| Camping should be spontaneous, fun and relaxing. | | | | possibly as much as a year or more. Rooms at |
| But in order to relax and enjoy that spontaneity, | | | | the famous Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite, often |
| advance planning is a must. | | | | require booking two years in advance. Pretty |
| Camping has been a tradition for over 100 years, | | | | extraordinary considering that the cheapest room |
| but back then it wasn't camping so much as just | | | | is $350 per night. |
| living in the wild for a while. By the 1940s, | | | | Once you have a confirmed reservation you can |
| camping began to become in earnest a | | | | prepare your packing list. You could throw |
| widespread form of vacation. But as the post - | | | | everything into the RV and take off. But the odds |
| WWII economy improved and highway systems | | | | are high you'll overlook something essential. |
| developed camping really took off as a relaxing | | | | You'll need a well-stocked first aid kit. You should |
| and spontaneous pastime. | | | | spend time reviewing the list of most common |
| Now in the present, with the advent of RVs and | | | | toxic plants for the location you chose and any |
| the advance of technology camping has became | | | | wildlife warnings for the area. Bears are common |
| enormously popular. The result? Many campers | | | | in some areas, wild cats in others. |
| vie for limited spots during certain weeks of the | | | | Make a complete list: tents, sleeping bags, clothing, |
| year at a limited number of campsites. | | | | tools, stove, lighting, ... that's appropriate for the |
| As more and more camping enthusiest take on | | | | place and time of year. That list will be at least |
| the challange of camping, commercial campsites | | | | one page of four columns full of things even just |
| sprang up to satisfy the need, but there are limits | | | | to hit the basics. |
| from economic constraints (many campsites don't | | | | Investigate any road closures, especially if you're |
| make profitable businesses). The number of | | | | planning a winter camping trip. Floods, rocks slides, |
| desirable spots outside National and State parks is | | | | snow avalanches, ice and other problems are still |
| limited, too. There's only so much great scenery | | | | fairly common. |
| around. | | | | As the trip date gets close, check the weather. |
| So, back to the first thought "Camping should be | | | | Most camping areas are in the mountains or away |
| spontaneous, fun and relaxing". In order to | | | | from urban areas. Those areas tend to have less |
| accomplish this the first step in planning your | | | | predictable weather with sudden rain squalls, |
| camping trip is to decide when and where you | | | | thunderstorms, etc. But, you can get a good idea |
| want to go, then make a reservation. There are | | | | of what you're likely to encounter anyway. Pack |
| hundreds of places online to do that. Two are | | | | accordingly. |
| ReserveUSA ( and The National Park Service | | | | Plan ahead carefully and you'll be in a better |
| Reservation Center ( | | | | position to relax and forget about controlling |
| Like booking a good cruise, you'll need to book at | | | | events during your trip. |
| least three months ahead and, for the best spots, | | | | |