Okanagan Camping Safety Tips

Tips On Camping & Staying Safe
On Your Okanagan Vacation

A few camping safety tips....There is nothing we enjoy more than helping make someone's stay in the Okanagan Valley fun, comfortable and safe.

The Okanagan is so beautiful, and getting out and enjoying nature and the outdoors in this region is such a wonderful way to get away from stresses and the hectic pace of everyday life.

Whether you're roughing it in a tent, staying in private campgrounds & RV parks, or camping in the Okanagan BC Provincial Parks and Forest Service areas, there are many ways to ensure your experience is fun and safe.

And camping safety is especially important to us because we camp with kids, so we're pretty big on being aware of potential dangers, and practising basic outdoor safety is very much a part of our camping trips.

• Wildlife Most unpleasant encounters with dangerous wildlife can be avoided. Read about bears, cougars, snakes and other wildlife you may encounter in Okanagan, what to do, and how to stay safe in your home away from home.


• Hiking & Outdoor Safety Tips Okanagan wilderness safety, hiking safety, hug A tree. Whether you're out for a leisurely day hike through Provincial or Forest park trails or a multi-day trek through the backcountry areas, ensure your trip is a safe one.

Our best camping tips on camping in general:

Plan ahead - arrive at your campsite early, and have enough daylight to check over your entire site and to set-up camp.

Camping safety tips #2: Bring a first aid kit. And know how to treat a cut, bee sting or allergic reaction. Pack antiseptics for cuts and scrapes, tweezers, bug spray, a snake bite kit, insect repellent and pain relievers. Recognizing serious injuries will enable you to attend to a victim until medical help arrives.

Camping safety tips #3: Bring emergency survival supplies. If you are camping in BC Okanagan wilderness/backcountry, in addition to a first aid kit, an emergency wilderness survival kit should include a map, compass, GPS device, a flashlight, waterproof fire starter, knife, personal shelter, a thermal blanket, a whistle, warm clothing, high energy food, water, and insect protection.

Camping safety tips #4: Know the weather forecast, especially if in a backcountry campground. In inclement weather, find shelter until the worse passes. Stay dry - wet clothes contribute to heat loss. Keep sleeping bags and important gear, dry at all times. Check the current Okanagan BC weather forecast now.

Camping safety tips #5: Build campfires in a safe area. Check campgrounds RV parks and Provincial Park bulletins for current campfire bans, which are common during the summer.

Open fires and camp stoves should be far enough away from your tent or camper to prevent it from catching fire from a spark, flames or heat. After a camp fire is extinguished the embers remain dangerously hot for hours later.

Know how you will put out a campfire before you build it. Be aware of open campfire bans in the Okanagan. Never use a flame or any other heating device inside a tent. Never leave a campfire unattended.

Camping safety tips #6: Dispose of trash safely and properly. Most campgrounds RV parks and Provincial campsites have recycle and/or bear proof trash bins, and these should be used to prevent attracting bears. Habituated bears can be very dangerous, and ultimately end up being destroyed. If you're in the backcountry BC campsites, or Provincial Parks, never leave garbage or food out, nor bury it.

Just a few more tips for safe camping... :)

Be aware of poisonous plants. Familiarize yourself with any dangerous and poisonous plants, that are common to the area such as Poison Ivy, poisonous mushrooms and Datura and know what to do in an emergency.

Never hike alone, or wander away on your own; always hike with a friend or group. Tell someone of your plans. Be prepared. Camping safety tips and hiking safety go hand in hand.

Supervise your children. Instruct them to stay within your sight and don't allow them to wonder off. Give them each a whistle to wear around their neck to be used only in an emergency. Agree on a location to meet. Consider ID bracelets. Keep a picture of your children with you in case they get lost.

Be careful around water. Beaches in the Okanagan are NOT attended by lifeguards. Watch your step and don't take chances. Watch your children closely and consider life jackets for small children swimming. Everyone should know how to swim.

Closely supervise your pet around children, other visitors and other pets. Dogs should always be on a leash. Consider leaving pets at home if you plan to be in the backcountry or wilderness. Pets can easily attract and aggravate wildlife and cause an attack.

We wish you a wonderful Okanagan vacation and hope these camping safety tips are helpful to you.

Love The Okanagan? :-)