How to Pick the Best Campsite ?
EVEN WITH A suitable shelter and sleep system, it's difficult to sleep well at a low-quality campsite. You may struggle to get comfortable on hard-packed ground, to tune out a chronic snorer 15-feet away, or to relax if high winds are knocking your shelter around. A good campsite is a prerequisite for a night of quality rest, so it's important to be deliberate and selective about where you sleep.
Use these guidelines to find a site and get a good night's sleep while you're exploring the outdoors.
Finding a General Location
Halfway through your day, at the latest, you should begin to consider where you might camp that night. On a map, look for places that are:
- Flat, where your odds of finding a level campsite are best
- Within convenient proximity of firewood and water
- Off-trail, so you don't disrupt another backpacker's wilderness experience
- Not at the bottom of a valley or canyon, where the air would be coldest and most humid
- Not near animal trails or prime habitats, which might lead to an unwanted midnight visitor
- Away from danger zones for natural hazards, like avalanches, flash floods, and incoming weather
- Far from insect breeding grounds, like waterlogged meadows and stagant lakes