Apr 23 2009
Camping Rankings To Make Your Next Camping Trip Easier
The following guide will provide a brief overview of the top ten Internet resources where you’ll find everything you need in a very small space. These not are all shopping sites - in fact, most of them are valuable informational portals with camping, hiking and other information related to life outdoors. Bookmark this page and use it as your starting point each time you are ready to start planning for your next camping trip. I keep this list updated every month.
#1: National Park Service
An obvious top contender for camping information is the National Park Service . In my opinion, the most valuable camping resource on the Internet is the National Park’s "Find a Park" service. This graphical interface allows visitors to click on any state in the U.S. and pull up detailed listings of all of the National Parks within any state.
Each individual state page lists every National Park - quite possibly a few that you never even realized existed. You can drill down to an individual park (and in many cases a trail), and read a brief description, directions, hours, fees and even useful maps.
You could easily use this one resource to plan your entire camping or hiking trip and you’d be set.
#2: Altrec is a Camper’s Paradise
I didn’t want to focus too much on the outfitters, but I have to mention Altrec Outdoors if only because I’m obsessed with their electronic camping gear. I’m a GPS fanatic, and Altrec carries the top brands and models at the lowest prices I’ve found anywhere.
It also helps that they carry every piece of camping and hiking gear imaginable. Every year, before our family camping trips start, I spend at least three hours every day in the 80% off outlet section - it’s a camper’s paradise. That’s where my tax refund check goes every year!
#3: TheBackPacker For Camping Gear Rankings
If you’re a camping gear fanatic like me, then you’ll love TheBackPacker.com . Whether you’re hunting for the smallest and lightest cook stove, or the most convenient and flavorful freeze dried meals, this is the place to check whether or not the product is any good. Of course, these camping rankings are only the start. At this site you’ll find backpacking info, trail reviews (I can never get enough of trail reviews), and a section where visitors can upload their own pictures. There are some pretty cool pics in there.
You’ll also find articles, and a pretty cool forum called "Trail Talk," where you can hook up with other camping enthusiasts and talk about gear, trails, or anything else.
#4: DayHiker For The Extreme Day Hiker
One of the best websites for hiking enthusiast information and tips is easily DayHiker.com . DayHiker started in 1999, and since then has become the "go-to" point for all day hikers. This site puts the "extreme" in extreme day hiking - visitors can post their own day hiking experiences in the forum.
You can read examples of extreme day hikes, hiking tips, and the spectacular photos of day hikes come from around the world. A few of these forced me to make a pact with myself that I’d go hiking in the Tetons some day.
#5: GORP is A Way Of Life
GORP is just one of those websites that I can’t get enough of. The volume of information that you’ll find here is unsurpassed online, and includes destination guides, activity guides, and national park information. There’s also campground info, camping rankings, gear info - heck, there are even city guides! The "Gear Guy" answers daily questions and offers gear suggestions, and you can read about the "park of the week."
By far, my favorite area is the "activity" section where you can read through hiking and camping guides that cover just about any camping or hiking issue you could imagine. This is where I spend my lunch break every day.
Need More Camping Rankings?
All of the resources above are those that I suggest because I use them, and I’ve also based these reviews on search rankings and popularity. These are the best of the best for outdoor enthusiasts. I also have a few more gems from my favorites list, and those include the following.
- American Hiking Society (http://www.americanhiking.org/aboutUs.aspx) - Support the protection of natural trails and the promotion of hiking.
- GreatOutdoors (http://www.greatoutdoors.com) - By far one of the best camping and hiking blogs I’ve found (other than this one, of course!)
- Trails.com (http://www.trails.com/) - This is an unsurpassed resource for tracking down and learning about trails.
- Go Camping America (http://www.gocampingamerica.com/) - This is a great resource for park reviews, and focuses a fair amount on "RV style" camping.
- Camping.com (http://www.camping.com/) - It lives up to its name, with categories like camping furniture, water sports and even dog supplies.
One of the most important things you can do before any hiking or camping trip, whether it’s individual or as a family, is to properly plan out where you’re going to hike, activities to do in the area, and the best trails to check out for a scenic hike. Having good resources is critical, and the list of websites above should serve you well for years to come.
Don’t forget to share your own opinions and input in the comments section below!
