepare and pack.

When you’re out on a longer camping trip, chances are someone will forget toilet paper, or paper towels, or soap, or anything similar. It happens – and it’s not a big deal. Well, during a pandemic, personal hygiene items are one thing you must not forget. And not only should you get your own, but you should make sure there is more than enough to last you through the duration of your trip.

Another thing that not a lot of people tend to get is hand sanitizer, as well as surface disinfectants. This will make sure that both you and the surfaces you might need to touch when you’re setting up camp are free of any bacteria. And this is one thing you shouldn’t be compromising on.

Here’s a tip that you might not be thinking about – grab yourself one of those portable toilets made for camping. While it is true that during a pandemic, campgrounds are usually careful and clean the public areas well, can you honestly say that you’ve ever come across a clean camping bathroom? Few people can, so bringing your own portable toilet is a way to deal with things while staying safe and sanitary.

Book Your Trip Early

One of the beauties of camping in normal conditions is the fact that you can do it pretty spontaneously. But since things are a bit different during a pandemic, you need to plan (and announce) things early on. It’s not good to have a campground respect social distancing measures, and you to show up unannounced. In most cases, since campgrounds operate with reduced capacity, you will very likely be asked to turn back and leave.

If you don’t want this to happen, you should place a reservation as early as possible, preferably online. Most campgrounds will allow for that, but if they don’t, you can call them and book it on the phone.

A thing to note here is that being flexible with the dates will go a long way. You’ll want to avoid lots of people (we’ll get to that in a minute), so being able to change the date if you notice a campground is getting a lot of reservations for the dates you’ve got in mind, it might be a good idea to change the date.

Avoid Big Crowds

We already mentioned that you’ll probably be sacrificing a bit of socialization, and that’s only because you want to stay safe. If you’re going out camping, meeting with other people and being in close contact, when they could be sick, is a really bad idea. Your options are to either do the trip solo or to take someone you’re already in close contact with – like a family member.

Of course, meeting people is going to be inevitable, the campgrounds aren’t infinitely big after all. But if you notice that there are a lot of people, try to stick to your own group of people you’re with, and that includes any common grounds or hiking trails.

We know – this does take away a lot of the fun. But think about it would you rather have more fun, or stay safe during a pandemic? I think we all know the answer to that. And while we’re at it …

Wear a Mask!

As often as possible, as much as possible. When you’re packing, make sure you have at least two to three masks for each day you’ll be out. This not only means that you’ll always have a new and clean mask to put on your face, but you’ll also be able to protect yourself by giving a mask to someone who isn’t wearing one.

And even if you’re going to camp in the wilderness, you’ll probably come across people when you’re shopping in the next town over, or when you’re trying to get to the camping place you’ve chosen. And last but definitely not least, wash your hands!