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Dispersed camping sounds simple. No reservations, no crowded campgrounds, just you and the open desert.
But if you don’t know what you’re doing, it’s also a great way to freeze at night, burn through all your firewood, and wake up to find a raccoon gang has stolen your marshmallows.
Our first dispersed camping trip was a mix of good planning, bad execution, and a few rookie mistakes we had to learn the hard way.
If you’re thinking about heading off-grid for the first time, here’s what went wrong for us and how you can avoid making the same mistakes.
1. Not Staking Down Gear in the Wind
We brought a privacy tent for changing clothes and using the Luggable Loo. The ground was rock hard, so instead of staking it down, we wedged it between the branches of a mesquite tree and called it good.
Wrong.
Overnight, the wind picked up. I woke up to a tipped-over tent and a mess that nobody wants to deal with before coffee.
What we should have done:
- If the ground is too rocky even for lag bolts, use heavy rocks inside the base of the tent for extra weight.
- Use lag bolts and an impact drill to secure the tent properly, instead of relying on traditional stakes that struggle in hard desert ground.
- Always bring a rubber mallet or hammer to stake things down properly.
2. Underestimating How Much Firewood We Needed
Since it was Christmas Eve, we grabbed a couple of firewood bundles at the grocery store and didn’t think much about it. By 9:30 p.m., we were out of wood and had to retreat to the trailer for warmth.
What we should have done:
- Have a backup heat source like a propane fire pit or extra layers if you run out.
- Bring at least double the firewood you think you’ll need.
3. Forgetting Essential Tools
Our trailer doesn’t have a built-in heater, so we brought a Chinese diesel heater to warm up the tent and trailer.
It worked great until the ducting kept falling apart, and we didn’t have any duct tape to fix it.
That meant getting up multiple times in the freezing cold to shove the pipe back into place.
What we should have done:
- Never assume something will stay put. Bring duct tape, zip ties, and extra clamps.
- Stock a basic toolkit that always stays in the trailer.
4. Leaving Food Out and Attracting Wildlife
At the end of the night, I accidentally left a bag of s’mores supplies in a camping chair instead of packing it away.
At 2 a.m., I heard rustling outside and stumbled out to find an empty graham cracker sleeve and a missing bag of marshmallows. Something also dragged off a sack of hotdog buns.
We never saw the culprits, but based on the evidence, we were probably robbed by a troop of coatimundi.
What we should have done:
- Pack out all trash so wildlife doesn’t associate campsites with easy meals.
- Never leave food out, even if it seems secure. Store everything in a latched bin or inside the trailer.
5. Not Bringing Enough Table Space
We had one small folding table and figured that would be enough. It wasn’t. We needed space for cooking, food prep, and a place to set things down.
We ended up using a makeshift table on the hood of the Jeep, which worked but wasn’t ideal.
What we should have done:
- Consider a separate camp kitchen setup to stay organized.
- Bring at least one large, sturdy table for cooking and food prep.
Dispersed Camping Gets Easier Every Trip
We knew we were amateurs going into this trip. We just didn’t know what level of amateur we were.
The good news? Even with these mistakes, we still had a great time. And now, we know exactly how to make future dispersed camping trips smoother, warmer, and less prone to unplanned wildlife feasts.
If you’re heading out on your first dispersed camping trip, learn from what we did wrong, plan ahead, and enjoy the experience. Just don’t forget the duct tape.
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