If you are as interested in experiencing camping as far away from technology and everyday conveniences as me, you will fit right in at most primitive campgrounds. Modern parks are great, but you are always guaranteed to come home after a campout in the woods with no electricity and no running water feeling more grateful than ever. The internet is a great resource for find cheap or free primitive campsites. Check on the local Water Management Areas as they have many primitive campgrounds that are free to use. You only need to obtain a special use license. You can apply for a special use license online.
Water is extremely important when in nature. The Mayo Clinic says that an average woman would need about 11.5 cups or 2.7 liters of water per day. If you will be camping near a water source, you can grab a LifeStraw off Amazon for $18. If not, make sure to bring enough water for drinking, and hand/dish washing.
Besides water, food is also important to remember. Having some knowledge on the plant life surrounding your camping area can be very useful. I love all sorts of greens, but I don’t have the knowledge yet to decipher between nutritious and bowelicious. For that reason, I like freeze dried meals packaged and ready to go. Just add some boiling water and you are good to go. My favorite brand is Mountain House. They have some of the best tasting meals. My favorite is the Chicken and dumplings, but you must try the apple crisp.
You will quickly find that an important objective when you first arrive at your site should be to build a fire. If you need to find wood, that should be priority #1. Make sure to pack a lighter or combustible so you can get it started. Fire is useful for so many reasons. You can boil a pot of water over a hot fire. The smoke from the fire will deter bugs, especially mosquitos. My favorite reason is to roast marshmallows.
Although I love cooking over an open flame, I like to bring a small Coleman propane burner or a JetBoil to cook my food. They heat the water up to boiling in a matter of minutes. Much more effective than waiting for a fire to heat it up. Fire is good for cooking marshmallows and hot dogs on a stick though.
Forget about Wi-Fi or maybe even cell service. Make sure to have a GPS and/or map on hand for hiking. Don’t go out hiking at night unless you know your directions. Its always a good idea to walk with bear mace or any other type of protection form wildlife. A lot of carnivore’s hunt at night to be careful. A first-aid kit may come in handy. Hopefully you will never need to use it.
Depending on where you choose to camp, some sort of bug guard is practical. Mosquito repellant comes in a spray or a lotion. Both products from Sawyer work extremely well, and that says a lot from a Florida camper.
Some primitive campgrounds have vault style toilets that are compostable. If you don’t know what that is, you are in for a stinky surprise. Talk about a fly breeding ground. Stay away if you can avoid it. Instead bring your own. Grab a toilet bucket from Amazon for about $20. It comes with a sealed seat and lid. Use those plastic shopping bags with a scoop of kitty litter and bam! You have a functional toilet! After each use, replace the bag and kitty litter. Throw away the refuse in the nearest dumpster. Make sure to never leave trash or plastic behind. A lot of these free sites have a rule that you leave with what you bring. Make sure to double bag everything if this is the case.
Bring a towel for drying dishes and hands. Avoid paper towels as they will only create more trash and we want to create as little of a footprint as possible. Sanitizer for your hands will be a necessary staple. Especially if you use the public restrooms.
Primitive camping is so much fun and I recommend trying it at least once. Just make sure you are prepared and know what to expect. Plan according to how many days you will be out there and what the weather will be like. Nothing beats the quiet of nature and the more primitive you go, the more peace and quiet you’ll get.
Love,
Nature Girl
