15 Helpful Safety Tips About Camping And The Coronavirus
It doesn't get more 2020 than camping in masks.
The coronavirus pandemic is still impacting travel, and destinations around the world have different COVID-19 restrictions in place. It’s important to check and adhere to local government policies as you're planning any future trips.
After months of being cooped up, you might be craving an escape to the great outdoors to make the world feel *almost* normal.
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But even though campgrounds and national parks are reopening — and we could all use a little getaway right about now — it's still important to know the risks.
NPR reports that a big factor is your fellow campers (have they been socially distancing and following guidelines?), but that the outdoor and isolated nature of the summer activity makes it the "least risky from a virus perspective."
Jennifer Kasten, an academic pathologist in Cincinnati, said in an email to BuzzFeed, "The outdoors has a much wider range of temperature and humidity conditions than indoors," noting that these conditions are suboptimal for "the length of time the virus can hang out in the environment."
But before you set up camp, make sure you know how to keep yourself (and everyone around you) as safe as possible. To help you out, we got the lowdown from public health experts and a camping pro, so you can be prepared and keep your trip low-risk.
And remember: Right now it's important to stay close to home and avoid traveling long distances, so be sure to check what parks or forests your state has to offer.
1. Don't put away that face mask quite yet. You'll need it.
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You may be out in the open air, but safety rules still apply: If you’re camping with people outside your household, mask up. “Masking, when at all feasible, should still be undertaken if you’re with others,” confirmed Kasten.
There are tons of options when it comes to nonmedical masks. If you’re looking for a cloth face covering that’s multifunction, you could also consider a Buff or bandana. (They might not be as effective as some masks, but they're better than nothing.) “I've seen more bandanas than face masks when out camping," Ryan Cunningham, founder of camping blog Beyond the Tent, said in an email to BuzzFeed. "They are good for the summer heat and are more versatile out camping."
2. Make a hygiene pack and bring it with you everywhere.
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You might be super careful, but it's all too easy to accidentally grab someone else’s phone or realize too late that there's no running water (or soap) at the campground.
Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at Columbia University, said in an email to BuzzFeed that your camping list should include "hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes" to maintain good hand hygiene and counteract human error.
3. Get everything you need before you go so you don't have to make stops along the way.
You'll want to find a camping spot that's near where you live so you don't have to travel a long way to get there. And if you do pass through another community, they probably don’t want you tromping through their town to stock up on beer and TP.
Do a big shop at your regular grocery store, pack everything into a cooler, and bring along a bundle of firewood and a roll of trash bags for camp pickup. Your final errand should be filling up the car with a gas so you don't have to stop anywhere along the way, for any reason.
4. Don't share anything that touches your face, eyes, or mouth.
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“You’re not going to catch COVID from someone else’s supplies or tent,” said Kasten. However, “when it comes to putting things in your mouth and face, you’ll need to be more cautious — keep your cutlery and serving dishes separate, and don’t share water bottles."
5. Be smart about food, but don't stress it.
The CDC reported that "currently there is no evidence to support transmission of COVID-19 associated with food." However, you can play it extra safe by asking everyone to bring their own food and cook their own meals. And remember: It's important to keep your distance when eating and cooking, and avoid sharing plates and utensils.
If you decide to do group meals, the CDC suggests picking one person to serve all the food so multiple people aren't handling the serving utensils. And if you're in charge of snacks, skip that family-size bag of Pirate's Booty and pick up single-serve packs instead.
6. Keep your camp crew small.
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You may be desperate to get out of the house and reconnect with people you haven't seen in a few months, but according to Rasmussen, "this is not the time to share an RV with a bunch of people outside your household." Think intimate excursion in nature, not camping party.
Not only do large groups make social distancing difficult, but many states and campgrounds have limited the number of people allowed at a campsite. In Colorado, for example, “gatherings of larger than 10 individuals will be asked to leave and may result in loss of your camping privileges,” according to a press release from Colorado Parks & Wildlife.
7. If you're camping with people outside your household, drive separate cars to the campsite.
It goes against everything we've learned about being environmentally responsible but if you’re camping with people you don't live with, you’ll need to drive separate cars to and from the campsite to maintain a safe social distance.
8. Sleep in your own tent.
Tents typically have more ventilation than an RV or hotel room, but they're still fairly enclosed. "Try to minimize tent sharing with people outside your household," said Rasmussen, explaining that "indoor, respiratory droplets can circulate in that contained space with nowhere to go, and the longer duration that the more people spend indoors, the more potentially virus-containing droplets could build up."
While a tent is not technically "indoors," lying inches from another person in a semi-contained space for multiple hours can't be a smart move.
9. And remember that the 6-foot rule still applies.
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Just because you’re outside in the open air, that doesn’t mean you should cuddle up to that friend you haven’t seen since March. While Kasten noted “the outdoors is naturally socially distant,” she reiterated that the coronavirus “is spread from humans, to humans."
If you’re camping with people you didn’t quarantine with, "stay 6 feet apart, at a minimum,” advised Kasten.
10. Choose your campground carefully. And after you make a reservation, monitor its capacity.
Not all campgrounds are the same: Some will have you sandwiched on all sides by neighbors, while others offer plenty of room. "If you are in a campground, make sure campsites are spaced out from each other," suggested Rasmussen.
Once you've found a campground with plenty of space, make a reservation (a must for most campgrounds) and check back to monitor the capacity. If it gets too full, consider another spot or alternative dates.
11. Be extra careful in campground bathrooms and showers.
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If your campground has facilities like bathrooms and/or showers, then you don't have to poop in the woods (win!) or wash up at the campsite. But you also need to be wary.
"Be very careful about using park or campground shared bathrooms, which are usually enclosed and often poorly ventilated," warned Rasmussen. "Bring plenty of hand sanitizer if you won’t have access to running water for handwashing."
12. Or, to really play it safe, skip the campground and go somewhere remote.
When it comes to the coronavirus, contact with other people is your main concern. If you head to a traditional campground (think showers, toilets, and metal firepits) you’ll likely have neighbors. To steer clear of the crowds, see if dispersed camping, which is basically camping on national forest or national park land that's not part of an official campground, is allowed in your area. You won't have the amenities, but you also won't have to deal with hoards of people. "The more remote the camping experience, the better," said Rasmussen.
"Dispersed camping puts you alone with the wilderness," said Cunningham. "When you are dispersed camping, you need to be more self-sufficient. You better plan on purifying your water, bring your own fuel, pack out ALL of your waste, and leave no trace."
13. Regardless, make sure you have the tools needed to leave no trace.
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Because of the coronavirus, some campgrounds have removed or locked up their dumpsters and bathrooms. And if you opt for dispersed camping, the amenities will likely be null.
Do your research before you go and keep in mind you might need to carry out your trash (note to self: add trash bags to packing list), pack your own water or bring a water filtration system, and go to the bathroom in the great outdoors. As you’d imagine, for the latter there are plenty of rules — but chances are you'll need TP and a trowel.
14. Keep yourself entertained but steer clear of crowds and save that epic cliff drop for next year.
A game of UNO or Spoons isn’t going to cut it in coronavirus times, but if you’re careful, a round of Cornhole or Horseshoes is doable. Just make sure the person you team up with is in your household so you don’t have to worry about using the same set of beanbags or horseshoes.
Away from the campground, it doesn't get much better than hiking, paddleboarding, fishing, and mountain biking, which are all socially distant by nature. Just make sure you avoid crowded trails and play it safe. If something happens and you end up needing help in a remote area, you’ll be putting search and rescue or local first responders at risk.
15. Pack a small first aid kit with some basic supplies, so you're prepared to deal with minor injuries on your own.
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If you have a serious injury, call 911 or head to the hospital. But for minor things, antiseptic, gauze, and ibuprofen can do wonders (and will salvage the rest of your camping trip).
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