Get the Bigger Tent: Five Covid Camping Lessons
I once said I wanted our family to be a “camping family.”
I had a vision of the four of us — and the dog — grabbing our tent and sleeping bags, not much more, and heading out on a whim. Sitting by the campfire, hiking, swimming, the whole deal.
But we never did it, until last summer.
With Covid-19 shutting everything down, including our planned vacation, we hit some serious cabin fever in early July. We wanted to get out, but also socially distance from others. Camping seemed to be the answer. So with fewer than 24 hours to plan, I reserved a campsite at a Michigan state park, and off we went. We camped for two nights, and it could not have gone better. Our kids, who previously had only “camped” in the backyard, were enamored. Our dog was a champ. And we learned a lot. For instance, a four-person tent doesn’t really fit four people, and a butane camping stove is a wonderful thing. Coffee, eggs and bacon never tasted so good.
After two more trips in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, we learned a few lessons. Go with the bigger tent, know your budget, and weather the storm, literally.
1. Go with the bigger tent.
We learned quickly that a four-person tent doesn’t fit four people, at least not with air mattresses and a dog. Standing up to change clothes and move around was a luxury we didn’t know we needed. Two days and nights in the four-person tent sent us shopping for larger accommodations.
Keeping our budget in mind, we ended up with this. An 11-person tent gives us each enough room — including the dog — while also allowing us to stand. It even includes a “private” room that provides privacy for changing when others are also in the tent. Would this tent work for 11 people? Absolutely not. But it works great for four.
2. Know your budget…and stick to it!
Part of the attraction to camping — beyond the ability to social distance in the midst of a pandemic — is the low cost. Like many, I’m not working consistently right now, which definitely impacts our spending. Camping is a way to travel without spending a ton. This definitely informed our purchases, where we would stay and what we would do once there.
Knowing your budget and sticking to it, however, can be two different challenges. No matter how much I love the mission of stores and brands that promote the outdoors and gear to match, their prices are just not compatible with our budget. This has taken time, humility and common sense to accept. While we’ve scored some deals at times, these brands are more inspiration than reality. It’s easy — by design — to get pulled in by a slick marketing scheme, beautiful Instagram pics and the notion that these brands really do seem sincere in their push to push us outside. I am constantly pulling myself back to reality. And reality says, mind the budget! This led to a great tent purchase, a hand-me-down butane stove and a borrowed heater.
3. Coffee, coffee, coffee.
Maybe this should be №1 on the list! I’m not just a coffee lover. I need coffee. Without enough of it in my system by a certain point every morning, a migraine is sure to come on, and the longer it lasts, nausea and yes, throwing up are sure to follow. With this in mind, we knew better than to neglect these supplies when packing. My husband even bought a percolator, promising fresh coffee that also tasted good. And it worked really well, until the last day of our second trip.
For whatever reason, it was one of those mornings. Things fell over in the fire, the wood just wasn’t burning as well, packing up seemed to take longer, the kids seemed to bicker more. And with each passing minute, my head hurt more. We finally gave up on making coffee, promising ourselves that we’d stop on the road as soon as possible. This is where camping “out there” presents a challenge. The nearest coffee shop or even gas station selling coffee was just too far. Even after we managed to get coffee, it was too late to help. Needless to say, a sweatshirt was destroyed and a stranger likely traumatized as she (oddly) watched me empty my stomach in the front seat of our car. We will never neglect coffee again.
4. Stay flexible. Be patient.
It’s easy to see perfectly curated photos online and imagine your trip might match. It won’t, as that stranger watching me puke can attest. And not because you failed, but because those photos don’t represent reality. The sooner we (ok, I) dropped unreasonable expectations, our trips were more likely to succeed.
My mantra — repeated to myself and our kids — was “stay flexible and be patient.” I definitely repeated this on that terrible coffee morning, but I had plenty of other opportunities, as well.
For example, weather is out of our control, and it certainly could make or break a camping trip. On our first trip, we lucked out with fantastic conditions, just some heat and high humidity at night. But luck runs out. Our second and third trips featured heavy storms that tested our new tent (it did great) and our patience. We realized that we should have packed some board games. We learned that while isolated campgrounds are great for social distancing, they’re not so great for finding food in a giant storm. But as a result, we learned gas station pizza isn’t that bad in a pinch.
We reached the outlook of Lake of the Clouds in less than ideal conditions, but watching a storm roll in was amazing (and made for great pictures, too). We learned that tree canopies can provide shelter from light rain and kept on moving. We also compared a calm Lake Superior to its stormy alter ego.
When construction in one campground seemed to be an added (and unmentioned) amenity, we made sure to keep ourselves busy elsewhere. Spontaneous stops, added detours and “making do” was the name of the game. And it added to our trip rather than taking away from a specific plan we may have had.
5. Listen to the experts.
Prior to our trip to the Porcupine Mountains, we’d read that the rangers there were experiencing a huge increase in rescues. This was due to “covid campers,” venturing out for the first time without doing their homework. So we printed out hiking maps, read up on the area and reiterated that when in doubt, we’d consult with those who know better. This is common sense that apparently isn’t always so common.
Our big “paid” outing over the course of all three trips was kayaking. On our second trip, paddling Lake Superior was an option in the area, as well as the Au Train River. With two kids and a dog along, the calmer river seemed the way to go. This was confirmed by the knowledgeable staff at Da Yak Shak, where we rented equipment. They also dropped us off at our starting point. On that day, we were told Lake Superior wasn’t even an option, even if we wanted it. Weather conditions didn’t allow for it. I was grateful for the definitive guidance, leaving the decision to the experts rather than us, the novices.
With all this in mind, we’re already planning for next year! Here are a few sites we definitely want to visit again.
Lake Superior, all of it.
As a Chicago-area native, Lake Michigan has always been my happy place. A few years spent living on the Gulf Coast of Florida only served to confirm my faith in No Salt, No Sharks. While I can’t bring myself to say that Lake Superior bests Lake Michigan (yet), it certainly brought added heft to my love for the Great Lakes.
We caught a brief glimpse of the lake on our first camping trip, but driving alongside the shoreline on this second trip really brought its beauty into focus. Our first day gave us a calm, inviting lake. A rainstorm that night and into the following day, however, showed us the power of Lake Superior.
A stop at the Big Bay Lighthouse gave us a chance to walk along the cliffs of Lake Superior, taking in some huge waves and, as I’ll keep repeating, the sheer beauty of the lake, even through the wind and light rain. This lighthouse-turned-bed and breakfast is on the National Register of Historic Places, and while the private area is fenced-off, there is an easily accessible parking area and those not staying can still hike the area.
Presque Isle
After a stormy day limited our activities, we made up for it the next day, and spent some time at Presque Isle before heading to our next campground. Presque Isle promised beautiful views, hiking and the opportunity to jump off a cliff into Lake Superior. It didn’t disappoint, even with the remnants of the storm from the previous day. The black rocks are easy to navigate and the views are phenomenal at every turn.
Bond Falls was another detour we didn’t entirely plan on seeing. I’m glad we stopped. The falls are breathtaking and the boardwalk with multiple viewing areas makes it very accessible. The hiking was also fantastic, offering many different views and terrain. This one will be a repeat visit for us.
