Use this list to check-off items as you pack it for your camping trip to a Pennsylvania State Park. You may want to bring more stuff or less stuff, but this is a pretty complete listing for a camping trip.

Food & Drink

1. Bring whatever food you wish, but remember that you will have limited space for food that needs to be refrigerated. Make sure that you have adequate cooking dishes and utensils to prepare what food you bring. Outdoor appetites are usually large so be prepared!
2. Be sure to store food in a safe location to keep animals from your food. Keep food in a car trunk or in the interior under a blanket, or hang your food between two trees.
3. Fresh fruit and vegetables do not need refrigeration and need minimum preparation
4. Kids will want to cook over the campfire so bring hotdogs and marshmallows (and graham crackers and chocolate for “smores”)

Packing

1. Backpack, daypack, and/or fanny pack
2. Bags – Tent bag, grocery bags, etc.
3. Cardboard boxes if needed
4. Ice chest with ice

Lighting – Check batteries!

1. Flashlight
2. Spare batteries and bulbs
3. Lantern (gas or electric)
4. Spare lantern fuel and mantles
5. Matches (preferably water proof)

Shelter/Bedding

1. Tent
2. Tent rain tarp
3. Extra tent stakes
4. Dining fly
5. Plastic ground cloth for under the tent
6. Sleeping bag
7. Mattress or pad – Inflator for air mattress
8. Pillow
9. Space blanket

Medical

1. Sunscreen
2. Insect repellent
3. Poison ivy block
4. Poison ivy remedies
5. Allergy medicines
6. Pain relief pills like aspirin
7. Tummy medicines (for diarrhea etc.)
8. Tweezers for splinters
9. Antiseptic
10. Band-Aids and bandages
11. Itch cream for bug bites
12. Mole skin (to prevent blisters if you hike a lot)
13. First Aid Kit (may include all the above items)
14. Prescription medicines (if prescribed by your doctor)
15. Extra pair of prescription glasses

Equipment

1. Ax (do not cut any living or standing trees)
2. Bow saw
3. Extension cord (if at campsite with electric hookup)
4. Duct tape and/or electrical tape
5. Hammer for pounding in tent pegs
6. Rope
7. Clothesline
8. Clothes pins
9. Whiskbroom to clean table and tent site

Miscellaneous

1. Pocket knife
2. Compass and area map
3. Fishing pole and gear (license & bait!)
4. Beach chairs
5. Camping chairs
6. Safety pins
7. Cellular phone w/extra battery and car adapter
8. Camera w/good battery and extra film
9. Camcorder w/good battery and extra tapes
10. Money, credit card, ID
11. Books, radio, cards, games, toys, etc.
12. Sports equipment
13. Citronella candles
14. Binoculars
15. Field guides for identifying wildlife
16. Park mini-map (get one when you arrive)

Cooking

1. Stove with fuel & lighter or charcoal and lighter fluid & grill for BBQ
2. Newspapers for lighting a campfire
3. Firewood
4. Frying pan with lid
5. Cooking skewers (for hot dogs, marshmallows, etc.)
6. Pot or sauce pan with lid
7. Can opener
8. Tongs
9. Coffee maker & filters
10. Pot lifter and/or pot holders
11. Tablecloth

Clothing

1. Dress for the season
2. Bring warm clothes in case the weather turns cold
3. Wide-brimmed hat to block the sun
4. Jacket – As weather dictates; Eskimo style, mackintosh, windbreaker, etc.
5. Rain gear
6. Poncho – Doubles as emergency tent/lean-to
7. Shower shoes
8. Hiking boots
9. Work gloves
10. Swim suit

Cleaning & Personal Items

1. Bar soap (biodegradable)
2. Washcloth
3. Shampoo (biodegradable)
4. Toothpaste (biodegradable)
5. Toothbrush
6. Comb or hair brush
7. Razor (shaving cream)
8. Toilet paper
9. Case or bag to carry the above items to the shower house
10. Bath towel

Dishes

1. Plates – Partition tray/plate is nice
2. Mugs/cups
3. Knifes, forks, spoons
4. Kitchen knife
5. Mixing bowl
6. Spatula
7. Scrub pad
8. Dish pan for washing dishes
9. Container for water

Consumables

1. Paper towels & napkins
2. Trash bags
3. Plastic Bags
4. Aluminum Foil
5. Dish soap (biodegradable)
6. Water bottle, to carry while hiking
7. Water jug to fetch water from the pump or faucet

Repair Kit

1. Hammer
2. Pliers
3. Duct tape
4. Screwdriver set