While Camp-Hosting for several months at a very busy campground, we learned there is such a thing as a “Bad Camper.” Although “Bad Campers” are more the exception than the rule, it only takes one to taint an entire campground. “Bad Campers” detract from the overall camping experience of others, and they create unwanted and sometimes dangerous situations. As a result, we’ve decided to post on camping etiquette since it doesn’t seem to be discussed very much, if at all. We know this post will not apply to all campers, but it will certainly apply to some.

The Agenda: to provide information about camping etiquette and safety regulations so that all campers may enjoy their experience. But first, let’s lay the foundation…

The Definition

Camping Etiquette is best described as common courtesy for fellow campers and, of course, utilizing basic common sense. Unfortunately, whenever these two things are a requirement for anything, problems quickly arise.

Categories

This topic includes two categories: Common Courtesy and Safety Hazards. The reason for these two specific categories is because “Bad Campers” lack common courtesy and respect (social etiquette), and they create safety hazards due to a lack of common sense and/or a dismissive attitude toward the rules.

We have chosen three “violations” to list under each category. There are certainly others deserving of a place in the spotlight, but the ones listed below are committed most frequently.

How to know if you’re a “Bad Camper.”

By time you finish reading this post, you’ll know. But to keep things simple – If you are guilty of even one thing listed under either category, then you are, officially, a “Bad Camper.” So let’s get started!

 

COMMON COURTESY

Below is a list of things people do while camping that show a total lack of common courtesy for their fellow campers.

Loud and Disruptive Campers

If you find yourself camping in an area that’s peaceful and quiet, there’s a good chance that other campers went there for the peace and quiet. Makes sense, right? The last thing anyone wants to hear is a bunch of excessively loud and obnoxious campers and/or their blaring music. If they did, they would have gone to a night club. No one’s saying that alcohol, tunes and good times should be out-lawed, but everyone does expect their fellow campers to be respectful of their neighbors and behave like adults.

 

Trashing Campsites

Here’s a list of trash most frequently left behind and scattered throughout campsites: beer bottles and cans, beer bottle caps and tabs, cigarette butts, food, nutshells, egg shells, napkins and paper towels, fishing line and hooks, glass, food and non-food wrappers including boxes and containers, rubber bands and miscellaneous plastic.

You don’t have to be a frequent Camper to know you should pick up after yourself. But in case you didn’t know… the way a camper leaves a site speaks volumes about who they are, including their standards for cleanliness and the amount of respect they have for anything other than themselves. When a camper leaves a trashy site, they are disrespecting Nature, it’s beauty, and the home it provides to its true residents. They are disrespecting the people who have to clean up after them and their fellow campers who always do their part to keep an area beautiful. In short, a campsite is just an extension of a camper… so leave a good impression!

Bathroom Etiquette

The number one complaint from campers when it comes to bathrooms is… other campers leaving toilet paper and baby-wipes, they’ve wiped their butt with, sunny-side up (if you catch my drift) in the bathroom trash can. And it’s a pretty legitimate complaint! No one wants to look at or smell someone else’s poop.

And while I’m sure those guilty of what should be considered a crime will immediately dismiss such behavior with the old “it’s not environmentally-friendly to flush it” excuse, they should know that leaving feces exposed for others to see and smell has nothing to do with being environmentally-friendly. It does, however, have everything to do with a lack of common courtesy and social etiquette… especially, when all a person would have to do is wrap it up before placing it in the trash.

So, while I and other campers have tried to appreciate the intentions of those who do this, it’s difficult to support them knowing there’s a way for them to stay true to their convictions while not offending anyone… yet they choose to offend. And the sight and smell of feces is offensive! Even more so in small and enclosed areas.

To conclude this crappy topic (pun intended), the bathrooms in campgrounds are shared by many people, so for the campers who insist on disposing toilet paper and baby-wipes soiled with feces in the trash can, please wrap it up to reduce the stench and so no one else has to look at it. Moving on to the next category…

SAFETY HAZARDS

Below is a list of things people do while camping that place their own lives, the lives of their fellow campers, wildlife and the forest at risk.

Failing to Extinguish A Camp Fire

The number one rule in camping is… Put Out Your Fire!  Even with signs posted everywhere, fire safety and park regulation literature provided directly to campers and verbal warnings as well, campers still leave fires burning unattended and fail to extinguish them before they pack up and leave.

So here’s the thing… if the only person in jeopardy of dying from a camper’s failure to put out a fire, was the camper who started it, I doubt too many people would have a problem with it. Unfortunately, guilty parties seldom die. Innocent people, animals and entire forests do. So please, do everyone a favor and don’t go camping if you can’t adhere to the number one rule…. Extinguish your fire!! Drown it – Stir it – Drown it again!

Leaving Food Out

Campgrounds located in bear country have very strict but simple rules when it comes to storing your food; All food is to be stored in the bear box located within the campsite. Failure to do this will land you a hefty fine and most certainly an encounter with a bear or other wildlife. In addition to food, anything fragranced or with a scent (soap, lotion, deodorant, etc) should also be stored in the bear box. Bears are attracted to many scents.

Remember, bears are wild animals! And although some may have acclimated to the invasion of campgrounds and humans, they are still wild. This means they are unpredictable. Don’t think that just because you banged a couple pots together and scared off a bear in the past, that all bears in the future will react the same. We’ve seen otherwise.

Although you are never guaranteed an encounter-free stay, it is unlikely a bear will be interested in your site as long as you heed the warnings. And the less contact humans and wildlife have, the better off both will be. Unfortunately, there’s always that one camper who dismisses the rules and creates unwanted, hazardous situations for everyone else and the bears. Besides the obvious problems that could arise from enticing a bear into a campsite with food, a whole new set of problems is created once people see it…

Human – Wildlife Contact

Some campers tend to do one of two things when they spot a bear. They either run away, which is a huge mistake, or they follow/chase the bear to get a picture, which is another huge mistake. We’ve even seen large crowds start to form around bears in order to catch a glimpse and snap a shot.

Just like us, bears don’t like to be followed, chased, antagonized or trapped. Doing any of these things will force a bear into fight or flight mode, and if that happens someone may get injured or even die. The bear may get euthanized as well, which seems extremely unfair considering the situation was created by humans. Tragedy can best be avoided by simply leaving them alone. Remember – It is never a bear’s fault for being wild. It’s only yours for expecting it to behave otherwise.

And that concludes our final category. The only thing left to do is answer the question… Are you a “Bad Camper?”

It’s never too late to change!

Ok… so maybe you’re a reader who’s just discovered you’re a “Bad Camper.” What do you do? Well, the first step to a “Good” or even “Great Camper” status is admitting you’ve been a “Bad Camper.” The second step requires you to simply stop committing whichever “violations” you’re guilty of. Whether it was ignorance or a disregard for the rules doesn’t matter… now that you know better, you can do better.

 

Disclaimer:

The above lists do not include all violations – only the ones most frequently observed and/or reported. Additional violations include, but are not limited to, the following: disregarding quiet time, speeding through the campground, disrobing in public, using a bear horn “just because”, unfriendly dogs off-leash, knocking on the Camp-Hosts door at 0300 hrs to buy firewood, failure to flush toilets, failure to get urine in the toilets, littering, failure to pick up your dog’s poop, and asking how much it costs to ride the bears.

 

Thanks for reading and don’t forget to like and subscribe! Until next time…

Next post – “Camp-Hosting: The Ins and Outs.”