Patriotic Camping - Creating a Safe and Festive Fourth of July Experience

When you think of the 4th of July, probably one of the first things that comes to mind are flags, fireworks, grilling, and time spent with family. Some of your traditions may also include a night out in the great outdoors, surrounded by the breathtaking beauty of our mountains and valleys, spending time with family eating burgers and hot dogs around a fire. It's a beautiful time to appreciate the unique landscape of the USA. 

However, it's crucial to remember to respect the rules when it comes to combining a love for fireworks on the fourth and camping. We highly advise that you don't light fireworks in the great outdoors. On average, over 19,000 fires a year are started by fireworks in the United States. We all want to ensure that our beautiful landscape and the wildlife in the country we are celebrating on the fourth remain free from unnecessary dangers caused by negligence and reckless behavior. Wherever you go camping, there will likely be fire restrictions and strict fireworks regulations. As advocates for getting people outdoors, we want to encourage you to follow those regulations and keep our canyons and forest areas beautiful for everyone. 

If you want to watch a good fireworks show, look up towns nearby that may be having one, and take one of our tents with 360-degree views to watch the colorful show in the sky. Or save your fireworks for when you return home (if city laws allow). 

If you plan to still get out in the woods for the fourth without lighting fireworks, here are some of our ideas to make this patriotic weekend memorable. 

Take the red, white, and blue treats with you!

• You can use our Near Zero Mug or a skillet to cook a chocolate chip cookie! All you need to do is replace the chocolate chips with red, white, and blue M&Ms. 
• Cook hot dogs or patties over a fire with our Near Zero grill.

Alternatives to fireworks

• Use glow sticks or create glow-in-the-dark bubbles.
• Use extra glow sticks to make your camping area glow at night.

Bring easy-to-play and easy-to-clean-up games that won't hurt the environment

• Enhance your typical camping games with some American flare. Put red, white, and blue ribbons on game pieces or stars to turn it into an Independence Day game. 

Whatever you do on the fourth, enjoy the beauty of the United States landscape and the freedoms we enjoy. We are truly blessed to be here, and we encourage you to keep it beautiful, share that beauty with the next generation, and teach them about being safe with fireworks and fire in the great outdoors.