If you want to find out how to stay safe during the nighttime hours of your camping trip, just keep reading.
Educate yourself on wildlife in the location
Wildlife is always a safety concern you will need to consider when camping in the US. After all, we have a wide range of potentially dangerous creatures living across the country including bears, cougars, alligators and snakes.
With that in mind, doing your research on the type of animals you can expect to run into in the area in which you are camping is vital, as is following advice on how to deter them from entering your camp at night. For example, to deter bears it’s important to not leave any food out, instead, store it all in an airtight container so the scent does not attract them and tempt them into your camp as you sleep.
Let there be light
Many of us can forget just how dark the night can be when there is no one around for miles and miles when camping in the wilderness. Happily, the risks that come with surviving in a dark place filled with challenging terrain can be greatly reduced by ensuring you have the proper lighting on hand.
There is a huge selection of lanterns for camping to choose from including both electric and gas options. Do consider how you will use your lantern before you buy, as ones that can hang may be best suited for use inside of a tent, while others that have a stand are often better suited for use when cooking or eating.
Stay warm
One of the most important things you can do to stay safe at night while camping is to make sure you stay warm enough. There are a range of methods you can use as well. The first is to invest in a good quality sleeping bag with a mummy hood, as this will help you keep as much heat around your body as possible, even in the dead of night.
Wearing additional layers such as thermal socks and hats can also help in really cold weather. Although, making sure any campfire is out properly before you go to sleep as described below is crucial to your safety too.
Another option is to sleep in your vehicle instead of in the open or a tent. Indeed, doing so can help you stay warmer, as well as offer additional protection and light during the darkest hours of the night.
Practice fire safety
For many of us campers building a fire to cook, make coffee, or just sit and watch the hypnotic flame is a massive part of the experience. Indeed, it’s very easy to spend many silent and peaceful hours gazing into the fire, allowing it to lull you into a state of calm.
However, no matter how calm you get, you must remember to practice proper fire safety before you turn in for the night. This means you need to ensure your fire is fully out before you go to sleep. To do this you need to drown not just the burning embers but all of them. Otherwise, the wind could pick up and either restart the fire or transport hot embers to other locations which could have a dry brush that could set alight and cause a forest fire.