Camping season kicked into high gear Monday when all Army Corps of Engineers campgrounds at Beaver Lake opened for the season.
The corps offers limited camping at certain parks during winter and opens larger parks like Prairie Creek on April 1. Smaller parks, such as Rocky Branch, open later on May 1.
Campgrounds are open as well as state parks, Buffalo National River and some U.S. Forest Service recreation areas. Warmer weather and spring greenery gets people thinking about heading to their favorite campsites.
Over the years we've asked readers to send in camping tips to share here in NWA Outdoors. The list of tips is long, so today we'll offer a "Greatest Hits of Camping Tips" for first-time campers or campsite gurus:
If you've purchased a new tent, practice setting it up in the yard before heading to a campsite. Trying to pitch an unfamiliar tent in camp, especially in the rain, is a pain.
Keep a camp box or plastic tote packed and ready to go with the many small items needed for camping, such as flashlight, kitchen items, trash bags, two lighters (one to use, one to lose), those kinds of items. Replenish supplies after each camping trip.
Use a tent's ground cloth properly. Be sure the edges are tucked under the tent floor so the ground cloth doesn't channel rain water under the tent.
Put ice chests and trash in the car before going to bed. Critters can't bother them there.
Don't take a radio. Other campers don't want to hear your personal preference of amplified noise.
Camp during the week if possible. Campgrounds are most crowded on weekends.
Rinse plastic milk jugs, fill them three-fourths full of water and freeze them. Use these instead of bagged ice. The ice becomes ice-cold drinking water as it melts.
Soy milk keeps much longer than dairy milk. It can be used in any recipe.
If you think you'll need it, take it. Better to have an item and need it than need it and not have it.
Sleep with the same number of pillows when camping as you do at home.
Take board games, coloring books or (gasp!) video games to keep kids occupied when it rains.
Involve kids in camp chores such as gathering firewood or setting up a tent. Let older youngsters prepare some of the meals.
Before taking kids on their first camping trip, schedule a night or two sleeping in the back yard. This helps children gain confidence in the tent, sleeping bags and sleeping outdoors.
Don't schedule a strict regimen of activities for kids. They can amuse themselves for hours along a creek bank or lake shore.
When camping with kids, it's important to leave a campsite cleaner than when you arrived. When a child sees an adult picking up trash someone else has left, it teaches them a lasting lesson about taking care of the environment.
Flip Putthoff can be reached at [email protected]