Pitching a tent and choosing a site

The spot is half the job

However well you pitch a tent, a bad spot means a miserable night. Look for flat ground first, and if it is not perfectly level, lie so your head is on the higher side. Rainwater collects in low places, so a spot slightly higher than its surroundings is better. If the ground shows marks of flowing water or sand and gravel washed downhill, it may become a channel when it rains. At a managed campground you choose within an assigned site, but even there one side drains well and the other collects puddles. Clear away stones, pine cones, and twigs before laying anything down.

Look up and around

A common mistake is to check the ground and never look up. Dead branches can fall in the wind, so avoid camping under them. A lone tall tree in an open area may offer nice shade, but it is dangerous in lightning. The base of a slope can catch falling rocks or sliding soil. Valleys and riversides are cool, but rain upstream can make the water rise quickly even if it is not raining where you are, so it is safer to stay back from the water's edge. Camp too close to toilets and sinks and you get noise and light; too far and night trips are a hassle, so pick a middle distance.

Wind and layout

First notice which way the wind is coming from. Pointing the narrow end or back of the tent into the wind reduces shaking, and keeping the door facing away from the wind keeps rain from blowing in. Put the fire pit or stove well away from the tent and downwind of it, so smoke and sparks do not blow toward the tent. If you can park beside the site, you can use the car as a windbreak. Leaving walkways between the tent, tarp, fire, and car cuts down on tripping over guy lines at night.

Pitching order

Designs vary, but most tents follow the order below. As a beginner, laying out the instructions and following them step by step ends up being fastest.

• Lay a footprint slightly smaller than the tent floor
• Spread the inner tent and lightly secure the four corners
• Insert the poles and raise the tent
• Put on the fly and line up the door
• Stake the corners and guy lines firmly
• Tension the guy lines until the fabric is taut

Stakes at an angle, lines taut

Rather than driving stakes straight down, angle them so the heads lean away from the tent; that way they resist being pulled out when the lines tighten. If the footprint is bigger than the tent floor, rain collects on it and runs under the tent, so fold it slightly smaller than the floor. In hard ground, tap stakes in a little at a time; in soft ground like sand or snow you need wide stakes or a buried anchor method. Slack guy lines let the fly touch the inner tent, which lets condensation soak through and makes the fabric flap in the wind, so walk around once after pitching and tighten them again.

Practice first, pitch in daylight

Pitch a new tent once at home or in a park where tents are allowed. You will find out whether parts are missing, where the poles go, and whether one person can do it. Plan to reach the campground at least an hour or two before sunset. Pitching after dark takes twice as long, and stakes and small parts get lost easily. If you are running late, get your headlamp out in advance and set up the tent and bedding first, before unpacking everything else.

Packing up and storage

Packing up is pitching in reverse, but the key is drying. A tent folded away wet from morning dew or condensation grows mold and smells within days and damages the waterproof coating. If you have time, dry it in the sun and wind before folding; if you had to pack it wet, spread it out at home within a day and dry it completely. Count the stakes as you collect them and keep muddy ones separate. Before leaving, take one more look around the site for trash, bits of cord, or stakes left behind. Sand in poles and zippers causes breakdowns, so give them a quick wipe.

Cautions

This guide covers pitching a tent at a campground or another permitted place. Planning a hike, descending, and what to do when lost are covered separately in the hiking safety guide. Nature parks, riverbanks, and beaches often ban camping or allow it only in designated areas, so check the managing authority's official guidance first. If heavy rain or a typhoon is forecast, or river levels are rising, consider changing plans before pitching at all. If the water seems to be rising during the night, move to higher ground first even if it means leaving your gear, and call your local emergency number in an emergency.