and get your sleeping gear set up while it’s light out. Decide on the location for two different stations: one for your tent and one for your cooking station. Keep a safe distance between your cooking station and your tent, just to lower the chances of wildlife poking around your tent. Set up your tent according to the instructions once you’ve decided where you’d like to place it, and lay out your sleeping pads, bags, blankets, and pillows. If you’ve never set up a tent before, it might be a good idea to take a stab at it before your trip. Most tents come with detailed instructions and aren’t very difficult to erect, so just be patient and it’ll get done in no time! Get your cooking area set up about 200 feet (61 m) away from your tent. Check your location’s rules to see if you need to set up a bear box or bag to hold your food. Keep all food containers closed when you’re not using them, and dispose of trash as soon as you can. If you’re backpacking, put all trash into a resealable bag so its scent doesn’t travel far. Plan on wearing different clothes when you cook, especially if you’ll be grilling meat. Wear a jacket or top that you can leave with your food instead of taking it back to the tent. A greasy, smoky shirt that smells like hamburger might be a temptation to prowling creatures. Once you’ve put up your tent, take a walk around the campsite to figure out how far away the amenities are. If you’re backpacking, it’s really important to establish where you’ll go to the bathroom, how to get to water, and where the firewood is before the sun sets.  Once nighttime comes and you’re using a flashlight to get around, you’ll be glad to know the general direction you need to go. For men and boys, peeing on the trees can be a fun and convenient part of any camping trip - especially at night, when facilities are a long distance away, or if there is a limited supply of facilities for defecation and/or female campers.  The only restrictions are that you use common sense when you do this and always go at least 200 feet away from a water source. in a safe and appropriate spot when you’re ready for it. If you’re at a campsite, there may be a specific place where you need to make your fires, like a fire pit. If you’re out in the woods, create your own fire pit that is at least 8 feet (2.4 m) away from dead grass and other vegetation. Dig down into the dirt 3 to 4 inches (7.6 to 10.2 cm) and create a mound of dirt around the hole to act as a wall. You can also put rocks around the dirt area to enclose it and keep the fire in place. Every fire needs tinder, kindling, and firewood. Tinder is something small, like pieces of cardboard, lint, or wood shavings. Kindling is made up of small twigs and branches. Firewood can be whole or split logs, and it always needs to be dry. Once you have your campsite set up, take a moment to say “hi” to anyone who is camping near you. You might make some new friends, and it’s helpful to be familiar with who is nearby in case either of you needs help at some point. It can be exhausting just setting up camp, so take a load off, have a snack, and rest for a little while before moving on to your first activity. If you’re camping with pets, take them around the campsite and let them smell everything. There are lots of new scents and it’ll help them calm down if they can explore a little.

Summary:
Pitch your tent Set up a food area that is separate from your sleeping area. Familiarize yourself with the area to find water, firewood, and the bathroom. Make a fire Introduce yourself to your neighbors and settle in for a fun trip.