How to Solo Camp Safely and Confidently

Solo camping is a wonderful way to clear your head, enjoy some fresh air, and see the natural world around us in peace and quiet. However, it will take more preparation than a group camping trip because you need to carry the tools of self-reliance with you on your solo camping trip.

Be Familiar With Your Gear

Don’t take new gear on a solo camping trip. Make sure that you can easily

• set up your tent

• power up your camping stove

• use your cooking pots and pans without burning yourself

If you’re considering a solo trip in a few months, go on a group trip with friends now so you can check all your gear, use it reliably, and load and unload it efficiently.

Prep for Wild Animals

Your chance of seeing a bear when camping in West Virginia state parks is unlikely, but if you’re not careful with your food and trash, you raise the risk of a dangerous encounter.

If there are bear boxes in the area, use them. Check out the local camping rules to see if you are required to hang any foods before you go on your hike or take a swim in a nearby river or lake. Many creatures, such as raccoons, will happily have a party in your trash bins and any unsealed foods. Worse, these little bandits are prone to rabies, so if a raccoon doesn’t run away from you, be ready to back away from it.

Other Humans

Pay special attention to your surroundings when you set your tent up and put out your campsite gear. If you’ve registered and paid for a campsite, someone will obviously know where you are, but it’s a good idea to try to stay out of sight of your neighbors; after all, you’re on a solo trip. Solitude is hard to find if your neighbors are too close.

If you drove to your campsite, try to arrange a sleeping space in your car in case of

• rough weather

• risky animals

• rowdy humans

There are folks who go to the woods to find peace and quiet, but there are also folks who go out there to blow off steam. Perfectly nice people, under the influence of a mood-altering substance, can be frightening. If a person approaches you on your solo camping trip and makes you uncomfortable, the ability to hop in your car and go should be your first line of defense.

Don’t Go MIA

The urge to disappear into the woods may be tempting but don’t. Let someone know where you are and when you plan to be back. Consider setting up a texting tree with nearby friends to make sure that you get back from a hike or a climb safely.

In the event that you roll an ankle, you want someone to know that something in your schedule has hit a bump and you may be in trouble.

Could this cause embarrassment because you dropped your cellphone in a stream while taking a photo of the trees around your campsite? Hopefully, yes. Could it also mean that authorities can find you on the hiking trail where you fell and broke your ankle? Definitely. Don’t try to disappear, even for a weekend.

Pack In All Your Needs

Load your vehicle with everything you want to use on your solo camping trip. Don’t rely on being able to find

• water

• food

• fire

in the wilderness. You may have luck, but you may not. Eating the wrong berry can make you very sick and drinking uncertain water can kill you. Depending on where you camp, collecting twigs from a dead and downed tree can get you a hefty fine if you get caught, and even if you don’t, you could wind up transporting fire ants or worse back to your campsite.

There’s no reason in the world not to travel on your own. The world is full of lovely people who are happy to help out and guide a stranger. However, you have to pay attention to your gut and you must be fully self-sufficient. Know your gear and pack in enough to be self-sustaining on your solo camping trip.