Labor Day is coming up, which means plenty of fine Americans will hit the road in search of the perfect campsite for one last hurrah before fall starts.
Since the campgrounds will be packed with people from all different walks of life, we here at OutKick Outdoors thought it would be a perfect time to remind you all of the definitive, unwritten rules of campground etiquette.
Much like public transportation, campgrounds are one of the most important bastions left in our country where the “social contract” still matters, and for all campers to coexist peacefully, there must be some ground rules everyone follows.
Remember these as you’re enjoying your long weekend with nature and your fellow man.
The firepit is not a garbage disposal
family warming near backyard campfire (iStock)
This is an important one, because for as long as I’ve been frequenting campgrounds, I’ve found more than a few firepits full of empty beer cases and styrofoam containers.
These things don’t magically disappear just because you tossed them in the firepit waiting for the next good Samaritan to do a controlled burn of your box of Miller Lites.
There’s plenty of tinder to be found in your average forest without having to resort to takeout boxes and food scraps, and you’re just attracting the wrong kind of wildlife by leaving anything like that out in the open.
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Be a civilized member of society and throw your trash where it belongs… in the trash can.
Their campsite is not your shortcut
Yellowstone National Park offers 12 campgrounds with over 2,000 campsites. Madison campground is one of the most popular sites in the park. It is set in a partly wooded area, with a variety of sunny to shaded sites. (Nano Calvo/VWPics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Another camper’s site is basically their home for however many days they are staying at the campground, so treat it with the same respect you would treat their front lawn.
Just because their site is on the way to the bathrooms doesn’t mean it’s a shortcut for you to take advantage of.
Take the extra 40 seconds to walk around the outside of their designated area like the good, neighborly camper you are.
Respect the boundaries of the campsite and everyone will be better for it.
A campground is not your personal concert hall
America’s national parks offer campers the chance to experience some of the country’s most iconic protected landscapes during the summer season. (iStock)
Remember that scene in “Animal House” where John Belushi takes that kid’s guitar on the stairs and smashes it against the wall?
That’s what every camper wants to do the moment you bust out your Bluetooth speaker and start jamming your personally curated Shaboozey playlist at obscene volumes.
Most people go to campgrounds to escape the plagues of modern technology, so try to keep the decibels to a minimum.
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This is doubly true during quiet hours.
It’s a campground, not frat row, so if you’re listening to some campfire tunes after sundown, make sure you’re the only ones who can actually hear the music.
Do not feed the wildlife
A Bear Country sign in Shenandoah National Park in Virginia warns visitors to protect their property and store food properly. (titoslack / Getty Images)
This is less of an unwritten rule and more of a survival tip, but that cute little raccoon you see is not a charity case.
If you see wildlife scavenging around your site, chances are they’ve already been fed by a fellow camper, so don’t make things worse.
Feeding the furry creatures can create a safety issue for both you and the animals, as you don’t want them becoming too reliant on humans.
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Keep your food under lock and key when it’s unattended too, unless you want a black bear to helping itself to your entire weekend’s worth of rations.
Leave no trace
A view of a camping site featuring three tents with a mountain forest campground visible in the background in Idaho. (Getty)
If you’ve ever heard the old adage “leave the place better than you found it,” that applies to campsites as well.
This ties in with the rule about trash in firepits, but when you’re packing up at the end of your stay, make sure your campsite is spotless.
All trash needs to be taken care of, even little twist ties and aluminum pop tops.
It needs to look like you weren’t even there, because the last thing you want is to leave a mess for the next family or camping crew to have to clean up themselves.
It sounds like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised (or not) about how many people treat their temporary campsite like a permanent flop house.
Remember, you’re all basically neighbors with each other for an extended period of time with no walls between you, so follow these rules to make sure everyone has a great time and doesn’t want to kill each other this coming holiday weekend.
Happy trails!
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