Do unto your campsite and fellow campers as you would have them do unto you. This should be the motto for good camping etiquette. If you are planning a camping trip, there are a number of written and unwritten rules that you should follow in order to be a good patron to the campground and a good neighbor to those camping or enjoying the outdoors around you.

When you camp at a campground or state park, you may be given a list of rules when you enter the camping area and you will probably find rules and regulations posted throughout the area. Read these rules carefully and abide by them to help make your stay pleasant and everyone else's pleasant as well.

First and foremost if the rules say “don't do” something, then don't do it. If they require a dog on a leash, no pets at all or they ask you to stay within certain areas, there are probably good reasons for these rules. They might ask you not to bring pets because they attract other animals to the campsites such as coyotes or bears. Walking in undesignated areas might put you face to face with a bear or cause you to disrupt the natural surroundings.

Do not contaminate the water sources by dumping things in them and do not pick flowers or damage the vegetation in any way. It has been there for hundreds of years and it would be nice for it to continue to be there for hundreds of years in the future.

Keep your campsite clean and don't litter. Not only does it look bad and can damage the environment, but it also can encourage unwanted animals such as bears or raccoons to enter the area. Along these lines, do not feed the wild animals because it will keep them coming back.

Be respectful of your neighbors. Do not be loud and do not play your music loudly. Many campgrounds will ask that noise be kept to a minimum after a certain time. If you don't respect this rule, they might ask you to leave. Keep your pets quiet as well. If your dog has a tendency to bark at everything, you might want to leave them at home.

Bring along an extra card table and chairs with you if you have a large group or are having visitors while you are camping. You should never take the picnic table from a neighboring site even if it is vacant. If someone arrives late at night or early in the morning they would probably like for it to be in their site where it belongs.

Make sure that if you make a fire it is completely put out before you leave. Clean your campsite for the next camper. Whatever came with you should leave with you. This includes all your trash which can be disposed of in the trashcans that are throughout the campground or at the entrance to the park.

Think of your campsite as your home away from home. You would want your back yard kept clean and you wouldn't want someone to walk through your yard, throwing down a candy wrapper and trampling your flowers. Think of your surroundings as your backyard at home.

Aside from rules posted, much of the camping etiquette comes from common sense. Treat your neighbors and your surroundings as you would want them to be treated or would want them to treat you. It helps make your stay and the stay for those camping around you to be relaxing and enjoyable, which is what you want when you head to the outdoors on a camping vacation.