What Do I Need When Camping For Just A Weekend?

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This is the big one.  The big bad mama jama.  The tsunami of all questions for us outdoor type folk.  What do I need to bring with me when camping for just a weekend?

I am leaving early tomorrow morning for a two day kayaking adventure on the Pine River in Manistee National Forest, and camping overnight.  The best part about our plan for this trip, is that we are able to set up camp as soon as we get there, and do not have to lug all of our gear with us in the kayaks on the river.  Planning ahead and contact with the campsite and transport is key in this situation.  I am very lucky to have been able to collaborate with Mark from Bosman’s Pine River Canoe Rental as well as Coolwater Campground.  I have plans to get everything in place as far as where we are staying between the two days of kayaking on the Pine, transport of our kayaks to the put in, the ability to pack up camp the second morning, driving to the take out spot, and transport back to the campsite to begin our day two paddle.

Mark has been absolutely amazing with his assistance and guidance in planning this paddling trip.  So, if you are planning on a Pine River trip, whether it be kayaking, canoeing, or rafting, I would definitely recommend Bosman’s Pine River Canoe Rental.  They offer both solo and tandem kayaks as well as four person and six person rafts, and also offer multiple different trip lengths.

I will definitely tell you all the story of our river adventures upon my return from the excursion this weekend.  Now that the day has come to get everything packed up in the truck and ready to go, I am going to share with you my camping packing list.  Now keep in mind that we are only going for two days, and don’t have to worry about lugging our gear with us in the kayaks, so this is basically just a weekend camping packing list.  And a one, and a two, and a one, two, three, four……go!

This packing list was put together by myself, as I did quite a bit of research on multiple different websites and blogs to put together my own list.  By no means is this going to fit everyone’s needs in all situations and is in no means all inclusive, but this is meant to give you something to go off of, instead of just flying by the seat of your pants.  You want to be prepared, but you don’t want to bring everything but the kitchen sink.  I mean, you could rent a large Uhaul and bring your whole house with you, but what would be the point of camping?  Am I right?  Isn’t camping supposed to be roughing it in the wild?  I’m not worried about if the campsite has a wifi hotspot, or where I can plug in my electric shaver, or if I can catch tomorrow night’s episode of Law and Order: SVU.

Other considerations would be to check the weather for the area you plan on camping, and pack accordingly.  Also, always bring clothes for colder weather than what is expected, as you never know what’s going to happen.  I have especially learned this living in Michigan, where we can get all four seasons in a 24 hour period.  Trust me, it has happened.

So, even if you plan on just going for a one night, weekend long camping trip, I definitely suggest putting together a packing list and make sure you are prepared.  Have a wonderful night everyone.  Enjoy your weekend, as I know I definitely will.

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