Do you love camping?
Are you interested in extending your favorite activity into the winter times?
Winter camping may not be everyone’s favorite version of the hobby, but it’s a blast.
I was talking to a friend who lives in the south on the phone, and she expressed disbelief I’d go camping when the temperature is below freezing.
The truth is: I love it.
The talk inspired me to write down these 14 reasons why to go winter camping.
Winter camping is a lot of fun for many reasons. Most people go winter camping for one of these reasons:
- No crowds
- Better campfire
- Peaceful and quiet
- Health benefits
- Learn about survival
- Makes you value home
- Great stories
- Affordability
- New perspective
- Great activities
- Bug-free
- Starry nights
- No cooler required
- Snow, snow, snow
Check out the rest of the post for more details.
Table of Contents
Why Go Winter Camping?
Imagine everything is quiet and still during winter, and you’re camping in the snow.
This stunning blanket will quiet the area and give you an extremely quiet, tranquil, and peaceful timeline that you never knew before.
Don’t believe me?
Here are some reasons why you should consider camping in the cold.
#1 No crowds
With constant sunshine and school holidays, getting a perfect spot for camping could be a predicament during summertime.
Imagine how crowded camping sites might be, with all those camping sites with online booking platforms sold out months before peak season.
However, when cold sets in, the masses roll out.
Many people cannot withstand the low temperatures and usually prefer the comfort and warmth of their homes during winter, but others love the cool outdoors.
If you’d like to go camping to escape the city’s busy commotion, then winter is the best time to do so!
One of the best things I like about camping in the cold is that you’ll likely have the whole place to yourself.
You’ll experience clearer campsites on the most desirable spot as well as unlimited access to the bathrooms and BBQs.
The fewer people there are out there, the more you’re likely to enjoy a memorable and intimate experience with nature. The feeling is total heaven.
#2 Better campfire
Campfires are necessary at your campsite.
Before doing any other setup, make sure to light up your site with campfires anywhere at night.
On the other hand, campfires also provide heat for cooking at that time.
It can also serve as a predator and insect deterrent as well as a beacon.
Of course, you’ve probably gone camping or have been in the woods before.
During winter, the snow alters almost everything.
During winter, the days are short.
This means that the stars come out a bit earlier. You can wake up and get to enjoy the stunning view.
If you think that a campfire is fun during regular camping, wait until you experience it during winter.
You’ll appreciate the warmth during snow more than in any other regular camping.
With the right tools and resources, it’s also effortless to light up a campfire during winter.
#3 Peaceful and quiet
While summer can bring people in their multitudes, winter sees the quieter, calmer side of camping.
Roaming space, no interference with children, and a true sense of outdoor living enable you to feel ideally ‘lost in nature.’
You don’t have to go somewhere special to experience the best; you have to get outdoors.
#4 Health benefits
Camping in winter will help you with your back pain and also restore your sleeping cycle.
Since the cold worsens back pains, it’s important to exercise during this time. While moving around the cold temperature, camping in the winter makes you more active; this is a cure for back pains.
Although it seems like a lot of work to exercise during this time, it’s surely worth it.
Studies have shown that at least two days of winter camping while exercising will help you a lot in restoring your circadian rhythm.
This ensures a better sleeping cycle.
#5 Learn about survival
For most campers, camping during winter is the ultimate desire.
With campers, they want to acquire such survival skills as preparing their own campfire and hunting.
They tend to challenge themselves to stay out with their gear.
Moreover, you’ll have an opportunity to learn more about your whole camping experience.
While camping in any other season, such as summer, will enable you to grasp more about hunting and survival skills, camping in the winter will teach you how to adapt to the weather because it’s harder.
Check out the best lighters for winter camping which will help you survive.
#6 Makes you value home
Winter camping can simply go from amazing to terrible in seconds, of course, if you’re not prepared.
I once camped with a sleeping bag, which, in my opinion, would not be good enough.
Unless you got a great, specialized winter one like the Marmot Trestles winter sleeping bag. It’s affordable and warm (oh, so warm!).
The night was so horrible for me that the following day I decided to pack my stuff, went home, took a shower, and decided to buy a new sleeping bag.
With such a tough experience and unfavorable conditions out there, it made me appreciate home.
#7 Great stories
Seriously amazing campfire stories are ideal for passing the time during camping coupled with a captive audience and a cozy blanket.
However, take caution and choose your stories sensibly while camping with children.
If it’s an adult trip, you might be sure to break the cocktails and dive into any sort of story.
Either way, sharing great stories during a winter camp is sure to be a memorable one.
#8 Affordability
Winter is the best season to snap up good deals.
Camping and glamping sites all lower their prices, and glamping sites have additional extras such as winter warming dinners and bumper baskets of logs.
It’s the impeccable low-cost option.
#9 A new perspective
A camping trip during winter gives you the chance to experience different adventures such as national parks.
There is something very restful about winter sight.
The area is very calming and with very few people around.
The wildlife also seems quite easier to spot in such a time—no need to step out of your tent in daylight to see a range of animals and birds.
#10 Great activities
If you are the kind of person who hates chilly weather, then camping in the winter is the best activity you’ll participate in this weekend.
If you think summer has the best activities, then you’ve probably never tried hiking, playing games, fishing, relaxing, observing wildlife, and most importantly, opening fire during winter.
Snowboarding and skiing are my favorite activities during winter camping.
You get to feel the winter breeze through your face while sliding down the mountains.
Isn’t this amazing?
You don’t get to experience this during summer.
Just forget all the summer sports like Beach volleyball and surfing and enjoy your winter camping as it’s your top priority for now.
#11 Bug-free
Ants, bugs, or mosquitos are usually annoying.
They tend to keep us uncomfortable with their bites or buzzing in our ears.
Since mosquitos can’t keep up with cold weather, you won’t have to worry about that.
Winter means no more buzzing in your ears and itchy bites.
This enables you to experience a good time in comfortable surroundings.
#12 Starry nights
The brilliance of the sky during winter is breathtaking.
According to some scientific studies, the stars seem to shine bright during this season.
According to Georgia astronomer Dr. James Sowell, there are many bright stars in the sky’s quarter that it’s called the winter sky.
Plus, less moisture is retained in the cold air than the warmer summer air, hence making the nights clearer.
Therefore, indistinct stars that might be invisible during summer nights may be more visible and clearer in the colder months so that those camping can enjoy some extra viewing time.
#13 No cooler required
Winter means you don’t have to walk around with ice bags.
You can instead leave them back at home when going camping during winter.
You might as well use this chance to spice up your camping cookery by adding extra food that would wilt in warm months.
#14 The snow
Snow looks better on the outside as compared to indoors.
There are certain things you can’t comfortably do in front of your neighbors back at home.
If you’re out with kids, you should be very careful to cover them with the correct camping apparel since they will likely have an amazing time forming snow angels, riding snow sleighs, and throwing snowballs.
Final Thoughts
Why go winter camping?
For many of us, winter camping is a whole different type of experience.
It gives people more choices about what they may require during winter.
I hope the shared reasons to go winter camping will inspire you to take a step and get to enjoy the benefits.
Hopefully, these reasons to go winter camping will get you to try it out and have an amazing time on your adventure.