Why You Should Always Hang Your Food Up When You Go Camping

Whether you prefer to truly "rough it" when camping in the wilderness or are more of an everyday glamper, there's a good chance you'll want to bring along some food on your next journey into the wild. Some might prefer snacks like ridiculously good campfire s'mores, while others are well-versed in making pancakes while camping. Others just pack some premade food. (For the latter, it might be time to check out a helpful guide to cooking while camping.)

While it's always important to bring food to a campsite, it's just as essential to hang up what isn't being consumed, as it can attract some unwanted critters. Bears might be the first, and biggest, reason to hang food, but they aren't the only creature out there eyeing your picnic basket. Chipmunks and squirrels have been known to steal food right out of campsites during the day. Other creatures may not lurk around until night, waiting for the right moment to sneak over for a stealthy bite. 

It may sound like losing food is the worst part when this happens, but looking at the bigger picture, our food can also be unhealthy for the animals.Feeding them might create a bad habit as they slowly begin to rely on us for their meals.

To properly hang your food, you'll need the right equipment.  At the very least, you'll need a scent-proof food bag and about 20 to 50 feet of strong rope. The bag will help minimize the smell of food, while the rope will support the bag while it's suspended in the air. If your camping grounds are known to be frequented by bears, a canister that's strong enough to withstand an animal's powerful jaws and clawsis a good idea too. 

When scouting where to hang your food, keep an eye out for bear poles. These are specially designed to keep food out of reach of any animal that's feeling crafty enough to go after your grub. If there's no bear pole, campers should look for a tall, sturdy tree with minimal branches that's at least 200 feet from their tent. This is where you can securely fasten your food bag. 

Look for a branch on the tree that's at least 15 feet off the ground. Then, tie your food bag to one end of your rope. On the other end, tie a weight that's light enough to throw over a branch, but heavy enough to act as an anchor. A single rock would work best here. Throw the rock over the branch, then hoist your food bag into the air. Finally, tie the end with the rock around the tree's trunk to hold your food bag in place.