How to Choose a Wilderness Campsite
- 1). Choose an established campsite in high-use areas rather than tramping down a new spot.
- 2). Find an area that drains well to avoid flooding if it rains.
- 3). Camp at least 200 feet from lakes or streams to protect them.
- 4). Set up away from other people since most people go to the wilderness to experience solitude.
- 5). Avoid camping beneath large dead trees and branches that can come crashing down in the night.
- 6). Be careful traipsing around to avoid injuring fragile objects such as seedlings and wildflowers.
- 7). Camp above the high-water mark in desert canyons to stay beyond the reach of flash floods.
- 8). Consider the benefits of receiving the morning sun and being shaded from the hot afternoon sun when picking your location. Also think about potential windbreaks.
- 9). Leave the site in better condition than you found it.