Welcome back Canna Campers!
Are you starting to get “the itch” to get outside? Well you’re not alone, so are we! In this Base Camp blog, we will be going over how to map out your camping season with tips to get you out of your bed and sleeping under the stars as soon as possible!
One of the most common questions we get around this time of the year is “Where can I camp now?”, well that tends to be a loaded question because in truth there is no real “camping season”, camping season begins when the conditions meet your requirements.
In other words, what can you tolerate and what kind of weather would make you miserable, to most people the thought of camping in snowy and cold conditions is less than ideal, but to others, there’s something special in crawling out of your tent to see a picturesque sunrise on a frigid morning.
If your answer was any condition even snow, you are in luck because there will not be much competition to find good spots! If you are the rest of the population, finding great spots won’t be so easy but no worries! We will get you started on the right path, just keep reading!
Weather
The very first thing to research is the national weather. Depending on how much time and resources you have available, you may think of starting your next adventure in a different state with a warmer climate. We often start looking for warmer overnight lows in the surrounding states that are within a drive that fits our time constraints.
If going out of state is not a feasible option you may have to look into renting a cabin or a yurt, which will give you the healing solitude of the outdoors without having to brave the elements 24 hours a day.
Photo Credit: Wunderground.com
Depending on how far away you are planning your first trip consider historical weather for the area you plan to camp in. Historical weather gives you an idea, but each year can be wildly different so make sure to research and plan accordingly.
Check Regulations & Closures
The next thing you should always do is check if the area you want to camp in is open for camping yet and check for Fire Bans and restrictions, often roads are still closed or even still covered in snow or water which doesn’t allow passage until later in the season, running into a portion of washed out road on narrow trail is not fun and neither is driving hours to realize you cannot make it to the campsite due to the road being closed! So be sure to research before you leave!Photo credit: Cpw.com
Plan a few possible sites
Ok so we know the weather will be adequate, no road closures, no fire restrictions, we’re ready to go right? Well you can just “wing it”, but we find it much easier to at least get some coordinates for a few sites you would like to check out BEFORE you leave, there is no guarantee of cell service so we suggest finding coordinates and downloading maps before you leave.
The easiest way to start finding great campsites is through a map program like Google Maps, we often start on Google Maps and then use other off-road map apps to see other information on the area. 
Public ownership land maps and topographical maps are great to use as well, find an area that looks interesting on Google Maps and then use the ownership maps to see if it is public land, if that checks out you can use a topography map to see what type of terrain you will be dealing with. Using some of these free tools will give you a head start to finding a site so you can spend more time outside enjoying nature
Call ahead
Often forgotten, no one seems to think about calling the local parks office or ranger station in the areas you’re intending to visit, these are the people who know the areas that you want to visit more than any website or map, even a local business, call the local gas station or grocery store, don’t take too much of their time but ask a quick question like “Hey weird question but when does the weather warm up for camping in the area” you may even end up with a few new spots to check.
Planning out your season ahead of time leaves more time for exploring and unwinding in nature and less time stressed, trying to find an area to destress! So that wraps it up, if you have any questions be sure to reach out to cannacampsupply@gmail.com or on Twitter (X) @cannaacampsupply, and be sure to check back for another Base Camp blog!
