Where is a good place to camping for first time campers. Not a place too far, but kinda want to get the expierence. Also, what would I need besides the obvious; tent, food, water, etc...Help me out!!!! 4 people are going, including two couples...
Are you in Houston? There is a State Park just outside of Austin called Colorado Bend. That is one of the best camping site in Texas. You can camp right beside the river, and they have a kick ass hiking trail. And also they have a pretty clean bath room near the camp site, which a is a MUST when camping with girls (I learned that the hard way). Bring firewoods, if you really don't have any experiences what so ever, bring a lots of lighter fluid and a fire starter kit, it will helps you out big time. Also a buy one of those therm-a-rest and put them under your sleeping bag. That's all I can think of now, maybe some more later.
When I was in Boy Scouts, we would go to Camp Strake a lot. It's not far at all (2 miles south of Conroe). I would think it would be open to non-scouts, but I'm not sure. We would also go do summer camp at El Rancho Cima every year, but that probably isn't for newbies. You probably should contact camp Strake and see if it's open to other campers (and, if not, maybe they could suggest someplace). While you have them on the phone ask them what their policy is on campfires - I've heard rumors about drastic changes. As far as what equipment to pack... That all depends on how rough you want to camp. Wilderness survival (really rough)? Normal Boy Scout level (tents)? Slightly cush (pop-up trailers)? Super cush (cabins)? -- droxford
I like Camp Texana down 59 just past Ganado, other than fishing though it doesn't have as much to do as many other state parks. I'm assuming you're going to use a nonprimitive camping site since you're new to it, and typically a camp site at a state park has a picnic table, a water spicket, and electric outlets for each camp site. Things I would recommend taking: tent sleeping bags/blankets/padding to go under the sleeping bags rope/pull string/twine tarp (goes over the tent in case of bad rain) extra stakes pillows (you'd be surprised how many people forget these) rake (rake out a place for the tent, twigs hurt to sleep on!) broom (clean out the tent) shovel (may need it, may not, you'll be annoyed if you do and don't have it though) extension cords fans (it gets hot in tents during the summertime, if you're going in the winter you might want a space heater) swimsuit bug spray sun screen aloe toiletries (deodorant, toothbrush, tooth paste, etc.) towels lighting (hanging lights, lanterns, flashlights) chairs (don't want to sit on the ground, do you?) extra pair of shoes (never know when your's are going to get muddy) panchos set of warm clothes (for those odd cold nights in the summer, I know you're thinking "yeah, right ", but it sucks being cold and in the middle of nowhere) fishing gear (maybe, maybe not) coolers (for food and drinks, you'll probably be going to get ice two or three times a day) water dispenser cups/squirt bottles propane stove (most sites will have a charcoal grill if you prefer that, but you'll need your own charcoal) firewood (most state parks sell firewood onsite) matches lighter fluid paper towels wet wipes paper plates trash bags If I think of anything else I'll add onto this later. I'm sure you'll get there and think of other things you want/need, luckily you can almost always find a Wal-Mart nearby.
Let's see...within a few hours of houston..you got Lake Sommerville and Lake Livingston which are due north..both are nice and relatively close state parks that I used to visit a lot w/ my family. Great for weekend getaways. Over in the northeast you got Martin Dies Jr...only been there once. South you got Brazos Bend (better for day trips), Lake Texana (ok but too swampy for my tastes) and the beach parks (Galveston Island SP I'd avoid). Heading out west towards SA you got Bastrop SP which is a pretty place to visit...its in the hill country. If you wanna go a little bit further west you can't go wrong w/ Pedernales Falls...absolutely beautiful park...but a little bit far as its on the other side of Austin. For a first time camper I'd suggest Lake Sommerville SP...it has a nice lake for swimming and fishing, lots of trails, nice hilly roads for biking. Just an overall enjoyable park that's not too far away. As for items, I'd say you can't go wrong w/ arkoe's list, a bit exhaustive though it may be...course I'm an Eagle Scout so I have no problem roughing it The main thing is to pack prepared.
I live in Houston and probably the farthest I would want to go would be past Conroe. Arkoe, thanks for the extensive list. LegendZ3, thanks for the advice, will keep that in mind. And we want to use tents. I know I can tough it out, don't know if they can, so probably normal levels of camp. Not too hard, not too easy. Still want the whole expierence and stuff. Keep the comments coming. And thanks in advance.
Now if you want to far west then I would suggest Garner State Park. They have cabins and camping areas. I love that place.
hmmmm.. I don't agree with arkoe's list (you can go without a rake, broom, extension cords) As a kid, there are a few rules we follwed for camping: Almost nothing electrical. All meals must be hot, cooked meals (no cold meals) All meals must be cooked on the campfire (never on a gas stove) Never cut down or damage any standing/live trees or plants rope off a designtated wood-chopping area Leave the campsite cleaner than we arrived Be prepared for rain Maintain a campfire responsibly Boy scouts do moderate levels of camping. Here are my suggestions for equipment and procedures: Tents when choosing a location for a tent, pick someplace that won't be in a puddle if it rains. Brush away any twigs, rocks, etc. that may make your sleep uncomfortable. Also try not to be in the path of the campfire smoke. Don't ever wear your shoes into your tent. Unzip the tent, kneel into it, take off your shoes (with your feet outside). But do not leave your shoes outside, either (critters will enter them). Place your shoes in between the mesh door of your tent and the zipper door of the tent. This is done to reduce the amount of dirt and sand you get in your tent. When you're through camping, empty your tent, unstake your tent from the ground, unzip the tent door, and lift your tent off the ground upside-down. Shake the tent so that all the dirt and stuff falls out the door of the tent. A small flashlight sometimes comes in handy, but try to avoid it as much as possible. Use your night vision. You don't need to put a tarp over the tent. The tent should come with a tent cover. Definitely use that. It will save your butt if it starts to rain. Stake your tent into the ground. If you don't, strong winds will mess with the tent. Clothes If you're going to be gone two days, bring 3 days worth of clothes (in case some get wet). Shorts are cooler, but not good for walking through thick brush. It's probably better to wear warmer clothes (unless it's in the hot Texas summer). bring a swimsuit, and one big towel. Bring rain panchos. Food/Cooking Always lock your food away at night. There are racoons and possums who get very fat off careless campers. If you're in bear country, hang your food down from a tree using a rope (beyond reach of bears, of course). Marshmallows and s'mores are more work and mess than they're worth. But, if you're a newbie, you'll probably insist on having 'em. So bring marshmallows, graham crackers, and plain hershey's chocolate bars (keep the choco in the cooler). If you cook anything on a stick, use a dead stick (don't use anything green - could make you sick). Bring bottled drinking water, and lots of it. Most of your cooking pans for camping aren't teflon, so remember to bring some kind of oil to prevent sticking. Campsite put a big tarp over the picnic table, not the tent. Under the tarp-covered table, have a Coleman lantern. Keep your site clean. Hang an American flag. Stand, be quiet, face the flag and cover your heart as raises. this is very important. Don't hang it near the fire. Before you leave for the camping trip, look up on the internet some good campfire stories or songs. Before you leave the camp, and after you have all your things are packed in the car, spread out, stand side-by-side forming a line, and slowly walk forward across the campsite. Inspect the ground for any trash. Pick up trash, bits of paper... anything. Leave the campsite cleaner than when you got there. Behavior Always wear shoes - never walk around a campsite barefoot Never dive or swim in an area until one person has waded into the water and inspected the area (use a swim mask). Lots of people dive into the water head first only to find a tree stump. Don't smoke. don't carve anything into trees. Do not leave any markers that you were there. Leave snakes alone. Keep your distance from them (yes, even the small ones). Work together in all tasks. The work goes faster and it's more enjoyable. Rope off a wood-cutting area. Only one person allowed in the area at any time. The area should be big enough to swing an axe around inside. People should not linger around this area while someone is chopping. Prepare firewood ahead of time. Cover your prepared firewood with a tarp, in case it rains. Do not bring a boombox, gameboy, or any eletronic devices of any kind. Fire If you are allowed, build a campfire in a clearing away from plants and flammable materials. If you blow into the fire, don't stand over it when you do so. If you exhale too much, you could hyperventilate and pass out (and leaning over a hot fire is a bad place to lose consciousness). This happened to a guy on Survivor a few years back. Also, don't blow into a fire from a position where the smoke blows into your face. It'll make you stinky, dizzy, and smoke inhalation is bad for you. Don't melt plastic stuff - the fumes are bad for you, and they leave residue. Bag your plastic and metal trash, and burn the other trash. Do not build your campfire too large. It's dangerous. When you leave the campsite, always extinguish the fire by pouring a big tub of water over it (not just by kicking dirt on it). Other stuff to bring First aid kit, Sunblock, Mosquito repellent, fire extinguisher, cups/"mess kit", paper towels, Big metal grates to put over fire for cooking and cleaning, two big metal tubs for washing dishes, metal dishes and cooking pans that can go on a campfire, cups, forks/knives, fuel for your Coleman lantern, axe, hatchet. dish soap, dish-cleaning brushes, hygene products, matches/lighter, plastic bags for trash, rope, pocketknife. You may want to bring a Coleman gas stove in case it rains incessantly. Check the weather forecast before you go! That's all that comes to mind for now -- droxford
A good place to get started is Double Lake up 59 north. http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/texas/recreation/sam_houston/doublelake.shtml Small lake for Canoeing and swimming. Bike trails for mountain biking and hiking trails for hiking. I'm going camping this weekend with another couple and our kids. Should be fun.
Ah yeah Double Lake is another good one...for first-timers and such.... and fyi...about Camp Strake, it might be only open to Scout troops but I could be wrong...in any case I always thought that place was a tad boring which is probably why we only went for Winter Camp. Dang dude...that list is pretty exhaustive...did you pluck that from a scout website or something The part about roping off a wood chopping area gives it away. But yeah, way too exhaustive, it's fine and all if you're a scout and you're going on a troop campout..then I'd say that all applies. But for first-time campers and hell, casual campers in general, the main thing is to just have fun. Bring what you want. You don't have to go all wilderness survival to have an enjoyable experience (if you want too though then by all means) but then don't bring the whole freakin house and every modern convenience of home too, cause it'll detract from the natural beauty surrounding you. Just pack medium to light (bring the essentials and a few comforts), be prepared for anything, and have fun.
A lot of camping sites have a picnic bench and also a water faucet and electricity available, if you ask for it. That way if you or your camping buddies absolutely have to have some form of running water and electricity, it's there.
I used to love camping, but my wife really helped me understand how to do it right. Everything you need can found at a place like this: best camping on earth
Garner's cool. You also might wanna consider Los Maples & Enchanted Rock. If you don't wanna stray too far from Houston, there's always Brazos Bend State Park.
My wife likes your wife's idea of camping, but I like a fire myself... and last time I set a fire at the 4 seasons...
You are correct--to me, the biggest attraction to camping is the primordial camaraderie of sitting around the campfire at night, keeping the fire going, shooting the ****, and drinking lots of beer. But eventually--I'm either gonna have to go to sleep or to take a crap. And that's when I want--at the bare minimum--a critter free building with a bed and a bathroom. That's why I'd still like to have some hunting land..........even if I only hunt with a camera now.
