Camping Checklist and Tips

Alexis’s Camping Tips

  • Make sure you can carry all of your bathroom necessities. It is a shared bathroom so you will want something to keep everything contained and easy to carry.

  • If you are going to shower, bring a pair of cheap flip-flops. Shower floors in a shared campsite bathroom are gross.

  • Bring an extra pair of shoes and socks. Nothing is worse than wet feet and not being able to do anything about it.

  • Camping gets dirty, bring a bag for dirty clothes so you can keep your clean clothes clean.

  • Make sure whatever bags you pack are light enough to lift. You’ll have to bring your stuff on and off the ferry and then in and out of a cargo van.

  • Don’t keep any food in your tent. Even though they usually stay away, there is wildlife on the island and will 100% try to get in your tent if you have something they want.

  • I don’t really have any other tips, I just want my side to be longer than Luis’.

Luis’ Camping Tips

  • Plan for the weather, it might or might not be chilly. We will monitor the weather if it looks like we will be rained out and we will update the group.

  • Hontoon Island camping is different than other state or county parks because of the transportation needed to get to the campsite. Once at the landing for the ferry, you will have to transfer everything onto the ferry, off of the ferry, onto a van, off of the van, and finally to your campsite. It is a good general rule to only pack essentials while camping but this is especially true here.

  • Plan out your sleeping arrangement starting from the bare minimum and working up. Try starting with considering sleeping in a sleeping bag before packing your air mattress, three pillows, and a comforter.

  • Please bring snacks and drinks but also be mindful of wildlife and bugs. There are cages near the bathroom to protect your food.

Camping Checklist

  • Tent - Let us know if you can’t get one, we might have a way to get you one.

  • Tarp

  • Clean Clothes

  • Dirty Laundry bag

  • Extra shoes, socks, and underwear

  • Waterbottle

  • Hat and/or sunglasses

  • Flashlights/Laterns/String of Battery-Powered lights

  • Pair of cheap sandals (these are good for the shower and for running to the bathroom in the middle of the night)

  • Towel

  • Toiletries

  • Sleeping arrangement

    • Sleeping bag, Sleeping Pad, Pillows, Blankets, Air Mattress, Portable Cot

  • Snacks and Drinks

  • Camping Chairs

  • A bag of firewood per person