Camping into the woods, lakesides or picturesque mountains, is always a good idea to refuel your tired soul. And travelling to the destination on your Camper Trailer just adds to the excitement of the journey. But are you aware that there are certain rules and etiquette to be followed when you are at the camping area?

From the parking rules to noise levels, lighting to facility usage, certain behaviour is expected of you for a comfortable stay for one and all. In case you are a first-time RVer, these pieces of instructions are even more essential for your memorable stay. But you don’t need to juggle through multiple sites to find these, as to make it easier for you, I have mentioned a complete list of rules and etiquette for travelling on RVs.

So while travelling on RVs to distant campsites has always been a favourite of adventurous souls. Read through these camping site rules and discover how you can make your vacation spot on.

21 camping rules and etiquettes 

1. Read the rules of a camping site

First and foremost, when you are planning to camp, you must know all the rules and etiquettes of the respective camping site. Even if you have been to the same camping site for years, keep a check on the rules, as they keep changing with time. Especially lookout for what you can pack along and whatnot. Also, are there any restrictions on certain age groups, pets, fire, etc? Plus, checkout for the services on offer, as that will help to pack light and avoid unnecessary baggage.

2. Avoid parking blues

One of the basic camping site rules is to park with diligence. Your RV must be parked close to your site, and not other camping neighbours. If you do, it’s plainly impolite. Also be cautious to not block the view, path, or parking space, irrespective of where you park. In any case, be polite and decent. It helps!

3. Respect the space of fellow campers

One major erring behaviour that I have personally noticed is people walking through the camping space of other campers. Everyone has reserved their camping space, though temporarily. And fellow campers must be conscious to not breach each other’s domain. Moreover, you must also be careful to not park right next to other RVs. Park your RV at a respectable gap from others, so that you enjoy your privacy and the purpose of your camping trip. So keeping the distance is the key.

4. No noise, please!

People go camping to get a break from the city’s conundrums. But if the noise of loud music, chatters, and laughter, slamming RV doors, etc are louder than the chirps of the birds, or hustle of trees, the whole camping idea gets spoiled. Especially during the morning and night hours, not all have the same sleeping pattern. Some may sleep early, some late. So treat these hours with respect and keep the noise level to the lowest. My tip: more the calmness, the better you will be able to enjoy the charm of the star-studded night sky.

5. Don’t overspread

Some of the campers believe in luxury travel and camping. For this reason, they carry a huge stash of baggage and camping accessories to the campgroud. As a result, their camping space overflows with chairs, tables, tents, hammocks, and whatnot. If you are one such camper, please be respectful of the space of other neighbors. Pack light and as much as is required for a comfortable stay. RVers already have a good indoor space, so spread out only within the limits of your camping area.

6. Keep your camp area clean

One absolute unhygienic habit among most campers is to burn their garbage on the campfire when they leave. If not burning it, they’ll leave things littered around in the area. Either way, you’ll invite some hefty fines. Some of the campgrounds have a designated dumping area, which you can use. However, ideally, you must carry along a garbage bag, collect your litter and bring it back home for disposal. even better, if you can get an odor sealing trash bag.

7. Pets as camping partners? Be extra careful!

If you have a little pooch, kitten or another species from the animal kingdom be mindful of related campsite etiquettes. While there is not much harm in taking them along, be careful of the campsite rules, and whether they have a no pets policy. Anyhow, if pets are allowed, you must still be cautious of the fact that your lovely pet might be not so pleasing for neighbouring campers. It will be best to not let them wander around. Leash them, and also protect them from dangerous areas like a campfire, BBQ grill, etc.

8. Keep the kiddos calm

Kids are the master explorers, with inquisitive eyes and strong zeal to have fun. But these little humans can be a source of disturbance for your camping neighbours. It is upon the adults that their children are not noisy and cranky in the camping area. They must also not wander around, for their own safety and for the peace of mind of other campers. Let them have great memories, but minus the mess and noise.

9. Obey camp area speed limits

Camps are the hot ground for families who are seeking respite from the hard city life. Naturally, there might be kids and pets popping on the road out of nowhere, and thus, you must adhere to the designated speed limits. Most camping sites have the permissible speed limits of around five miles an hour. Check out for the signboards in the area for the speed rules. Whereas you are on a trip, a little safety on your part will do no harm to anyone.

10. Be a friendly neighbour

Camping is not all about exploring a side of nature. Meeting and greeting people is also a great one essential thing that you must do when camping out. Besides, you might find plenty in common with your neighbours. Besides, you can get loads of tips, if you chance upon a seasoned camper. If not, you’ll have someone to tag along and discover new ways. It will be full of fun anyways. Grumpy neighbours are a spoilsport, anyways!

11. Look for campfire rules

Campfires are the crux of all camping trips. However, make sure to check with the camp hosts, if there are certain rules to be followed when starting a campfire, or choosing a site for the same. Also, you must never leave a campfire unattended, especially at the day’s end. This will avert serious incidents wherein the campfire can spread out to become life-threatening. So you must douse the fire by sand or water until you are sure that the fire is completely off.

12. Be nature-friendly

You drive your RV for miles to reach a site that is close to nature. So it will be decent to be considerate for the natural setting of your camping site. It will be best to take a picture as soon as you reach there. And before departure, ensure that everything is in its place, be it stones, or logs, etc. In addition, you must bring along environment-friendly toiletries, and other items. Plus, make it a rule to not litter around.

13. Make sure to switch off the light at night

Not all campers are night owls! Even if you are a late nighter, you must switch off your lights when it’s the usual sleeping hours. Others may need rest, and your light might be hampering it due to their light sensitivity. In fact, there might be neighbours that are not sleeping but admiring the open night sky. Again your bright lights may be a hindrance for them. In case you find it hard to sleep without the lights on, carry timer lights, which will automatically switch off when not in need.

14. Don’t harm or feed wild animals

An important aspect of any camping site located in wild grounds is its wildlife. Therefore, when you are out there, you must show some respect to the original inhabitants. Don’t leave food outdoors and unattended to attract birds and animals. And while you must not disturb them when you are at the campsite, don’t leave behind any litter which might get the wild animals in trouble. One of the basic camping site rules is to leave your spot clean, just as it was when you came here.

15. Follow generator guidelines

Most camping parks come with electricity and water facilities. If not, people have to carry along generators which more than often are a source of irritating uproar. In fact, at one of my camping incursions, the neighbouring family brought in a noisy generator and then placed it at the rear of their RV, so that they’ll be saved from excess noise. However, it happened to be placed towards my camping site, and that particular camping trip became more of an eyesore. Thus, you must go for a noiseless generator, otherwise, if you do own a noisy variant, use it only when needed and be polite.

Buy firewood at the campsite

Though sounds unimportant, this is an important rule to be followed at the campsite. When campers carry along with firewood from their home, they usually carry deadwood. And when they burn it at the campsite, which is often away from their home, they leave behind some remnants of the wood. Now the deadwood might have brought along some insects, bacteria, etc. Which will in turn harm the natural species of the camping site.

16. Wash your dishes in the designated space

If your campsite has designated space for washing your clothes, that’s exactly space where it must be done. Don’t carry your dirty dishes or linen to the washrooms, or elsewhere and clutter the space for other users. This way you may leave behind waste food in the sink where people are supposed to brush or wash their hands. Or you’ll occupy the loo making people wait unnecessarily. Does it need a mention, that this is rude behaviour?

17. Clean up before departure

Needless to say, you must return your camping spot to its original shape. That is, litter free and super clean. Pack up your camping gear and place them in your RV. have a look around for any rubbish you might have left behind. Collect it in garbage bags and dispose them off properly. This is further important as there will be another family or group camping here after you leave. So the only thing that you must be leaving behind is a good impression of cleanliness. Be true to your responsibilities towards mother nature.

18. Mind the shower rules

One fellow camper once shared her experience of using a shower, when a lady brought-in her dog into the shower and left behind a collection of fur on the floor. This is just one of the many ways people misuse the campsite facilities, which become a nightmare for other users and of course the site owners. So without letting the manner scale drop down, keep up with the required etiquettes, especially if you are a first-time RVers. Also, be polite and patient while other users are using the facilities before you.

19. Curb alcohol intake

It is okay to unwind your stress on a vacation with a glass or two of alcoholic drinks. But considering that the camping sites are open to children and people of all age groups, it is absolutely rude to get drunk and create a ruckus. So while there are no restrictions on alcohol consumption, being responsible for one’s behaviour can make things easy for everyone around, including you. So drink within limits, and be as noiseless as possible.

20. Check out on your time

Since camping is mostly a seasonal task, these spaces are generally full to their capacity when the vacation starts. Subsequently, every space is booked for a group or person, one after the other. Thus you must vacate your spot as soon as your booking period ends. And make way for the next camper. Unnecessary delay can create a mess for the next camper. In addition, you might also have to pack in haste, which may make you leave some important stuff behind. Check out on time to avoid such hassles.

Conclusion:

Rules are meant to be followed not broken. They streamline the process and avoid any delays or disturbances in our daily lives. Similarly, if you follow the rules of a campsite apart from those mentioned above, you’ll have an amazing camping experience. Besides, this will also be a great prospect for the natural setting that prevails on the camping grounds. Plus you can go for Tow-Max trailer parts for an easy journey to and stay at your camping location. While they are cool on features, they are low on costs and maintenance requirements. On a parting note, I would like to hint at the philosophy of ‘live and let live’, and the rest will follow suite. Kudos!