Looking to overcome your fear of camping without forcing yourself into a solo camping adventure?
Do you want to do it the easiest way possible?
Then I have some good news for you.
Below I have outlined a step-by-step plan to help you reach this level of expertise.
Eventually you will be able to camp anywhere and everywhere, with whoever you want without ever being scared of every little bump in the night.
Step 1: Go car camping
Car camping is the very first camping trip I went on and I would say it has contributed to my fearlessness of the outdoors to this day.
Yes, I was totally scared of camping, but having the car there gave me a great deal of security that I didn’t know I would get.
At the back of my mind I knew that I could jump in the car and go to sleep at anytime when I couldn’t handle the fear anymore.
And this is what I recommend for you to try as well.
Remember, calming your nerves and anxiety is the first step to overcoming this fear.
Step 2: Camp in a public site
Listen, take your car and camp in a public site.
You will feel much safer than being in the wilderness, which in turn calms your nerves even more.
Having other people camp nearby means you have someone to come to your aid when you need help, and of course your mind will realize (subconsciously) that other people are doing it too, so it can’t be all that scary after all.
Step 3: Camp with friends
This may or may not be possible depending on if you have friends that are ACTUALLY interested in camping in the first place.
If you don’t have friends that enjoy camping like you do, you need to find new friends.
Having friends with the same hobbies as you makes life much more simple and fun, and as a result you will be happier.
Step 4: Play music
Camping with music playing in your ear is a great way to calm your nerves.
If that still makes you anxious, opt for a speaker instead.
The idea is to stop you thinking about your fears while you’re out in the woods, because the more you camp the easier it gets over time.
The first few nights are the hardest. It’s a piece of cake after that!
Step 5: Be active during the day
Trust me, after a long day of hiking and biking you will be too exhausted to be scared of anything when nighttime hits.
I make all my friends that I introduce to camping go for a long hike, so when we climb in our sleeping bags at the end of the night we doze off almost instantly, then sleep like a baby the rest of the night.
My Final Words
These are the easiest and most efficient ways to overcome your fear of camping, hands down.
They are the basics and the most popular, meaning it isn’t all that scary after all especially if every man and his dog, wife and kids are doing it.
So when you can complete these steps over and over again without struggling and ever being afraid of the outdoors anymore, you can move on to the more advanced stuff.
They are car camping in the wilderness, backpacking with friends, and solo camping.
However, don’t get too far ahead of yourself because you may bite off more than you can chew.
Ease yourself into the outdoors first.
Basically, walk before you sprint, even if it means camping in your backyard first.
What makes you scared of camping? Lets get a discussion going so we can help each other out! Us campers have to stick together 😀
Thank you for this great article 🙂 You shared very useful tips.
I love camping with friends, although with time, most of my friends prefer going to luxury hotels or cruises on the Mediterranean…
Flights tickets got so cheap, that the people who love camping, take a flight and camp in other countries 🙂 lol
Great reading! Thank you for sharing
Lol that is certainly interesting about the cheap flights. I enjoy hotels and things like that, however, none of that can give me the happiness, freedom and memories that camping in the wild provides.
WOW Brandon, nice advice here that you are giving about overcoming the fear of camping! I can feel your love for outdoor camping. I like the idea of listening to music. Do you suggest listening to music with earphone or speaker? I would think with earphone can bite a little dangerous because you won’t be able to ear if something happen around your campsite. Just a thought.
Well, it’s entirely personal preference. Some might enjoy earphones and others might enjoy the speaker more. Just try both and see what one you like.
Personally, I’m more of a speaker kind of guy.
These are really some great advice for those who have a fear of the outdoors and of camping in particular. I think most fear is just in our minds and there is really no solid evidence for us to be afraid of many things. People conjure up all sorts of sordid details that are just not true. They think the worst of many situations. But from personal experience, camping is really lots of fun. I think being in a group of friends (people that you trust) can really make a big difference. There is strength in numbers. And I totally agree with your point on being too exhausted to be scared. When your day is filled with lots of activities and you are totally tired at night you really do not have any time to let your imagination run wild.
Thanks for this great post Brandon.
All the best
Kevon
Thank you for the comment, Kevon. You bring up a huge point. Most of the fear is indeed in our minds. When you overcome that, it’s easy to do it over and over again. Then you can camp at the peak of a mountain by YOURSELF. Well that’s a goal people can strive for anyway.
And yes, camping in numbers is probably the most powerful defense you can have, as long as you can trust them of course. They are the first line of defense. It’s not easy to bring down a group of strong people that all care for each other.
I have to say this site is extremely well thought out and an awesome resource not only for those who have a fear of camping but just the resources and reviews alone. Although I have not personally camped for many years now, after reading through I now know why I was never apprehensive of camping in the first place. I always camped in public campgrounds, always went with a large group of friends (often 15-20 of us), we always had our cars nearby (the big advantage of public campgrounds), we always had music playing, and we had a cluster of 4-5 sites right around each other so we were always surrounded not only by other people but by people we knew and trusted.
Although the information is well laid out, I just wish (and I know this would be a ton of work) but that there was a campsite review section, just thinking out loud here.
Great site and an awesome resource for the newbie and the experienced camper alike. Thanks for sharing.
Wow, thank you so much for the kind words and letting us know how you use to enjoy your camping trips. It really means a lot.
Well that would indeed be a ton of work, however, I’m all for making my site more resourceful and helpful for all campers, so you never know 🙂
Cheers.
Brandon, I never been camping before but maybe I will try it out now that you have laid out some tips, I hear that it can be very cool to camp and using some of your tips will make it that much better. Thanks for the info.
Camping is by far better than just being “cool”, Luis. The only way to TRULY find out how good it is is by trying it out for yourself. Good luck and thanks for the comment.
Great post man!! I love camping, but my wife doesn’t. I am going to share these ideas with her and see if we can ease her into having a fun and fulfilling experience. Personally, I love the “Camp with Friends” idea. I never go alone and think that the camping experience is best done together. Rock on man. Look forward to checking more of your page out.
Haha, well I have a great article for you Shawn. It’s called “10 Steps To Make Your Girlfriend Go Camping & Love It Forever“, and if you follow the step-by-step plan correctly I have no doubts you’ll be able to bring out her inner love for camping, eventually!
Camping can be done with a group, solo, with your dog or with family. However, each to their own.
Thanks for the comment. I’m looking forward to seeing you around here more 🙂