With warm, sunny days and cool, crisp nights, all set against a backdrop of beautifully changing foliage, fall offers the perfect time to get outside and explore.
If you are new to the world of sleeping under the starscar camping is a great introduction, requiring minimal equipment and less exposure to the elements than in a tent. To help you get started, we spoke with content creator Kristen May, an advocate for accessible access to the outdoors who has been car camping since 2014. Here are our top tips for beginners.
Experts featured in this article
Kristen May is an outdoor enthusiast and travel content creator based in Salt Lake City.
Stella Zaimi is the CEO of the Illinois Back Institute, a back pain treatment center.
A Beginner's Guide to Car Camping
1. Get over first-time nervousness
If you've never gone camping before, let alone slept in your car, you're probably feeling nervous about . . . well, everything. But with any luck, you'll find that there's nothing to worry about. “I had never camped a day in my life before my first trip,” says May. “I didn't grow up outdoors, so the idea of sleeping in the middle of nowhere, with no services and no wildlife, terrified me. I actually found it scarier in my head than 'Once I got out, though.'
2. Make safety your top priority
Whether it's the threat of bears or strangers lurking outside, safety can be a concern when it comes to RVing, especially for women. To put your mind at ease – and stay prepared if you need to make a quick escape – always keep the driver's side empty and clean and store your keys in one easy-to-access place, just in case. It's also not a bad idea to carry bear spray, even in areas where grizzly bears and the like are not present. “He’s your friend for more than just bears,” May said.
3. Rely on the Buddy system
If you're traveling alone – and even if you're not – you should always tell someone where you're going and when you plan to return. It's also a good idea to bring a communications device that will work when your cell phone doesn't. May uses a Garmin InReach to send messages and exact contact details to friends and family when she's off-duty, and he can also call a search and rescue service with the press of a button, May adds.
4. Minimize the risk of encounters with wildlife
To minimize your chances of encountering critters, store your groceries in a tightly closed, hard-sided cooler and your food scraps in a sturdy trash bag in your car, or hang it high up and out of reach. Aside from bears, rodents and raccoons are cunning and determined, so avoid temptation to avoid unexpected visitors.
5. Do your research
When planning a trip, deciding where to stop and camp can be a difficult task. Campsites or national parks? A secluded patch of wilderness or a parking lot near the trailhead you hope to tackle at first light? Paying for a place to sleep or go boondocking, meaning camping for free on public land?
There is a dizzying array of options, so doing your research can go a long way toward making the process more manageable. Check Recreation.gov for paid sites and national parks, and iOverlander for boondocking and U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management areas, as well as reviews from other campers and road conditions to watch out for. Sites like Outgoing, Horse camp, All staysAnd Boondockers are welcome can also be useful.
6. Don't break the law
As tempting as it may be to park your car at the first scenic spot you find, it's essential to make sure you're camping somewhere legal and have the proper permits, if applicable.
If you are stay in a designated campsitethis won't be a problem, but for boondocking or dispersed campingcontact the nearest Forest Service Or BLM Office to determine which areas are fair game and which will land you in hot water.
7. Listen to your instinct
Even if you've done your due diligence, you may find yourself in a place that gives you goosebumps – and if that happens, don't be afraid to move on. “Trust your instincts,” May says. “If something goes wrong, I don't stay there. Even if it's nothing, I always prefer prevention to cure.”
8. Leave no trace
The main mantra of outdoor adventure is “leave no trace,” the commitment to having minimal impact on your temporary surroundings. The concept has seven key principlesin particular by correctly disposing of your waste, leaving what you find on site, respecting wildlife and being attentive to others.
Designated campsites have fire pits, dumpsters, and other means to facilitate compliance with these principles, but boondocking and dispersed camping require a more conscientious approach. “If you're boondocking,” May says, “it's important to remember that there won't be any amenities, so you'll have to take your own trash out — and there won't be any toilets.”
9. Pack the right equipment
When it comes to equipment, it’s easy for a newbie to RVing to get lost in the weeds. Our best advice? Keep it simple! At a bare minimum, here's what should be on your packing list:
- Sleeping bag: “Choose a temperature rating for your bag based on the average temperatures you intend to camp in for optimal comfort,” recommends May.
- Sleeping mat: May uses a Therm-a-Rest Z Cushionbut inflatable mattresses and mattress pads also work well.
- Pillows: You don't need anything specific to camping; Your pillows from home are fine.
- Headlamp: May highly recommends one of Black Diamond.
- Power bank: May counts on her little one Jackery portable power station to keep your devices charged.
- Camping stove: “Personally, I love my Jetboil boiling water for coffee or backpacker meals,” says May.
- Camping chair: Whether you're eating breakfast or toasting marshmallows, you'll need a place to sit when you're not in the car.
- Water: Bring a few gallons in case you find yourself at a site without amenities.
- Knife or multi-tool: Because you never know when you might need a sharp blade.
- Warm layers: “Even in summer, the nights can get cold,” says May. “I have a Selk'bag – essentially a portable sleeping bag combination – and it was a game changer. It’s something I never go without because it makes nights so much more comfortable. »
- Camping shoes: A pair of good quality, comfortable shoes, such as Teva rememberscan make a chilly night around the fireplace even more comfortable.
- Bear spray: This is an important safety measure that, as May notes, doesn't just work on bears.
- Emergency car kit: Make sure it includes jumper cables and/or a battery-powered jump starter, a tire repair kit, and a tire air compressor.
It's not a bad idea to carry cash for firewood and other small purchases, especially if you're staying at a campground. And something for entertainment purposes, whether it's a board game, a paperback book, or a gaming console, like a Nintendo Switch, can make evenings more enjoyable, “especially for winter camping, when it gets dark at 4 p.m.,” May says.
To cover your bases, check your packing list with REI Essential Equipment Roundup before leaving for the desert.
10. Don't think you have to spend big
Browsing #carcamping, it might seem like you need an elaborate setup to get started, but nothing could be further from the truth. Isabel and Sentry Kelly, the duo behind Operation.Adventurebuilt their Subaru for less than $200, and May spent next to nothing to upgrade her old Toyota 4Runner.
“I love a well-built campervan, but the reality is we can’t all do that,” she says. “I just went with what I already had as a setup, and it worked great for the hundreds of nights I slept in it! When I stop at a site, I lay my seats completely flat and I move everything I had in it back to the passenger side of my car, then put my Therm-a-Rest Z mattress and sleeping bag on top of it.”
11. Consider your comfort level
While you can car camp successfully without specialized equipment, there are a few wallet-friendly items that will make things more comfortable: blackout shades, a clip-on fan, car seat organizers, and screens for your windows and your sunroof can help you. you rest more easily.
12. Consider ergonomics
When arranging your sleep space, correctly positioning your equipment can help avoid neck and back pain. According to Stella Zaimi, CEO of the Illinois Back Institute, your goal should be to create a stable, comfortable position for your spine, focusing on even pressure distribution and making sure it's as flat as possible .
“Use cushions or soft surfaces to fill gaps and ensure a consistent level of support, (and) consider location and firmness when arranging blankets or inflatable mats,” says Zaimi, adding: “Supportive items, like a roll-up towel or travel pillow, will keep your spine aligned.
13. Don't be afraid of the cold
Sleeping outside may seem more appealing during the other three seasons, but car camping in winter also has its advantages: fewer crowds, more campsites available, and fewer opportunities for encounters with local wildlife, to name a few. a few. Of course, preparation is key.
“In the winter, I plan a lot more because the weather can change quickly,” says May. Have a backup plan if you arrive and the roads aren't passable due to snow, she advises, and “always, always have an extra layer at night, even if you're too hot when you go to sleep to the first time will be worth having those extra layers when you wake up to freezing temperatures in the middle of the night A sleeping bag liner will (also) add extra warmth to your sleep setup – I use. personally a 0° sleeping bag for winter camping, and double with a liner for extra warmth.
