Group Camping

This week we have an update to our Camping​ section focusing on group camping. 

As always, we love hearing feedback from readers so we can make this page as helpful as possible.

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This advice is based on our experience camping in groups organized by our good friends who have amazing organization experience.

• Plan for no more than about 6-8 families of about 4 people
• Have one person book a group campsite or multiple campsites that are close together
  • Use the campground maps on the reservation websites to find sites nearby (don’t assume consecutive numbers mean they’re close together!)
• Use a google sheet to like this one that our friends made to organize the planning 
  • Collect information on what gear people are bringing so everyone doesn’t need to bring 1 of everything (for example you don’t need 8 stoves, etc)
  • Keep track of what dietary restrictions everyone has
• Ideas for meal plans:
  • Consider not planning meals the night everyone arrives - people sometimes come late 
  • Divide up the cooking responsibilities so each family cooks once (everyone who doesn’t cook helps clean)
  • Include a make-your-own brown bag lunch station
• Clean up suggestions:
  • Set up dishwashing tubs (soap/rinse)
  • Use a mesh bag for hanging dishes dry
• Organization ideas:
  • If people bring identical items suggest people label stuff (or use climbing tape)
  • Have one central dining spot so kids can eat at one table and parents can make a circle of camp chairs or eat at another table while still supervising
  • Consider bringing a folding table for the “buffet”
• Suggested activities:
  • Plan a group activity, like hiking or playing in a river/lake
  • Bring stuff for campfire/smores
  • Glowsticks (they also come in handy for keeping track of kids in the dark)