Find a Good Campsite
A good campsite can make the difference between a great trip or a bad experience, so there are a few things you need to check before booking a site. Make sure you are not very close to bodies of water—flash floods are possible and can occur without warning. A good rule of thumb is that the water is at least 200ft away from your site. If you’re tent camping, find a spot with a level tent pad; make sure it isn’t in a low-lying area that will attract pooling water or has a steep incline—the last thing you want is to wake up in the night to a wet tent or to struggle falling asleep because the blood is rushing to any one part of your body. Regardless of campground or backcountry camping, also make sure there are no large or dying trees nearby that could easily fall over or lose limbs; pine trees are especially notorious for dropping large branches on a windy day and getting hit by one could cause serious injury or worse.
If you are backcountry camping, make sure you are camping on public land where camping is permitted. Make sure you have any required permits for the area. And never camp on private land unless you have permission by the landowner.