Advice for your first solo camping trip

Solo Camping for Women

If you’ve never camped solo before, the thought of it can be intimidating and maybe even frightening. Will I be safe? Will I be lonely? Will I be able to set everything up by myself? What if something goes wrong, will I be able to fix it? There are a lot of things that can cause anxiety about your first solo camping trip, but with a little preparation and small steps, you can break through those fears, build your confidence, and have a great time.

Planning Ahead for your First Solo Camping Trip

When I travel, I love to be spontaneous. I don’t like to plan too far in advance, because I never know when something is going to catch my interest and pull me in another direction. However, when I start to get anxious, having a good plan is the best way to quell the anxiety. When heading out for your first solo camping trip, I would suggest having an itinerary and a plan of where you’re going to stay each night—and better yet, reservations. There will still be plenty of opportunities to explore and find those delightful off-the-beaten path surprises, but knowing where you’re sleeping at night, especially now with so many people out there camping, will ensure that you have a successful first solo camping trip.

I recommend staying in a traditional campground where there will be other people around with cell phone signal. Campendium is a great site that not only rates campgrounds, but shows you what cell providers work and don’t work in that particular area.

Make Lists for Your First Solo Camping Trip

When heading out for your first solo camping trip, it’s good to have a checklist of all the things you think you’ll need. Water, pillow, backpack, hiking boots, socks (one trip I forgot socks!), meals, electronic devices and chargers, journal, books, chair, hammock, sunscreen, sleeping bag, pajamas, camping stove, flashlight, mugs, coffee, that meal you made and put in the freezer… you get the idea. I still make lists of everything I need to pack. It helps ensure that I don’t leave something important behind, like socks! (By the way, these are my favorite socks, in case you ever need a gift idea for me.)

Start small and stay close to home

Your first solo camping trip doesn’t have to be a big cross-country adventure. In fact, I recommend starting close to home, preferably at a place you are familiar with. Is there a campground you’ve already been to before? Maybe a local state park you’ve been hiking in, but never camped in? Staying one night is fine! Baby steps. Your first night you will learn a lot about yourself and the things you should have packed—or packed and didn’t need. You’ll inevitably forget something. You’ll figure out how safe you feel at night and what you like to do by yourself in the campground. Each trip will be different, but you’ll never forget your first.

My first solo trip was to a cool RV park on the Washington coast. When I got to my site and saw I needed to back into a tight spot between two other RVs, I kind of panicked. Squeaky is only 20 feet long and certainly not like backing in a trailer, but I wasn’t used to backing something so long and wide. I’ve gotten better with practice, but that first night, I asked my neighbor to help me. And that was one of the best things I ever did, because after I got situated and told them it was my very first camping trip by myself, they had all kinds of useful tips and advice for me. For example, I brought along a green garden hose for water. They let me know that I should really get one rated for drinking water.

That’s where I also figured out that Squeaky does not have a black and grey tank, but rather, just one waste tank. I’d watched videos about how to empty your tanks, but they all talked about dumping the black first and then the grey. When I went to dump, I looked and looked for the different valves and didn’t see them. I didn’t fell shy about asking my neighbor and that’s when they informed me that I had just one tank. Duh!

Practice all the things

Your first solo camping trip is a time to practice setting up and getting comfortable with your gear and equipment. If you’re a tent camper, be sure to set your tent up first in your backyard or living room. Make sure all the stakes and poles are included—yes, even in a new tent. When you get to your site, even if it’s not raining, put the rain fly up. Fire up the propane grill and dump your tanks, even if they’re not full

If you have a camper or trailer, take it to a parking lot and practice backing up before you head out. There’s lots of videos and tutorials to show you how to back up, but nothing beats getting out there and practicing. Or you can do what I did and ask a friend to give you backing up lessons. I learned a lot about using my mirrors and not relying on my back up camera.

Let someone know where you are

Even if you’re not going too far away and will be in cell phone range, let someone know where you are going to be, what time you expect to arrive at your site and when to expect you home. Send them a text when you arrive.

Also, while you’re probably excited to be heading out solo, be cautious about posting on social media exactly where you’re going to be. Yeah, unfortunately there are creeps out there who might try to take advantage of you.

Think about Your Safety

Hopefully nothing will go wrong, but if it does, it’s great to have a safety plan. Be sure to pack a first aid kit, a knife or multi-tool , flashlight and rain gear. Check the weather before you head out and invest in a roadside assistance plan. If you’re going to bear country, bring bear spray (can also be used against terrible humans.)

Will You Get Scared or Lonely on your First Solo Camping Trip?

You might get scared or even lonely on your first solo camping trip. That’s ok. It’s normal. You’re out of your comfort zone. If you’re not a tiny bit scared, then you’re probably not challenging yourself enough. Being along in the dark can bring up all kinds of fears. If you do get scared, ask yourself, am I really in danger here, or am I just in an unfamiliar setting? Is there really a bear sniffing around outside your tent, or are you just letting your imagination go wild?  Do some deep breathing, the 5-4-3-2-1 method or listen to relaxing music on your headphones. And there’s no shame, if you end up leaving your tent to sleep in the car!

Relax, Have Fun, Enjoy Yourself

Don’t forget the purpose of this trip is to get out in nature, explore and enjoy yourself. Bring along some things that will make the trip fun: binoculars for bird watching, an inflatable kayak, books, a hackey sack or wildflower guide. Breathe in the fresh air, listen to the wind in the trees take a hike, go for a swim or soak in a hot springs. The more you solo camp, the more comfortable you will be. You might even discover it’s your favorite way to go camping.

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