Unexpected Camping Trip

We are going camping! We checked and double checked our calendars. In an almost unprecedented circumstance, we have two days in a row without plans. This time of year, that is quite rare, so we are packing up our gear, loading the dogs, and heading out into nature for a weekend just us two (well, four if you count the pups). 

Dogs loaded up and ready to go (from a winter trip 2024).

With just two days to prepare, here is what we are planning. 

Due to the last minute decision to go camping, we’re unlikely to find a spot in a campground that requires reservations. We have the equipment and experience to camp at a dispersed site, and honestly we prefer dispersed camping anyway, so that is what we will do.

Beautiful Dispersed Campsite among Aspens and Wildflowers.

We have a few areas we like to camp that are near each other, so we discussed the order we would most like to camp in each spot and will check them in that order on Friday until we find an open campsite. It is important to be flexible when finding a dispersed campsite because you never know how busy any one area will be. You should always camp in designated areas, so have a backup plan in case you can’t find an open campsite. 

Hunting for available Dispersed Campsites isn't the worst thing.... This is the view on our way to one of our favorite spots.

We decided we are going for a luxurious weekend of disconnecting from the hustle and bustle of everyday life as opposed to an adventure-filled, constantly moving two days. For us, that means we are bringing the big tent, oversized cots, and real pillows. Gasp! I recently brought a real pillow camping for the first time since I was a child. It was game changing. Since this weekend is all about rest and relaxation, we will be bringing real pillows again. Looking at the forecast we are likely to get some rain Friday and Saturday, so having the big tent will give us dry space to hang out while it is wet outside. If the dogs do get wet, it also means we don’t have to endure wet-dog smell for the entire weekend like we would with our regular tent. 

The luxury of space in our "big tent".

With the plan of having no plans for the weekend, we will probably pack a few games with minimal pieces/setup and other easy activities. We will definitely be bringing our books too. Luckily right now, the area we are going camping has no fire bans, so we will be bringing firewood as well. 

This is my happy place - reading a book, drinking my tea, and eating pancakes at the fire in the backcountry. This is definitely on the agenda for this camping trip!

Dispersed campsites are hit or miss whether they have tables, so we will need to bring a table to cook on, and one to eat on (our camp tables are smaller because we like to have these areas separate. This could just be one slightly larger table if that is preferred) and chairs to hang out in. We will bring hammocks as well for lounging when it is nice out.

Camp Kitchen Setup.

Dispersed campsites never have toilets, so we will bring our trowel for digging cat holes, toilet paper, and hand sanitizer for when the need strikes. Water is only available in one of the sites we will check, so we will make sure to bring enough water for 3 days of camping as well. When you consider drinking water for 2 people and 2 dogs, washing up water to clean dishes and brush teeth, and water to drown any fires we may have, we’re planning to bring at least 10 gallons. This is probably more than we will need, but it is better to be safe than sorry when it comes to water. From there, the rest of our packing list will be similar to any camp trip. (Look out for a future blog with our typical packing lists!)

We like to use reusable water jugs so we can fill up the water we need and reuse the container on the next camping trip. This jug holds 5 gallons of water and has an easy to use spout.

If this seems like a lot to pack, it is! We have been collecting different gear to accommodate different kinds of trips for over a decade and we are very lucky to have had the opportunity to prioritize spending money in this way. If you only have one tent, use that! You don’t need specialty equipment for each kind of camping trip you take, just get outside! This trip is for us to disconnect and recharge, so we are bringing more equipment than we usually do. Again, we are lucky that we are able to do that. 

This is the gear we use for more of a bare-bones trip. This picture was taken in 2023 and we still have and use all of this gear. Use what you have!

If you are interested in trying out camping, shoot us an email. We would love to chat with you about what you want to get out of your time in the outdoors and how we can help you achieve that. Just know, we will be getting back to you on Monday when we return to civilization!  

We'll talk to you when we return to civilization!