Planning for Camping and Road Travel in Uncertain Times

If you have been following stay-at-home or safer at home orders, you’re probably ready to bust out and get camping.  Yes, many places are open, and more are opening every week. But how can you stay safe and still get out to enjoy this gorgeous Colorado summer?  It is possible, but you do have a few more things to consider.

Try a Hyper-Local Adventure

You don’t have to travel to be able to sleep under the stars.  Consider an at-home camping weekend.  While it might not be full of new spaces and new adventures, it can still be fun.  PLUS, you know you’ll be safe if you are camping in your backyard. And you know that you will not run out of supplies since you could just pop back into the house if you forgot anything.  Try stringing up barn lights for ambiance, project a movie onto the side of your Colorado Teardrop.  We know you can’t survive on this type of camping all summer, but this might be an excellent safe way to scratch your camping itch.

Do Your Homework

Before you pack a single thing, do some homework, and get a plan together.  The days impromptu camping trips are gone (for now).  You’ll have to have a plan, find out what is open, ask about limitations and regulations, and prepare. You may have to make a reservation for a few weeks or months in advance.  And then before you head out, check again.  So many things are still changing and changing quickly, so double-check that the spot you picked is still open.

The pandemic also has camping sites and RV rentals reporting a spike in numbers as many summer travelers are leery of air travel and hotels.  This could mean a longer wait or more crowding.  It is worth your time on the front end to avoid any surprises this summer.

Apply Basic Camping Rules x2

It’s always crucial to camp safely, but it is even more critical now. Take extra steps with your campfire; keep your adventures on the safe side. While your camping trip might not have anything to do with COVID, it could have an impact on may have caused a strain on some local resources, and This is not a typical camping season if COVID is around. First Aid and support services could be feeling this strain due to the pandemic, so keep yourself and your campsite as safe as possible.  Think twice and then think again.

We’ve all heard “pack out what you pack in,” and this advice is ever sounder.  Don’t stop in a small town and buy supplies, buy from your local store and bring it with you.  Your bringing what you need could potentially save a small town from an outbreak.  It sounds crazy, but it’s true.  Keep the traffic – grocery stores, gas stations, rest stops – to a bare minimum to help curb the spread. Luckily, your Colorado Teardrop has tons of storage to make this easy on you.

Pandemic Rules May Still Apply

Many of us go camping to get away from it all. Great idea – maintaining (a least) the 6ft rule will still apply when camping.  If you’re booking a campsite, ask about how close the next campers will be.  Make sure you take plenty of water or hand sanitizer with you.  Effective handwashing – warm, soapy water for 20 seconds minimum – remains one of the best ways to slow the spread.  Also, some places may still require face masks while you’re at the property.

You can still go camping, but you’ll need to take a few extra precautions before heading out.  And the more self-sufficient you can while camping, the better. Camping has always been about getting away from the world’s troubles – and it still can be- but we have to take a few extra steps to make sure we keep everyone safe.