Tent Camping Setup Ideas: How to Lay Out Your Campsite and Your Tent

Walk the site and spot the hazards

The National Park Service says to “walk the boundaries of your campsite to identify the best locations for your tent, cooking station, and eating station.” It also says to “be aware of potential hazards like flash flooding, lightning, wind and dead trees/branches around your campsite” and, “Look up; if you see dead branches overhead, you should not camp under them.” NPS also says to find out before you go: “Are campfires allowed, and where?” Follow any fire restrictions posted for the park or campground, and local regulations on where you may camp; Leave No Trace adds that “Good campsites are found, not made.”

Choose durable ground about 200 feet from water

Leave No Trace says to protect riparian areas “by camping at least 200 feet from lakes and streams”, and calls “camping 200 feet (70 to 80 adult steps) from water” a good rule of thumb, always subject to local regulations. Where a campground has marked sites, use them. Where it does not, Leave No Trace lists “established trails, campsites, rock, gravel, and dry grasses or snow” as durable surfaces and says to “Keep campsites small.”

Pick the tent spot and clear it

The NPS calls level ground that is not a low place ideal, “a safe distance from your fire ring and cooking area”, because “Sparks from your fire could melt holes in your tent (or ignite it altogether).” Remove “sticks, rocks, pinecones, or other debris” before the ground cloth goes down, and avoid low spots, which NPS says “can become extremely wet when it rains.” NPS also says to orient the tent “so that your head will be on the uphill side while you are sleeping.”

Lay out three zones

Place the tent, the cooking station and the eating station apart, with the walking routes between them clear of stakes and lines; NPS warns that those lines “could become tripping hazards” near a high-traffic area. In bear country, NPS says to “Keep 200 feet between a cooking space and sleeping space” and to “Always store food at least 200 feet from your sleeping space.” Check park rules for storage, because “many parks require a bear box or bag.” The first diagram below the steps shows the layout. Rules vary by park and campground, so follow the posted food-storage rules.

Set up the sleeping zone along the far edge

Beyond The Tent, a camping blog, suggests putting your sleeping space “as close to the edge of the tent as possible”, starting with the edge furthest from the door, to leave open floor for changing and moving around. For two sleepers it suggests laying bags “toe to head instead of lining them up next to each other”, so a night-time exit does not mean stepping over a tentmate. NEMO, a sleeping-gear maker, says to orient the tent “so you have the best exit path” for night trips. Inflate pads to taste; NEMO says to “leave a bit of cushion, or a lot of cushion, depending on your preference.” In a small backpacking tent the pads fill the floor, so use the vestibule for shoes and gear and skip the bin. For air mattress options, see our roundup of air mattresses for camping.

Give your night essentials a fixed home

NEMO recommends setting “things that you might need in the middle of the night” in predictable spots, with glasses, a headlamp and a water bottle as its examples. Hang small items from the tent’s gear loops, since Beyond The Tent notes that “Many tents have loops inside that can be used to hang things.”

Stage shoes and wet gear at the door

NEMO says to stage shoes or sandals “in your tent vestibule in foot position and ready to do their job”, after you “Check your vestibule area to make sure your gear in the vestibule will be safe from pooling water.” Beyond The Tent keeps “a large, shallow bin right inside the entrance of your tent to keep shoes wrangled and dirt contained.” Gossamer Gear, a shelter maker, advises you to “Remove wet clothes, shoes, or other gear from your tent at night.”

Add light you can control

Beyond The Tent describes headlamps as “great for focused lighting” and suggests a lantern or solar string lights for the room. The CPSC and CDC warnings in step 10 are about fuel-burning lanterns, so battery or solar lights are the ones to bring into the tent. NEMO also advises you to “Be vigilant with your tent zipper, especially at night with a light on in your tent.”

Keep food, trash and scented items out of the tent

Beyond The Tent says to “keep the food out of your tent for your safety”, and to hang the trash bag overnight “to keep unwanted guests away.” In bear country, NPS’s food-storage page says to “Secure your food, garbage, and other scented items immediately upon arriving at your campsite” and to “Treat food wrappers and other garbage the same as food”, so trash goes into the bear box, canister or bag with the food, not onto a hook by the tent. NPS also says: “Do not sleep in clothes used during cooking.” NEMO suggests a set of clean clothes reserved for sleeping, which also helps here.

Keep heat, stoves and fire out of the tent

The CPSC says “Never use fuel-burning portable heaters or lanterns while sleeping in enclosed areas such as tents, campers and vehicles”, and warns that “People die every year from carbon monoxide poisoning from the use of portable camping heaters, lanterns, or stoves inside tents, campers, and vehicles.” A CDC report on two fatal Georgia incidents says “fuel-burning equipment such as camping stoves, camping heaters, lanterns, and charcoal grills should never be used inside a tent, camper, or other enclosed shelter” and that “Opening tent flaps, doors, or windows is insufficient to prevent build-up of CO concentrations from these devices.” The CPSC adds that this is “especially important at high altitudes, where the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning is increased.” It lists the symptoms: “headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, sleepiness, and confusion.” Then: “See a doctor if you or a member of your family develops cold or flu-like symptoms while camping. Carbon monoxide poisoning, which can easily be mistaken for a cold or flu, is often detected too late.” The CDC report adds: “Rather than relying on fuel-burning appliances to supply heat, campers should leave home with adequate bedding and clothing and should consume extra calories and fluids during the outing to prevent hypothermia.”

Do a dusk walk-through

Before dark, walk the routes from the tent to the toilet, water and kitchen once, and check that food is stored and the headlamp is in its spot. NPS advises that if you have to leave camp after dark you “stay in areas you have seen in daylight”, go with a companion and use a headlamp.