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The first step to camping is deciding where to do it. This can require a bit of scouting around to get a good place, but it will be worth it - the exploration is one of the fun parts of camping, and if you are attentive to the surroundings of your campsite you will have a much better experience. I'm assuming that you're looking for a campsite out in the wilderness here - getting a prime spot at a campground is a whole different ball game.
What You Should Look For in a Campsite:
1) A place to put down your tent. This should be on flat ground, and you want to make sure there's enough room for it without any rocks, roots, logs, or other things that could potentially puncture or rip the floor of the tent.
2) Temperature. You will be looking for different attributes in a site depending on whether it's cold or hot. In the summer, look for campsites at a low elevation, in the winter, you should go somewhat higher. I'm not talking about going up a mountain, but in general warm air will rise - so if you have an area with some sloping, hills, etc. you should pick based on whether you want to be warmer or cooler. However, that's not a hard-and-fast rule - the reason is that in a windy area, it may be cooler to camp at an elevated position if there's no trees around you. The wind can cool you down if you are out in the open. If there isn't much wind, then camping under a canopy of trees may be better - it will block the sun and keep you cooler.
3) You need a place for a "bathroom." It's got to be a good distance away from any running water and from your campsite or any trails that people frequent. Whether you want it to be in the open or in the trees for some privacy depends on whether you're using a shower tent or a portable toilet of some kind that would give you privacy.
4) If you are in an area with bears, you need trees nearby to "bear-bag" your food (see the page on bear attacks). You can also get a bear canister that will keep the smell inside.
5) Look for drainage. You want your site to have at least some angling so that if it rains, the water will be able to drain away from your campsite. This means it's better to be a little bit elevated compared to the surrounding area. The very lowest point of ground in any given area is a bad place to be.
6) Put your camp to the east of anything you're looking to give you shade. Remember, the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. This means in the late afternoon, the hottest period, the shadows will be generally going eastward.
7) Find a water source. You should not camp right next to it (because of bugs, flooding, animals coming to drink, and other problems). But you should be within a short hike's distance of water.
8) Stay at least a little ways away from any trails. Animals often wear trails through the forest - this means bears and other predators may frequent them.
Checklist of Camping Hazards to Beware of:
1) Flooding - Do not camp in any area that looks like it has been part of a recent flow of water. This means creekbeds, ravines, and the like. The reason is that if it rains, the water is going to flood through the area you're in. You may go to sleep and wake up in a foot of water.
2) Rocks - This means rocks that are above you in elevation. If you're camping beneath any kind of ledge, mountain, or anything higher than your campsite, you need to scout around to see if there is anything that can fall on you. If it's a small rock, you can just move it away from where it is. Look around near your site for broken rocks - if there are lots of them below the cliff or mountain, then it is likely that you are in the path of rockslides.
3) Snakes - Watch for both grassy areas that snakes can hide in and large areas of rock where they will want to sun themselves. With rock, you really just have to be aware of that and check your campsite for them. Make sure if you have kids they understand not to go near snakes. Snakes that are sunning themselves are generally lethargic and slow (they are cold-blooded and warmth alters their blood flow). If you keep your distance and are ready to deal with any poisonous ones, then this is not that much of a risk.
4) Poisonous Plants - Go check for poison ivy, poison oak, and any other favorites unique to your area. If they're near the campsite, then people are likely to run into them.
5) Ants - Check around for any nearby nests - pitching a tent near these or leaving out food can be a disaster.
6) Wasps and Bees - You need to watch for bee hives and wasp nests. Don't set up a camp nearby.
7) Mosquitoes - You will have problems with these if you set up camp near standing water in the summer.
8) Dead Trees - Don't stick your tent near a dead tree. They could fall down and crush you. Look at the branches of any trees that your tent or campsite is underneath. If any look rotted, dead, or loose, don't camp under them. If it gets windy or there is heavy rain, there is a strong chance something is going to fall down on you.
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