Oregonic Roads
Top Ten Camping Tips
Top Ten Camping Tips
Reserve your campsite online. Campsites in Oregon State Parks can be booked at Reserve America. Campsites in National Forests can be booked at Recreation.gov. Local county campsites are also available and can be booked through individual counties.
Plan ahead. Most campsites can be reserved up to 6 months in advance. Camping is popular in Oregon so if you can’t get the spot you want, be persistent. You may be able to snag a cancellation - especially if your dates are flexible.
Park hop. If you’re having trouble finding all the days you want at one park, try booking at several different parks in the same region. You can even make a road trip of it!
Try a yurt or a cabin. Oregon State Parks has a number of yurts and cabins available to rent which are in some pretty sweet locations. Rustic cabins and yurts run about $40-60/night and generally include sleeping for 4-6 people, table and chairs, electricity/heat/lights, a locking door and access to communal camp restrooms and showers. Deluxe cabins and yurts run about $80-100 per night and include the same as rustic cabins and yurts plus a bathroom with shower, kitchen with fridge and microwave and propane BBQ grills. These are great options if you’re new to camping because you really only need a sleeping bag.
Don’t spend a ton of money on expensive gear. Camping is meant to be fun and accessible. At the end of the day, you want to have quality gear that is well functioning and durable. Sure there is top of the line camping gear that is probably worth the price. But is it worth it to you, a new camper? Probably not. Get some experience first so you’ll have a better understanding of what is important to you.
Shop sales. The end of camping season is a great time to buy camping gear. Check out local retailers such as Fred Meyer and REI as well as online retailers like Amazon. Sierra is another online retailer to check out for discounted camping gear and outdoor clothing. For used gear, check out REI garage sales.
Don’t worry too much about camp cooking - unless that’s totally your thing. Oregon State Parks are typically near communities with great local restaurants to check out. In fact, experiencing the local flavor of the area is one of my favorite things about camping! Bring some freeze dried meals so you’re prepared in case you want to stay in and some instant coffee and oatmeal for those mornings you want to hang around camp. That way none of your food will go bad if you don’t use it - and if your campsite is so awesome you don’t want to leave, you won’t go hungry.
Make it special for the kids. S’mores and Wilderness Uno are staples for our family camping trips. A fun new magazine or book to look at or a local treat like saltwater taffy can make things pretty awesome when you’re a kid. Biking can also be a ton of fun - lots of campgrounds offer some great bike paths.
Consider a portable toilet if you have kids. Oregon State Parks have clean restrooms and showering facilities. But as the mom of two boys, I’ve had my fair share of angst about sending them off to the restroom. When COVID hit, I decided to invest in a portable toilet. All in it cost about $200 but it is so absolutely convenient, for me it is money well spent. You do, of course, have to dump out the tank - a less than pleasant task not at all needed when using the shared facilities. The deodorizing pods help and even on a hot day, there is no smell at all in the car.
Start packing a few days ahead of time. The most stressful part of camping for me was the morning we were supposed to leave. Almost always we left several hours later than planned - after a fight with the gear and the car and a house that looked like a tornado tore through it. Now I take a 3-2-1 approach. Three days before we leave I go to the store for food, snacks, water and whatever else we might need for our trip. Two days before I put all the gear out in the garage and pack our clothes and toiletries. One day before I pack the car so that everything is good to go - checklists can be a huge help here. On the day of, we eat breakfast, tidy up the house and hit the road feeling great about our next adventure.