7 Ways To Have An Amazing Camping Experience In The Rain

 

Camping is an opportunity to unplug from our devices, take a break from our busy, uncertain lives, and experience mindfulness in nature. 

While rain may put a damper (pun intended) on some of our more ambitious camping activities like hiking and exploring the forest, it offers a different kind of opportunity — a chance to reconnect, without distraction, with ourselves, our loved ones, and with the wild world that surrounds us. 

Here are seven activities that will help you make the most of your rainy-day camping trip: 

1. Reconnect with your creative side.

Bring colouring books and pencil crayons and let your inner child run free. You can use recyclable materials from your campsite, like pine cones, leaves, or sticks to invent new games and make dolls, dioramas, and other toys. You can also write messages on rocks and hide them around camp for others to find later!

2. Play games.

Classic card games like Uno, cribbage, and gin rummy never get old. And there are plenty of new games that are fun for the whole family (not to mention easy to pack), including Sushi Go, Exploding Kittens, and Unstable Unicorns. (Check out our other tips for camping with kids.) 

3. Catch up on your reading.

Binge the latest thriller or beach read, or try one of these award-winning nature-themed books: 

Greenwood by Michael Christie: This multi-generational family saga is structured like the rings in a tree trunk, with stories nested in stories about a tragic family and their connection to the forest on Greenwood Island, off the coast of BC. Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Coast Trail by Cheryl Strayed: This beloved memoir describes the author’s life-changing, transcendent solo hike from California to Washington state. 

The Overstory by Richard Powers: Similar to Greenwood, this sweeping novel about environmental activists and their attempts to save the old-growth forests of the Pacific Northwest is cleverly structured like a tree, with sections titled Roots, Trunk, Crown, and Seeds. 

H is for Hawk by Helen Mcdonald: This beautifully-written memoir details the author’s year raising a northern goshawk while she grieves her father’s death. 

The Call of the Wild by Jack London: This classic 1903 novella about a dog named Buck and his adventures during the Gold Rush is the perfect fireside read. Try reading this one out loud! 

4. Swim in the rain.

Be cautious! Only swim if it’s warm enough and there is absolutely no risk of lightning.

5. Smell the forest.

Take a deep breath and identify as many smells as possible. Do you smell wet moss, flowers exuding their heady floral scent, that earthy, after-the-rain smell known as petrichor? What else? 

6. See how the forest responds.

Watch for tiny creatures, insects, and birds that depend on the forest for food come out to play. See the colours brighten on the flowers, green leaves, and forest floor. Notice the rain drops cascading off upturned leaves and soaking into the roots beneath. 

7. Listen to the forest.

Hear the chorus of birds as they thank the forest for their food. Listen to the raindrops fall on the roof of your tent/RV/cabin and watch them slide down the walls. Find the musical patterns in the falling rain and imagine the forest is conducting a symphony just for you. 

Don’t let the rain stop you — book a private campsite today 

Camping in the rain is wonderful because it teaches us to let go of our expectations about how things are supposed to be — and instead focus on what really matters: being with those we love, whether it’s our friends, family, or dog, or just ourselves. 

The rain is a powerful reminder that the forest cannot be tamed or controlled, and that to truly experience nature in all her glory, we have to let go, give up control, and go along for the ride. 

Article by Campertunity, www.campertunity.com