Cutting wood from trees in campgrounds is usually prohibited, so plan to take
firewood from home or purchase it at the park store.
At night, nocturnal animals will scavenge for food on your campsite, so be
sure to take trash to the dumpster before going to sleep. Keep food packed in
the car when you aren't cooking. Animals will get into ice chests and storage
bins. Raccoons have small hands that can open boxes and containers.
If there is a threat of rain, store some wood in the car or wrap it in a
tarp.
Always watch kids near a campfire. Make sure they stay a safe distance from
the flames and do not walk around the fire pit, because they could stumble and
fall. The best place for a young child to enjoy a campfire is in the lap of an
adult. A bucket of water and a stir stick should be used to extinguish the fire
before bedtime.
Cook Gear
Most campgrounds have a barbecue grill and a fire pit, but some campers
prefer to cook on a propane stove from home. A thick layer of soot will build up
on cookware used over an open flame, so it's a good idea to have pots and pans
that are reserved solely for camping.
Cast iron cookware is heavy, but it is also very durable and evenly
distributes heat from a campfire.
Potholders, towels, and sponges get ruined easily, so retire a few of your
older kitchen towels to camping duty.
Long handled spoons, knives, and spatulas will keep your hands a safe
distance from the flames when cooking. Barbecue tools work well. Paper goods
will cut down on the cleanup.
Menu Ideas
Hot dogs and hamburgers are quick campfire favorites, but there are many
other options for campfire cooking. A cast-iron Dutch oven and tripod are
wonderful cook gear because they allow many menu options—from scrambled eggs and
sausage for breakfast burritos to one-dish meals and fruit cobblers. Dutch Ovens
can be used to create delicious campfire meals. Many Dutch-oven recipes can be
found on the Internet.
Pre-cooked sausage links, available at most grocery stores, can be roasted on
the end of a long stick over the campfire, just like hot dogs. A heated sausage
link, tucked into a potato roll, is a tasty and filling breakfast.
If you do not have a campfire percolator for coffee, purchase coffee bags and
boil water in a lidded pot. Steep the coffee bag just as you would a tea bag,
and remove it when the coffee is as dark as you like it.
S'mores are an all-time favorite dessert for campers. They are made by
placing a roasted marshmallow and a chocolate square between two graham
crackers.
Cleanup
A solution of vinegar or lemon juice and water makes an environmentally safe
cleanser for cookware. Steel wool and a scrub brush also help with cleanup. Soot
on surfaces used over open flames will stain fabric, and can be greasy, so it
should be removed as soon as possible. Usually, a water source is located on or
near campsites.
A wagon is helpful for transporting dishes to and from the water source. Keep
soiled towels and potholders in a plastic bag and store them in the
car.