Via Oregon - May/June 2021 - 41

LEFT: BEN HERNDON / TANDEM STOCK; RIGHT: AUSTIN TRIGG / TANDEM STOCK

wandered through our campground in the early morning hours
at Yellowstone National Park.
I'm not alone. The number
of people camping in the United
States topped 41.76 million in
2019, and it has only been increasing as people look for more opportunities to get outside and frolic
in nature. Car camping, including
vehicle-accessible tent camping,
constitutes a large portion: It
offers the convenience of heading
out into the wilderness without
having to carry everything you
need on your back. While that
sounds relatively straightforward,
there are ways to do it right.
The experts I've spoken to are
pros at everything from setting up
camp to creating the perfect culinary outpost outdoors. They will
help you take your car camping
excursions to the next level.
There's no one-size-fits-all
when it comes to vehicle-accessible
campgrounds. While one campground might be tiny and primitive, another can be spacious and

brimming with amenities. Which
is right for you? Here are some
things to consider.
GET YOUR PRIORITIES
STRAIGHT

" [Choosing a campground] is really
about how you're planning to spend
your days, " says Alexis Jones, a
supervising California State Park
peace officer. " If hiking is your goal,
then maybe look for campgrounds
with easy access to trailheads. "
Perhaps you'd like to spend afternoons visiting restaurants and
museums in a nearby town, or
would rather completely unplug
at a site that's much more remote.
There are campgrounds that cater
to each of these, says Jones.
If you're planning to bring
along your pooch, make sure that
your campground allows pets.
Safety should also be a consideration. " Some campgrounds aren't
designed for children and animals, "
notes Jones. For example, Wright's
Beach campground in California's

Sonoma Beach State Park sits on
the sand right next to the Pacific
Ocean. It's a breathtaking location,
but one that's also known for its
sneaker waves, enormous swells
that can appear without warning
(though these waves rarely reach
the campground). " You're better
off choosing another location,
such as Crystal Cove campground,
which offers beach access through
an underground tunnel, " Jones says.
KNOW YOUR OPTIONS

Once you decide on what your days
might look like, you can choose a
campground that best suits your
needs. Overnight rates vary but
typically run anywhere from free
to $35 a night depending on location and amenities, often more for
private sites. (And remember, this
doesn't include day-use rates for
national and state parks.)
Private campgrounds

Privately run campgrounds are the
priciest but also tend to have the

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