Fall Camping Tips: How to Prepare and Stay Warm

This post is sponsored by REI

Just because it’s fall doesn’t mean camping season has to be over. In fact, camping in the fall can be gorgeous with bursting colors, fewer crowds, and nice campsites that would be impossible to score in the busy summer season.

Sure it may be cooler and the days shorter, but all it takes is a little extra prep work to make sure you’re ready for an epic fall camping trip under the stars. We’ve got you covered with these fall camping tips that will help you prepare and know what to pack so you can enjoy being outside without freezing your butt off.

Get out and enjoy the crisp fall air with these fall camping tips.

Fall Camping Weather Tips

Perhaps this is a given for any time of year, but checking the weather is especially important for a fall camping tip as the seasons begin to change. Hopefully, you’ll get clear sunny days, but knowing what to expect will help you pack accordingly.

Even if rain isn’t predicted, be sure to bring your tent’s rainfly and an extra tarp or footprint that fits under your tent. The weather can change rapidly in the fall and you just never know! In addition to weather protection, the rainfly also adds warmth by reducing cross breeze in your tent at night.

If the weather forecast calls for rain, bring a tarp and know how to set it up before you get to camp. This Kammock Kuhli Shelter will keep you dry at camp if it starts to rain. You’ll be thankful you have somewhere dry to relax other than being couped up in your tent.

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Fall Camping Apparel Tips

In fall, you can get huge swings in temperatures. It might be in the upper 60s during the day and down in the 30s at night. Nothing ruins a camping trip like freezing your buns off the whole time.

The key is to layer, layer, layer. Since you’re car camping and you can easily throw in a few additional items, it’s always better to pack a little extra warmth just in case. Depending on the forecast, this might mean:

Insulated Jacket

I don’t go anywhere without my Patagonia Down Sweater Hoodie.

Rain Jacket & Rain Pants

We love the REI Rainier Rain Jacket – it’s budget-friendly and comes in lots of great colors – and these REI Co-op Essential Rain Pants.

Warm Leggings or Long Johns

Basic leggings aren’t enough on fall evenings. You’ll want a pair of thicker leggings like these REI Active Pursuits Tights or a pair of base layer leggings that you can wear under a pair of heavier pants at camp, like the REI Trailsmith Pants.

Long Sleeve Base Layer

A warm, long sleeve top makes for a cozy base layer that you can build upon as needed and even sleep in.

Warm Mid Layer

For when it’s not quite cold enough for your insulated down jacket, a cozy fleece vest or jacket is a nice layer to have. This Patagonia Better Sweater Fleece Vest and Fleece Jacket are low impact, Fair Trade Certified, and made with recycled materials.

Warm Beanie

I tend to like extra cozy knitted ones like this one by Buff.

Gloves

Look for a thin, yet warm pair of gloves so you can keep your fingers toasty while still being able to use your hands. I like gloves with touch screen capability like these by Outdoor Research so I can use my phone and camera without taking them off.

Warm Socks for Sleeping

For car camping in fall, I always bring a pair of mountaineering socks. These stay in my tent and only go on my feet when I’m about to get in my sleeping bag.

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Staying Warm While You Sleep

Staying warm is essential for a good night’s sleep at camp, so we have a few fall camping tips for staying snug at night. Aside from having warm base layers and socks to sleep in, a warm sleeping bad and sleeping pad are essential.

First, every sleeping bag has a temperature rating, and it’s important you understand what that rating means.

For example, a 30-degree bag means that if it gets down to 30 degrees, you won’t die. It doesn’t mean you’ll be nice and toasty if it’s 30 degrees out. A 30-degree bag at 30 degrees is going to make for a very long and chilly night. I personally get cold very easily, so if I am going to camp in 30-degree weather, I would want something more like a 0 or 10-degree bag.

Before you leave on your fall camping trip, make sure to check your sleeping bag’s temperature rating (you can usually find it somewhere printed on your bag) and make sure it’s appropriate for what the forecast is calling for. If you need a new sleeping bag, you can find a cozy one that won’t break the bank here. Another cheap solution is to simply bring extra blankets from home or to add a sleeping bag liner to your sleeping bag.

Another term you’ll want to know is the insulation value of your sleeping pad. Most sleeping pads measure this via an R-value, and a higher number (3.5+) will provide more insulation from the ground. If your sleeping pad has a lower R-value and you don’t want to invest in a new expensive pad, throwing an inexpensive foam sleeping pad underneath your inflatable sleeping pad should do the trick. If you need a new sleeping pad or are looking to upgrade yours, you can find some great sleeping pads for car camping here.

A final camping hack that is super effective for staying warm is to fill a Nalgene bottle with hot water. Bring that with you to bed and store it inside your sleeping bag.

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Finding Places to Camp in Fall

If you are planning to stay in an established campground, make sure the campground is still open. Many campgrounds close up shop in late September or early October for winter. The same goes for Forest Service roads where you might be looking for dispersed camping. You don’t want to drive off the grid and out of cell phone service just to find out that where you were planning to camp is no longer an option.

Instead, I recommend downloading a couple of apps to your phone – iOverlander and Ultimate US Public Campgrounds. These are my go-to mobile tools for finding both dispersed and official campgrounds on public lands. Check out the general area you are headed and come up with a couple of options in case you need a backup plan.

Read Next: The Ultimate Guide to Finding Free Campsites in the U.S.

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Fall Hiking Tips

When you are headed out on day hikes, remember that the days are much shorter in fall. You’ll want to get an early start on the trail and always bring a headlamp and warm layers like the ones mentioned above in your day pack in case you end up being on the trail after dark. If there’s any chance of rain or you’re seeing some gray clouds in the sky, bring a rain jacket too. And it never hurts to look up what time sunset is where you’ll be camping so you can plan your hikes and activities accordingly.

Read Next: What to Wear Hiking in Fall

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Fall Camp Kitchen Tips

With chillier temps and an earlier sunset, I recommend doing some of your meal prep at home to speed up the dinner-making process. That might mean chopping vegetables at home or pre-making a pot of chili and simply reheating at camp. The quicker you can make dinner, the sooner you get to relax and get warm around the fire with a hot beverage.

Whether it’s hot tea with lemon and honey or a hot toddy, having a hot drink will make hanging out under the stars more enjoyable. In order to keep your hot drinks hot longer, make them in an insulated mug – my go-to if the Yeti Rambler Tumbler.

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Planning a fall camping trip? Share your plans, tips, and questions in the comments below!