How To Camp Almost Anywhere For Free
How To Camp For Free (Almost)
Gateway to free camping
Are you looking to try your hand at free camping? This is article is written for people who like the peace and solitude of camping where there are few people, beautiful views, and a wild imagination. You are not going to have the creature comforts of running water, flush toilets, and electric outlets. If you have a vehicle that is equipped with a cigarette lighter, you can run most of your electronic gadgets.
You are not going to need a GPS or electronic devices. A simple road map that also shows where the national forests usually does the job. I use AAA maps that are given away for free as part of my annual membership fee. These maps show every national forest and often show campgrounds. Most national forest campgrounds almost always have a fee if they are shown on the map. I like to ask local people and forest rangers if they can direct me to free campsites. Camp a short distance from most fee campgrounds and you will legally safe. National forests are America’s best free campgrounds on the planet as long as you play by rules. If the area is posted as “no camping” then don’t camp anywhere near the sign.
I have noticed a large portion of National Forest campgrounds on the West coast are being managed by private companies. The fees are much higher and the people running the camp grounds are very strict about paying. However, many will tell you where the best free sites are especially when their camp ground fills up.
You are not going to need any special vehicle either. Although a high clearance vehicle is advised if you are going to be traveling on national forest roads that are designated for off-road vehicles. I have a Subaru Outback and I don’t travel on 4×4 roads as this is a passenger vehicle and I don’t want to get stuck. The ideal vehicle for this mode of travel is a nondescript white cargo van that blends into the surrounds. It’s not 4×4, but offers high clearance, good power, and spacious enough to sleep in total privacy. If you really need more traction, you can have a locking differential installed-these are commonly referred to as “lockers”. With lockers installed, you will be able to navigate most 4×4 rated dirt and gravel roads.
The Vanabode Travel Method Of Free Camping
Vanabode
There are plenty of books available on Amazon or online that will detail the best free camping areas on the planet. To be honest, I have not used too many of them as they are often outdated or they will tell you the same thing that I am telling you-drive into the national forest and pitch your tent or sleep in your vehicle.
However, I did come across an eBook that describes in detail how to camp for free-Vanabode authored by Jason Odom and his wife. What on Earth is a Vanabode? Is this a cross between a hippie and a surfer dude? Possibly an alien? I will let you be the judge on what a Vanabode is. I am fast becoming one myself. This ebook and website will make your eyes bulge when you realize that you have been driving by the best free camp sites in the world. I have camped all over the US for free, but this guy takes free to another level. I wish that I could shut him up and tell him to stop selling his book before every finds out. I am not serious because most people will find his method too convenient. This leaves all the free campsites for us adventure seeking types.
Vanabode is an amazing eBook written by a guy named Jason Odom who lives on the road mostly full time. I got a copy of the book and have put it into immediate use for planning my next road trip. I am looking at both eBay and Craigslist for used cargo vans to turn into my camping machine.
When you read the book, you are not going to say “this guy sure is a genius”. You will be thinking to yourself “Why didn’t I think of all these easy ways to live on the road for next to nothing”! There is nothing new in the Vanabode book other than he puts everything together for you in an easy to read package.
When you see a picture of his white Chevy cargo van, the light bulbs will go in your head. I see these ugly white vans all over town and never think anything about them. Contractors, painters, roofers, and just about every tradesman uses cargo vans. They seem to blend in like cracks in a sidewalk. This type of van (Vanabode) is the key to camping anywhere in the US for free. Jason is like a ghost traveling the byways and highways of America. You probably have driven or walked by him without ever noticing him.
The biggest advantage of Vanabode style of camping is free camping! There still is plenty of free camping if you’re willing to drive,walk or ride your bicycle off the beaten path. The majority of camping that I have done in my life has been for free. I also need to clarify that I was a very young man between the ages of 16 and 30 years old when I did all my free camping. It was very easy to do as I was usually camping solo or with 1 or 2 buddies. I have slept under the stars hundreds of nights-in a row. My old 4×4 Toyota pickup truck provided me with a free hotel on many occasions on national forest logging roads. Whether hitch hiking, bicycle touring or traveling back roads in your car, pickup, van, or SUV, there is always a place that you can legally sleep for free.
Before you make an attempt at free camping ala Vanabode style, I must advise you to never camp on private property-ever! I once had a shot gun pointed at me while camping in Missouri. My buddy John and I were hitch hiking to Mardi Gras in New Orleans. As we were pulling down the tent at sunrise, a young man came barreling down the road in a 4×4 pickup and jumped out with a shot pointed at his. He “politely” asked us to leave and we complied without any other words than “yes sir”! It’s not worth the risk. That was the last time that I ever camped on private property without permission.
The big key is to not draw a lot of attention to yourself. Setting up a tent near populated areas sends a telegraphing message to the world that you are camping as opposed to resting. Trust me, I have received citations in 2 National Parks for illegally camping. I was guilty and knew it. In both cases, I had set up a tent. If you don’t pay the fine, a bench warrant will be issued. This is not good. Never camp outside of developed campgrounds in our National Park system. You will get a fine. On the other hand if you want to camp for free legally, the US National Parks allows you to back pack in and camp for free at back country country camp sites. I have camped many times this way in Yosemite National Park. It’s the only way to camp during the busy season unless you like camping with thousands of people with gas fired generators running all day and traffic jams everywhere.
How did I camp for free on so many camping trips? Very carefully. In most national forests, you can camp just about anywhere that is not marked. You have to be aware of the regulations. National forests are huge. Most are not regularly patrolled. If you are far enough away from major roads, you can pitch your tent and even have a fire (check first). If you have access to the Internet, you can get information about every national forest in the United States. BLM (Burea Of Land Management) land is another untapped resource. I have camped a few of their free and $3 a night campgrounds to use their facilities. Go online and research an area that you want to visit to see if their is BLM land for camping.
Best Places To Camp For Free
Another rarely used method by most travelers are county fair grounds and city parks. Many offer free or low cost over night camping. My wife and family love the quietness of city parks as they are mostly visited by locals. Usually the local police will roll by and wave or stop by to say hello. Some even have free showers! I stayed at the park in Lander, Wyoming which is the gateway to the Wind River Mountains. The showers were hot and free. It was one of the nicest local free city park that I have ever stayed in. My kids played for hours in the miniature western city playground.
Camping anywhere inside of a national forest that is flat enough to sleep and park your vehicle will work. I like to camp near national parks where I can take advantage of the beauty of the surrounding area without paying all the expense of nightly fees. Additionally, I don’t have to deal with a zillion tourist, who like myself, want to enjoy in the splendor of our national parks. I ease the congestion of the park by camping outside the park.
The key to my free camping was to be in stealth mode at night. I rarely if ever put up a tent. I slept in city parks under awnings and pavilions. I would sleep anywhere that kept me dry and safe. I made sure that I rolled into my chosen sleeping spot after dark.
I was never harassed by law enforcement. But I was questioned a few times that ended with pleasant results. I can remember waking up to a patrol cruiser driving across a grassy field in Texas with all the emergency lights flashing. The police officer asked me why my eyes were red. I explained to him that I had been sleeping. He searched all my bags and then asked what I was doing. I explained to the officer that I was traveling cross country by bicycle and that I was extremely tired and needed sleep.
Be creative in your search for free and alternative camping. Go to online forums. And of course, don’t forget to visit the Vanabode method of camping!
How I Camped For 6 Months Without Ever Paying For A Camp Site
I am not advocating breaking any laws. I was able to do this because I was traveling across the United States on a bicycle for 6 months. I did not have the money to pay every night night for camping a spot. A single person without a tent can sleep just about anywhere in near privacy. In fact, I did not pay for one night of camping in the six months on the road. I never received a citation for illegal camping because I never really “camped”. I had a bivvy sack that I occasionally slept in, but usually I just threw my bag and self inflating Therm-A-Rest air mattress in area that would keep me dry. Thank God (literally) for churches and elementary schools. During the summer months when I knew that school was not in session, I made use of open shelters camping near the entrance to the school building. I just made sure that I vacated premises before sun rise. I would make a b-line to the nearest city park and have my breakfast. City parks make a great camp site as long as there are no posted signs. Again, just make sure that you are not advertising that you will be camping for the night. Scout out your camping spot and then leave until it’s dark.
When I was staying inside national parks, I would bicycle around and start chitchatting with people until I found someone willing to share a campsite with me. Although, this was not really free, most people were more than happy to split the cost of the campsite. However, most were so intrigued by my riding cross country on a bicycle, that they begged me to spend the night at their campsite for free!
Is Hitch Hiking Still A Good Way Of Traveling?
Additionally, I hitched all over the western United States from Minnesota to Montana and down to Mexico. Would I recommend doing this today? It really depends. Mostly, it’s not because there are so many weird people that may pick you up. You are basically a volunteer prisoner until you are let out of the vehicle. Hitch hiking on the West coast from San Diego to Seattle still works. I had a shot gun pulled on me in Missouri and another crazy fool was shooting a .357 Magnum out of the driver side window in Colorado at road signs. Both of these situations caused great concern about hitch hiking. Hitch hiking is a risk that I would not suggest to anyone. Buy a good bicycle and ride if you want to see the country for cheap and camp for free.
Amazing Home Made Granola Recipe
Home made granola with fresh picked organic blueberries and black berries
My wife and I have been making granola over 12 years. Sometimes it turns out really good and other times it seems to be a disaster. My wife discovered a recipe that will never fail you as long as you follow a few rules that will make perfect home made granola every time.
We like to have most of our ingredients like nuts, coconut and dried fruit added after the oatmeal mixture is baked because we don’t like our nuts and fruit burned. Additionally, raw nuts and raw dried fruit are better for you. My wife found an incredible recipe on the Jupiter Moon Farm. It’s not a recipe that you can while camping because it’s time consuming. This is why it’s called “Terribly Inconvenient Granola” recipe. Since I like to eat as much raw food as possible, this granola recipe is really not that inconvenient. My wife insists that we have to toast the sesame seeds. The taste is much better toasted.
We changed some of the ingredients but have kept the basic framework identical so you can experience the incredible taste. Granola is very tricky to bake when you add everything together. The kitchen sink method will not work. The dried fruit will turn into burned fruit leather. The nuts will taste like French roast espresso beans. In other words, everything will be burned except the rolled oats.
Home Made Granola Recipe
- 12 cups organic oats. We buy our oats in bulk for Azure Standard.
- 3 cups of assorted raw (unsalted) nuts: I use whatever is in my freezer. Almonds work well, as do hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, pecans, walnuts, even pine nuts.
- 2 cups dried fruit: I like using fruits as opposed to raisins and currants. We use only un-sulfured fruits. My favorite dried fruit is dried cherries. Cut up dried apricot, mango, apple, peaches, nectarine, etc.
- 3 cups unsweetened coconut: My wife likes to use the large coconut flakes because the texture is wonderful to eat. I agree.
- 2 cups sesame seeds: Two cups. This may seem like a lot. This is the original author/creator’s secret. She says “trust me, you need the sesame seeds”.
- Grade B Maple Syrup: 1/2 cup is sufficient since the dried fruit gives this granola plenty of sweetness.
- 1/2-3/4 organic coconut or extra virgin olive oil.
- 1/2 tsp sea salt or kosher salt
How To Bake The Granola To Perfection
The original author is adamant about roasting all the ingredients in the oven separately. This works well and should be followed copy exact if you bake at 350 degrees F. However, in my own experience, I like to bake my granola at a very low temperature-200 degrees F. When I am patient, I will make it in my Excalibur food dehydrator. To properly make raw dehydrated granola, it will take at least 24 hours. It’s not a hard process. We set the Excalibur’s timer and let it run all day and night.
When we bake our granola, we used aluminum baking sheets but never allow the granola or nuts to touch the baking pans. We bought Silpat reusable baking sheets from Amazon. They are non stick and made from silicon. Buy them once and take care of them and you will have them for a life time.
Roast the nuts, seeds, and coconut individually on cookie sheets and bake at 200 degrees or less to keep the oils from burning. I will go for nutrition over taste. Toast the nuts until lightly brown.
If you want to go the super healthy route like my wife, she soaks all the nuts and seeds and dries them in the food dehydrator. She sprouts the sunflower seeds for added nutrition and then dries them.
Mix the oil and maple syrup together. Slowly add the sugar and oil mixture to the rolled oats. Make sure that the oats are coated evenly.
Add a thin layer of the oat mixture to several baking pans and bake at 200 degrees F until lightly brown and crunchy. When the oats are cool, add the toasted nuts.
Keep this granola out of plain view as it will disappear if you have kids or a husband who likes to graze in the middle of the night.
Don’t think for a minute that granola is a super healthy food that can be eaten all day. Use sparingly. We top a bowl of fresh fruit with a little yogurt and granola. I will be posting a grain-free granola in the near future and I promise that you will really enjoy eating it.
Easy 10 Minute Gourmet Camping Recipes
When my parents took our family on camping trips, we ate the traditional camping food like bacon and eggs, canned corn beef hash, pork & beans, French toast, pancakes, and hot dogs. There was not a lot of variety. I always felt fat and heavy on the camping trips. Those days are long gone. You can prepare as good of meals camping as you do at home with a little creativity.
Before I get into the recipe portion of this book, let’s take a look at some very basics items that will help you prepare gourmet meals while you camp. This is not going to be the “Holy Grail” of camp cook books. I just thought it would be a good idea to share with you the eating adventures that I have been on over the past 30 years of camping. I try to keep things very simple.
Basic Gourmet Camp Cooking Kit
- Stainless Steel Wok With Cover
- Cast Iron Griddle
- Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker
- Coleman Adjustable Stove
- Coleman Cooler
If you have watched a reality show like Iron Chef, you will notice that these people are minimalists. Too many ingredients, too many pots and pans, and too many cooks will ruin a perfectly good meal. With a few high quality functional kitchen gadgets, you can prepare unbelievable food that I have pictured below. All the food pictured on this page was prepared while camping. Most of the produce was purchased from local farmers or picked by our family by foraging in the forest.
 huckleberry and beet salad |
 gluten free pancakes and |
 fresh vegetables for soup |
 wild salmon berries |
 avocado salad |
 fresh corn salad |
 granola & fresh fruit |
10 Minute Gourmet Camping Recipes
Fresh Beet And Sweet Tomato Salad
The dressing is the key to this wonderful summer salad. It’s a recipe that my wonderful wife creates with whatever fresh ingredients that we have on hand. Since my wife grew up in the Philippines, she borrowed a type of vinegar dressing that is used as a condiment on a onion and bitter melon salad that is eaten alongside fresh roasted fish. She uses an infusion of organic cold pressed olive oil, fresh squeezed lime juice, raw organic apple cider vinegar, fresh ginger, sweet red onions, raw honey, tamari soy sauce or unprocessed Redmond salt, fresh ground pepper, and some fresh cayenne pepper to give the dressing some kick. I cannot give you the exact proportions because she never makes it the same way. You will know when you find your own Sweet Spot on how you the dressing.
My wife always uses what ever fresh locally grown produce that she can get her hands on. She dices the beats, onions, garlic and let’s these vegetables marinate for several hours with the fresh dressing. If we have carrots, she will grade these and add them to the salad just before serving. She also likes to great Parmesan cheese just before serving.
Basic apple cider vinegar dressing for vegetable salad
1/2 cup olive oil or grapeseed oil
Dash of sesame oil
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp freshly squeezed orange, lime, or lemon juice
1 tbsp organic apple cider vinegar
1 shallot, minced
1/2 tbsp fresh grated ginger
1/2 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 tbsp miso, mustard or tahini
Tamari, soy sauce or salt to taste
Dash of cayenne
Freshly ground black pepper
2 Egg Zucchini & Cheese Omelets
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 locally grown onion
- salt & pepper
- 1 zucchini
- Shredded jack, cheddar, Gouda, or any of your favorite real cheese.
2 egg omelette with tomatoes & italian squash
Heat up a high quality cast iron griddle on low-medium heat and brush it with olive oil, grape seed oil, or coconut oil.
Caramelize the onion on the cast iron griddle until it tastes sweet. I often cover the onions for a few minutes to expedite the process.
Briskly whisk 2 eggs. Pour the eggs evenly on to the cast iron griddle and cook until the bubble pop. Add the cheese, caramelized onions, and zucchini. Gently fold the omelet in half. Cook for approximately 1 minute. Don’t over cook. Enjoy!
Savory Garbanzo Bean Pancakes
Some folks need a gluten free diet. I am not one of those, but my wife and son both need a gluten free diet.
1 1/2 cups chickpea flour
1 1/2 cups water
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
black pepper (fresh ground)
2 tsps crushed garlic
1 small diced onion sweet red onion
1 zucchini shredded with spaghetti shredder.
This is one of the easiest recipes. I found this recipe online and the directions said to bake the ingredients. Most of us campers do not have the equipment to bake. I adjusted the recipe so it can be made on a cast iron skillet.
Heat up a high quality cast iron griddle on low-medium heat and brush it with olive oil, grape seed oil, or coconut oil. Turn the pancakes after the bubbles break.
These pancakes taste great either hot or cold. We carry them on hikes and eat them for lunch or as a snack.
Savory Grilled Salmon
Salmon is one those meals that taste good anytime of the day. Start with either fresh or fresh frozen salmon that is not farm raised.
Use medium heat on the cast iron griddle. Brush the griddle with a light coating of olive oil. Cook the salmon until it’s nearly done and turn only once.
Organic Granola With Farm Fresh Fruit
organic granola with fresh nectarines
My wife made over 10 pounds of organic granola before we hit the road. One batch was the made with oats and the other batch was gluten free to meet her dietary requirements. Our breakfast preparation routine was usually only a few of minutes of cutting up the fresh fruit that we picked or bought. When we had fresh yogurt, we mixed it in with the granola. Having the granola topped with fresh raw organic milk was the best breakfast. I can remember eating our breakfast in the Dufur city park in Oregon with Mount Hood as the back drop. What an unforgettable experience.
Famiy Camping Vacation Ideas
My family loves to travel and take vacations to exotic places tropical and remote mountain camping areas. Over the years, we prefer family camping vacations over Disneyland trips and other popular destinations because we have more control and flexibility.
What Is A Family Camping Vacation?
A family camping vacation or holiday is what you make of it. There is no set blue print or model that you have to follow. We first started taking small weekend camping trips with the church that we attended. Our boys were only 1 and 3 years old at the time. We finally made the plunge into a full blown cross country camping trip.
Our first camping holiday was a trip to Colorado where I met up with my brother and his family. We rented a cabin for a week and camped along the way. We discovered that it was just as much fun camping along the way as it was staying in the cabin. I cherish the times where my oldest asked within minutes “Are we almost there Daddy”? I would respond “Just a little bit more”.
I learned that the time together was the most important part of the trip. Sight seeing and destination was secondary. My 2 boys were just 2 and 4 years old when we packed up our family station wagon and drove to Colorado. We did not have sleeping bags yet for the kids and just stuffed them into blankets between the two of us. Continue reading “Famiy Camping Vacation Ideas” »
Camping French Press Coffee Maker Reviews
Are you one of those campers that has to have their morning cup of coffee and are looking for the perfect coffee maker that does not require a lot of work? French press coffee is known to brew the best coffee if you have a decent one. But who wants to lug the glass Bodum around with risk of breaking it? Not me. I bought 2 GSI plastic French press coffee makers and the results were poor at best. It either allowed too much sediment through or it got clogged. There was no middle ground.
Let’s take a look at the Bodum stainless steel coffee press. It has everything that I have ever wanted in travel press except for the fact that it has a plastic screen. This is may not be acceptable for some coffee purist. The price is good at about $20 on Amazon. That was the best price ever. Bodum was selling them for $29.95 plus shipping. The travel press keeps the grounds inside. Not a good idea. However, you can always pour the coffee into another cup and enjoy some of the best coffee you will ever have while camping.
I used the Bodum stainless coffee press on a 3 week car camping trip. It really did brew excellent coffee, but I was not really impressed with it because it weighs more than 1 pound. When it’s completely full of coffee, it weighs 2 pounds. If you don’t mind the weight, it’s a great French press coffee maker.
The camping coffee maker that I do recommend is the Finum Stainless Steel Tea Infuser. I have been using my tea infuser for almost 1 month to brew French press style coffee. I brew it in my own mug. I press the coffee with a teaspoon when it’s done brewing. The Finum tea infuser weighs a few ounces. It cleans super easy when compared to the Bodum French press. It’s about half the price too.
Big Berkey Stainless Water Filter And Dispenser
Are you considering a new water filtration system for car camping or traveling? When it comes to water while traveling, I am very particular about what I drink. I don’t want to drink water that is laden with toxic material and sediments. I am in the market for a Big Berkey water filtration system that comes with a stainless steel reservoir. I have been using the Sawyer 4 liter water purifier as my back up water supply on family camping trips. It’s a very good system but not as practical as system that has everything built in like the Big Berkey water purifier. The Sawyer water purifier is more suited for back packing (this is what I use) and the Big Berkey works better for car camping or a base camp. The reason why I believe the Berkey is a better choice for car camping or base camping is because it has a built in reservoir/dispenser. Both systems are top rated gravity fed water filters. Both will remove Biological Hazards like giardia and sediments. The Sawyer is your “get out of Dodge water purifier” and the Big Berkey is your lazy man complete water filtration system.
You can buy the Big Berkey online at Amazon or from authorized dealers like Visit Get Berkey or Big Berkey.
If You Don’t Drink Filtered Water Then You Are A Filter
Our family easily easily consumes over 1000 gallons of water a year for cooking and drinking. Some people think we are crazy by boiling our rice, pasta, and dried beans in filtered water. Am I crazy? Not a chance. A good friend of mine tells his “If you don’t use a filter, then you are a filter”. Filter all of your water. I am getting so serious about this that we are purchasing a chlorine filter for our shower.
Last year I bought a beautiful 25 liter stainless water dispenser to use on camping trips and for home use. I usually fill it twice a week with a plastic water bottle that we fill at a local water purification store. I really like clean filtered water but I have to tell you that I am getting tired carrying 2 gallon water jugs back and forth every week from the water store. Filtered water is not always available while camping. Even when we buy filtered water at grocery stores while traveling, I often wonder how clean the water really is.
My wife has been after me over the past year to start looking at Berkey water purifiers for home. This week I did some research on the Berkey water filter. The testimonies were off the hook. I mean they were really good. I think what is really helping Berkey in their marketing efforts is the famous radio talk show host Alex Jones from InfoWars.com. He markets the ProPur gravity water filtration system. There is a lot of buzz on the Internet about this filter too. It’s worth looking at. I am a bell weather type of guy and want to purchase a long term product that has been around for a long time. Berkey has been around for years and does not rely heavily on radio show endorsements and marketing. The decision needs to be your own. If you click on any of my links, I may or may not get a small commission. It depends on how long the cookie stays in your browser. I would rather have you own the best water filtration on the planet for everyday use and emergencies than myself be a few bucks richer.
The Big Berkey Is A 2 Gallon Stainless Steel Water Dispenser That Comes With A Free Water Purifier
Last year, as I mentioned earlier, I bought a beautiful stainless steel Dinuba water dispenser. I paid over $200 for this dispenser. It does not have any water filtration or purification attached to it. The Big Berekey is a beautiful 2.25 water dispenser with a water filtration system that will remove both viruses and a whole host undesirable heavy metals and toxins that are in your drinking water. You can add a fluoride filter which is key for your health. Fluoride is nasty toxic. The Berkey black filter will remove 95% of the fluoride.
The List Of The Bad Biolgoical Hazards That Big Berkey Removes From Your Water
The list is long. I book marked it for you so you jump to the bottom to view it. If you cannot pronounce it, you really should not be drinking it. If it ends in “zene” it will kill you.
Alachlor
Atrazine
Benzene
Carbofuran
Carbon Tetrachloride
Chlorine
Chlorobenzene
Chloroform
2,4-D
dbcp
p-Dichlorobenzene
o-Dichlorobenzene
1, 1-Dichloroethane
1, 2-Dichlorpethane
1, 1-Dichloroethylene
Cis-1, 2-
Dichloroethyiene
Trans-1,2-
Dichloroethylene
1, 2-Dichloropropane
cis-l,3-
Dichloropropylene
Dinoseb
Endrin
Ethylbenzene
Ethylene Dibromide (EDB)
Heptachlor
Heptachlor Epoxide
Hexachlorobutodlene
Hexachloro-
Cyclopentadlene
Lindane
Methoxychlor
MTBE
Pentachlorophenol
Simazine
Styrene
1,1,2,2-
Tetrachloroethane
Tetrachloroethylene
Toluene
2,4,5-TP (Silvex)
1,2,4-trichlorobenzene
1,1,1-trichloroethane
1,1,2-trichloroethane
Trichloroethylene
o-Xylene
m-Xylene
Viruses
MS2 – Fr Coliphage
Berkey Exceeds Purification Standards – 99.999%
Trihalomethanes
Bromodichloromethane,
Bromofore, Chloroform, Dibromochloromethane
Removed to below detectable limits – 99.99999%
Pathogenic Bacteria Parasites and Cysts
E. Coli, Klebsiella, Pseudomonas,Aeriginousis, Giardia, Cryptosporidium
Removed to non-detectable levels – 100%
Inorganic Minerals:
Chlorine
Removed to non-detectable levels – greater than 99.9999999%
Heavy Metals
Lead, Mercury, Aluminum, Cadmium, Chromium, Copper
Greater than 95% reduction
Fertilizers and Related Byproducts
Nitrates and Nitrites
Greater than 85% reduction
at 19mg. per liter
Fluoride
The Berkey Fluoride Filter reduces 95% of all fluoride.
How To Bathe While Camping
When I go camping staying clean is always a major concern for me. People always are wondering how to bathe while camping. Taking a cold bath or shower has never been a thrill for me, but I do it to retain a certain sense of dignity even though I have no reason to feel embarrassed especially when I am back packing in remote areas where few people ever go.
Only 3 Things Are Required To Bathe While Camping
- Hot Water
- Biodegradable Soap That Gets You Clean
- A Quick Drying Towel
Bathing is not that difficult while camping. IF I am car camping, I will always seek out campgrounds that have hot showers. If no showers are available, I will use large plastic wash basin and fill it with warm water that you heat on your camp stove. You can get very clean with this method and it does not consume a lot of water. If you are looking how to wash your hair while camping, all I do is heat up a small pot of water and use it to wet and rinse my hair. If it’s not too cold outside, I stick my head under the water spigot and wash my hair right there.
How To Take A Shower While Camping
As I mentioned before, the easiest way to take a shower while camping is to find a campground that provides shower or will let you pay for a shower when you do not plan on spending the night. I have a portable sun shower for years and they work well as long as you do not plan on leaving the same day as they take all day to heat up the water. I have never bothered with a portable shower as I have found that I can fill up my solar shower with hot water and get a shower whenever I need one. For privacy, I have hung the rain fly from our tent on the tail gate of our Subaru. I like to improvise so I don’t have to pack so much junk. Clutter makes camping a pain in the rear. You can buy solar showers from Amazon, Walmart, or REI.
Dr. Bronner’s Liquid Soap Will Leave You Feeling Squeaky Clean On Camping Trips
My kids and like to dip a synthetic chamois into the water and squirt a few drops of Dr. Bronner’s Magic Peppermint All In One liquid Peppermint Soap on the chamois and sponge bathe our bodies with it. You feel amazingly refreshed. Dr. Bronner’s soap is so concentrated that you also sprinkle a few drops into the water to wash yourself. As long as you don’t make it too strong, you don’t need to rinse as this soap leaves little if any residue. You can buy a quart bottle of Dr. Bronner’s Peppermint at Amazon for about $15 delivered to your door.
I tried packing bar soap on our camping trips and the kids and myself always seem to loose the bar, drop it in the dirt or leave it in a wet bag. I started packing Dr. Bronners liquid soap because we can use it as a shampoo, body wash, and dish soap. It’s organic and biodegradable too. The guy that writes all the things that this soap does is kind of looney. He suggests that you can brush your teeth with it. Yes, you can, but it still tastes like soap. It comes in peppermint, eucalyptus, almond, citrus, tea tree, and a few others. We never use deodorant because it attracts bugs, bears, and who know what else. Dr. Bronners Tea Tree and eucalyptis soap will actually repel insects!
“Unlike any you’ve ever used. A combination of organic extra virgin coconut, olive, jojoba and hemp oils, together with pure essential oils, creates a unique soap that cleans effectively without being aggressive and produces a velvety-lather that leaves the skin silky-smooth and refreshed.”
If you take your time and read what this soap is supposed to do, you will love the marketing on the package. They have broken every marketing rule possible and it’s still one of the best selling soaps on Amazon. People buy this product just to read the label. The printing is so small that you need a magnifying glass to read it if you are over 40 years of age. Come to think about it, I have never been able to read the writing!
The Best Camping Towels Are Quick Drying & Light Weight
Years ago, I never packed a towel on camping trips because quick drying light weight towels never performed good enough for me to buy or take one along. Today, there are so many options like common synthetic automotive chamois or micro fiber camp towels that are not only inexpensive, but they work. On car camping trips, I pack 2 synthetic Absorber synthetic chamois and 2 light weight quick drying micro fiber camping towels.
The most practical towel that I could ever dream up is the synthetic Absorber chamois that you buy at Walmart or Amazon. These towels work only when they are wet. After the towel is wet, you simply twist it to get all the water out of the towel. The towels have the ability to hold up to 10 times their weight in water. Speedo sells markets the same towel and will charge you more for it.
A synthetic car chamois works great because it’s much lighter than a cotton towel or synthetic micro fiber camping towel. It never needs drying as you store it while it’s slightly weight for ease of use.
My wife on the other hand will not use a chamois because she needs something soft and dry against her skin. I bought her a micro fiber camping towel at REI she absolutely loves it. REI has really dropped price of their branded camp towels in the past few years. REI sells the large Multi Towel (36″x16.5″) for around $17. You can buy the MSR Pack Towel From Back Country Edge for around $15.
I pack a few extra and use them to dry the dishes. We wash them every days. Sometimes I will hand wash our car because it gets so dirty and use the Absorber to dry it.
The Best Camping Water Filtration Systems
I have been going on camping and back packing trips since I was a young kid and the one thing that has never changed is the need for fresh potable water. Gone are the days of dunking your water bottle in a stream or lake and drinking water without any type of water filtration device. To be honest, I never used a water filter until the mid 1990′s for back packing. When I camped in high alpine country, I always drank from running streams and never had issues.
The Big Berkey Is The Ultimate Car & RV Camping Water Purifier
This is one filter that you can almost dip into any water source and produce purified waters. If you are camping near a river or lake that is fairly clean, this filter will do the job for you. If you are looking for the ultimate car camping water filter that comes with it’s own stainless steel water dispenser, the Big Berkey is worth looking into. The Big Berkey can be filled just about anywhere like lakes, rivers, streams, garden hose water etc. It will produce up to 3.5 gallons of purified drinking water in 1 hour.
What I really like about the Big Berkey is that it contains a 2.25 gallon stainless steel water dispenser as part of the filtration system. I paid over $200 for a 6 gallon stainless steel water dispenser because I never knew that a water filter like the Berkey existed. While I do not own one yet, we are in the process of ordering our Big Berkey that we will use at home and for camping trips. The Big Berkey holds up to 4 separate filters and has been proven to filter up to 12,000 gallons of water. The Big Berkey will take out parasites, giardia, heavy metals, fertilizers, and just about any nasty compound that man dumps into our fresh water supply.
Benefits Of Big Berkey Water Purifiers
- Up 6000 gallons of water can be filtered and purified.
- Dispenser 2.25 gallons of purified water from a stainless steel reservoir.
- Does not require electricity
- Leave in the healthful and beneficial minerals that your body needs.
- Does not have to be connected to your home plumbing system.
- Berkey water filters have a water dispenser built into the unit.
- Berekey’s are light and portable.
- Reduce fluoride by 95%
- You can filter water from a stream, lake, garden hose, etc.
I need to mention that fans of the great Alex Jones from Info.com is endorsing the ProPur water purification system. It’s very similar to Berkey water filters. I cannot find as many testimonies on survival and camping blogs. I would at least look at this filter to help you make your decision. ProPur claims to be as good as Bereky. At least they are saying great things about their competition. Amazon carries both the Berkey and Propur water purifiers.
Sawyer Water Purification Systems For Back Packing And Camping
If you are looking for a compact lightweight water purifier for back packing, then you should look at the Sawyer 2 or 4 liter water filtration system. It’s not all shiny like the Berkey, but it will do everything that a Big or Travel Berkey will do and more. The filtration specs are much tighter. Sawyer derived the technology for their water treatment systems from kidney dialysis technology. Additionally, Sawyer worked with a fiber manufacturer to improve the hollow fiber membrane technology. The fiber composition had to delivers exactly 0.1 & 0.02 micron filtration 100% of the time to ensure that no bacteria would get through. Harmful bacteria, protozoa, or cysts like E. coli, Giradia, Vibrio cholerae and Salmonella typhi (which cause Cholera and Typhoid) cannot pass through the Sawyer PointONE™ biological filter. At 7 log (99.99999%) Sawyers filter have he highest level of filtration available today.
When our family goes camping, our major concern is having clean water available at all times. We carry 2 camping water filtration systems-A Sawyer 4 liter water filtration system and an MSR hand pump ceramic water filter. The system that we rely the most on is the Sawyer 4 Liter Water Filtration System. I like it because I can get 4 liters of clean drinking water in under 2minutes! The greatest benefit outside of having clean water available to drink is that you do not have to pump it by hand. We store both of our water filtration systems in our car emergency kit.
Sawyer Water Filter Cons
But before I brag about all the other benefits, I first want to tell you the Sawyer water filtration system has some drawbacks. The first Sawyer water filtration system that I purchased came with a “kangaroo” style pouch located on the side to store the filter in when not in use. Sawyer stopped including this feature. You need to keep all the pieces together or you may end up loosing some pieces. Having the pouch was a major benefit because I tend to loose things when they are not neatly packaged.
Another major drawback is that the filter is breakable. I dropped my filter on a concrete floor and broke the nipple that connects to the water hose. REI replaced the unit for free. My replacement unit did not include the Kangaroo storage pouch.
Outside of these minor inconveniences, there is nothing else to complain about.
When you decide to buy the Sawyer 4 Liter water treatment system, I highly recommend buying it at REI because of their life time satisfaction guarantee. Buying the Sawyer system paid off for me after I broke the filter unit nearly 4 years ago. It’s been working fine ever since that incident. You can also buy the Sawyer Complete from Amazon for approximately for about $30 less than REI. REI has never let me down when it comes to oudoor gear. The same holds true for Amazon, but you cannot pick up your cell phone and call a camping expert at Amazon (at least not yet).
If you are looking for a lightweight option for solo back packing trips, or for a back up water filter, then you may want to look at the MSR Mini Works sold by REI. My unit is over 20 years old and is still functioning with the original filter!
4 Reasons Why A Sawyer Water Treatment System Is Better Than A Manual Filter Pump
- Sawyer uses a simple gravity feed system that lets gravity do all the hard work for you. I was so tired of pumping like a mad man for 5 minutes to get 1-2 liters of water for cooking, drinking, and washing dishes. Fill this thing and forget about it!
- The Sawyer water filter physically removes particles, protozoa, and bacteria down to 0.1 micron in size, including giardia, salmonella and cryptosporidi. What this translates to you don’t have to be afraid of spending your entire trip with stomach cramps because some damn little bug upset your stomach.
- The Sawyer water filter is almost self cleaning. When you are in the back country, you clean the filter by back washing it. I watched the video produced by Sawyer and all you have to do is gently step on the clean bag with the filter attached and back flow clean water through the filter. This takes about 10 seconds!
- The Sawyer water filter produces clean filter water that tastes great and is guaranteed to last for 1 million gallons.
If you are back packing, a Sawyer water filter is going to be one of the lightest and easiest systems to use. To save weight, all you need to pack is the dirty bag and hoses. You fill your water bottles and cook pots directly with the gravity bag.
For car camping, it saves my family the trouble of having to fill up our 6 gallon stainless steel water dispenser in town with clean water. I can fill the dirty bag with tap water and use our stainless steel dispenser as the reservior.
The Sawyer also filtered extremely fast. As advertised, I can easily get 1 liter in 1 minute. It’s super light and you can make it lighter by ditching the reservoir (clean) bag and filtering straight into storage containers.
Sawyer has a new design for both the 2 and 4 liter systems. The new design allows the clean bag to hang with the filter on top and opening on bottom, and adds a pouring spout cap, two improvements that greatly add to the convenience of the system.
With a Sawyer water filtration system you can just drink without: pumping, chemicals, waiting, or worrying! Incredibly fast flow rate, simple to use, and each filter can be back-washed to extend its life. I like Sawyer’s million gallon guarantee. I hope that I can reach that limit!
How To Make Camping Fun For Kids
As parents, we often feel and think that we know what is best for children. While this may be true for shaping their morals and values, it’s not always true when it comes to having fun in the outdoors camping. You really cannot make camping fun for kids. What you can do is get out of the way and let kids have some fun without imposing your ideas of fun.
Camping with kids is a whole other world and can actually be a lot of fun if you let your kids be creative. I let my kids decide what activities are fun to do on camping trips. When it comes to choosing a “Kid Friendly Campground”, I ask them what is important for them in a campground. Here are just a few of the hundreds of things that they value as important to them. If you are looking for things for kids to do while camping, just sit down with your kids and ask them what they would like to do.
Fun Camping Games For Kids
Simple games like Scrabble & Bananagrams are great for camping trips! It’s a great game to interact with your kids.
A deck of cards is extremely useful too. My kids enjoy playing hearts. These are nice games to play while relaxing in the evening. You do not need special games made just for camping. On a recent trip to Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah, my kids asked me to make up a game for them. We had some extra clothes line that we used to loosely tie up one kid and let them try to escape. We called the game “Houdini”. They loved the game. I let them do all the tying up. The only rule was that the knots were not supposed to be painful. I set the timer for each kid so they each new how long it took to escape. Continue reading “How To Make Camping Fun For Kids” »
Best Camping For Kids In Northern California
The best camping places in California for kids is a very wide open topic. I have 2 young boys who have been camping all over California and most of the Western United States since both have been in diapers. If you are to ask them what their favorite camping place is and why it’s there favorite place I can almost guarantee you that their favorite place is tied into the kids they played with and the activities that they did. My 2 young boys never rant and rave about the beautiful scenery. In many ways they don’t give a hoot about the snow-covered mountain peaks and the lush flower covered meadows. This does not interest them.
Kid Friendly Camping Grounds In California
Lassen National Park
Honestly, you’re going to have fun and any campground that you go to in California as long as you let your kids enjoy themselves. One of our favorite campgrounds in Northern California is Lassen National Park. This park is filled with a lot of snow as well as boiling hot pots and steaming ground. It reminds me a lot of Yellowstone National Park because of the boiling hot pots. My boys really enjoyed seeing all the thermal activity that they viewed on a long hike. However, they got more excited about several of the snowfields that we found near the road. They made their own sleds out of cardboard and enjoyed sliding on the snow more than any other activity.
Lava Beds National Monument
I learned about Lava Beds National Monument when I was planning a camping trip to Oregon. It was on the map and I became so curious. It was a short drive from Lassen. I read some reviews online and was hooked. It’s an amazing park for kids because they can walk inside lava tubes. The best lava tubes are located just a short walking distance from the visitors center. We were going to stay just one day. We liked it so much that we added another day to our stay and drove the park on our way back to the Bay Area. Lava Beds sits on top of a Medicine Lake Shield Volcano. There are over 600 caves inside the park. Most of the good ones are a short walking distance from the visitors center. The park is easy to drive around in. The visitors center will keep the kids entertained with displays and history of the area. Make sure you do the Junior Ranger program at Lava Beds. The park will let you use flash lights for free. However, bring your own as you will not super bright lights for the caves. The landscape is so strange that I felt like I was on another planet. When we camped at Lava Beds National Park, they have great memories of this young man who shows them through the lava tubes with a high-tech flashlight.
Medicine Lake National Forest Campground
This is another jewel that we enjoyed so much. When you wake up in the morning, you will see steam rising off the lake because there is thermal activity below the ground. The lake is much warmer than your average Northern California lake because of the thermal activity. My kids enjoyed hanging around the water all day. They met a nice teenage boy who took them out boating and fishing.
Post Creek Guard Station
Last summer we camped 4 nights inside Post Creek Guard Station in the Shasta Trinity National Forest. My boys had a fantastic time playing with to their playmates. They brought along Nerf guns, toy cars, and bug catchers. They spent hours hunting for lizards and actually caught a few. This is not exactly a campground. It’s a tiny 2 room cabin that we rented for only $35 a night. This included a kitchen sink, a flushing toilet, and a cold shower. It was roughing it in luxury. My kids had the time of their playing with 2 other boys that came with us. The 4 boys spent 4 days throwing rocks and digging things up around the surrounding area.
Please don’t be discouraged that your kids are not going to get excited about boiling hot pots and all the buffalo that you want to show them on your annual occasion to Yellowstone National Park. We’ve done all that and my kids and have the time of their life. They talk about the cool ice cream shop they went to a grand Teton national Park.
The point I’m trying to make is that kids can have fun anywhere that you take them if you give them the freedom to be creative. Kids like to improvise and make up their own games. Give them a Frisbee, a tennis ball, a baseball bat, or whatever toys that you care to bring along in there and have fun as long as you don’t force them to have fun.
I can remember my 2 young boys taking out their beautiful wooden railroad tracks that I probably brought along for them to set up inside their tent and the cabins that we stayed at. They had a better use for the railroad tracks. They proceeded to set them up in the dirt that sat below a water spigot. They dug a trench line to the railroad tracks and trenched all the way around the tracks. Then they turned on the water and filled the trenches completely full. By the time that they were finished playing it was a mess and dear old dad (me) that kind of ticked off. I held my temper and realized this is a small price to pay for my kids to have fun. The electric Thomas The Tank Engines got jammed up with dirt in the gears and a few of the tank engines were rendered useless. I probably only paid $10-$15 for each engine. I had to swallow my grand illusions a very perfect camping trip and let the kids have fun regardless if they were breaking their choice. As a man I realized that this is just the price of doing business.
Last summer I asked my boys if they wanted to do some fishing while camping at Tugman State Park in Oregon. They were extremely excited about fishing. I bought them new rod and reel combos at a Walmart store in Northern California. On a three-week camping trip, we fished a total of 1 day. My 2 boys were more attracted to building sand castles on the beach and playing with other children at the playground. Think about it. Kids like have fun and at times fishing is a lot of fun and other times just being a kid and running around the playground is a whole lot more fun.
