Rant: Realized I was setting up my tent in the worst spots for 5 years straight

Last weekend I camped at a spot in the Smokies and my neighbor walked over after dinner. He asked why I was pitching my tent at the bottom of a slight dip. I said it seemed flat enough and he just laughed. He explained that any rain would pool right under me and that I should aim for higher ground, even a few feet up. I've been camping for 5 years and never thought about it. Has anyone else had a basic camping rule that took way too long to click?

3 comments

3 Comments

nathan_kim9d ago

Learn from me, always stake your tent on a slight rise, not a dip.

gracej999d agoMost Upvoted

Two years ago I staked my tent in a little dip near a creek in the Smokies. Woke up at 3 AM with water seeping through the bottom of my sleeping bag. Never made that mistake again. Even a six inch rise makes a huge difference when it rains all night. Small slopes are your friends, just don't go crazy and pitch it on a 45 degree angle unless you enjoy rolling downhill.

sagejackson9d ago

Learned that one the hard way too.