Adventure Begins When the Crowds Go Home

This post is the first installment in our series on fall camping. Check the complete list of topics covered in our table of contents.

Let’s get to it!  🙂

Comfort is poison

It’s warm inside. I get it… I get it all too well. These days I polish off two glasses of wine each night. I do so while watching some utterly forgettable TV. Sure, it’s comfortable, but too much of that’ll kill you.

If you’re anything like me, you’re itching to do something exciting. Sure, it’s already mid-November, but I’m opting for some more camping. I figure you should, too. Not sure where to begin? Start with this post. In it, I offer some suggestions to get you started.

Before I do, though, let me give you the garden-variety pitch on fall camping. You can probably find the same notes on any number of websites, but who am I to break with tradition?

When everyone goes home

First: crowded campgrounds. There aren’t any at this time of year (unless you’re in warmer parts of the United States). This change marks a considerable difference from the spring and summer—when securing campsite reservations is a bloodsport.

I don’t have to scour the web for campgrounds with openings, and I don’t need to look for canceled campsite reservations. (Yup—that right there was a shameless plug. Sorry, but I’ve got a family to feed.)

In the summer, a lot of campgrounds feel like parking lots in the forest. This changes in autumn. And those yahoos who’re only interested in listening to Skynyrd at 11 and a weekend piss-up? Gone.

Autumn camping is when you get nature (mostly) to yourself. That’s something to cherish—and I’m willing to bear some discomfort for that.

A respite from summer

Second up is the heat. I like some, but not too much. Some days last summer were way too much. I remember pulling over for a picnic lunch at the roadside last summer. I felt irresponsible in doing so. There was limited shade, and I felt like I was leaving myself to burn on the broil rack.

Then there’s the blanket of smoke we now witness every August. I don’t know about you, but these beige-grey skies and all the stale air leave me feeling claustrophobic. Late summer is no longer how it was when I grew up. It’s now precarious. We watch in disbelief as wildfires incinerate whole communities.

In the fall, the days become more temperate, and forest fires abate. As this happens, we can breathe a sigh of relief—even if it’s temporary. Those first fall rains and cool morning mists signal a rebirth. In our region (Vancouver, BC), rain resurrects the grass from its straw-like appearance, and foliage bounds with life.

Mild temperatures also make activities like hiking quite enjoyable. There’s less risk of sunburn, and it isn’t an unrelenting sweat-fest. Sure, it can get brisk after dark, but that makes a crackling campfire even more welcoming.

Open your eyes

Third is the beauty of it all. Leaves don’t just fade away. They put on an epic performance before they turn into mulch. This blaze of color is even more vibrant against autumn’s deep blue skies. Everyone’s talking about the possibility of the metaverse these days. I’ll opt for the autumn forest.

Sunrise and early morning mists can be equally magical. Maybe it’s my coastal home, but I find myself in awe of those light grey mornings when the sea air mixes with hints of freshly brewed coffee.

The stars in the evening sky are more brilliant when you can see your breath, but maybe that’s just my imagination. Oh, right, and the Northern Lights. Those too are pretty… wait for it… legendary.

A few bonus items

The above points say little of the reduced fees at some campgrounds, the wildlife watching opportunities, and the lack of mosquitos and no-see-ums.

Oh, and there’s some adventure, albeit the Rated G version. The brisk temperatures, relative isolation, and the possibility of something going awry? They help make camping feel a bit wild (as it should).

This Is What Sucks About Camping in the Fall is the next installment in our Fall Camping Guide.

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That image👆 way up top is of Blue Lakes, Colorado, and it was photographed by Colin Lloyd. Nice one, eh?

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