Camping is one of America’s favorite outdoor activities and National Camping Month is observed in June every year. Be it with friends, family, or even by yourself, camping is the perfect way to reconnect with nature and yourself. Camping is also a very popular summer activity that keeps young children engaged outside of school. Enjoy camping however you want and rough it by leaving all modern amenities behind to get a detox from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
History of National Camping Month
National Camping Month has been celebrated every year in the month of June since the 1970s. The month aims to increase participation in outdoor activities, especially among the youth. People are encouraged to join camps or go camping with their loved ones.
Human beings have camped since time immemorial but modern-day recreational camping is considered to have been founded by Thomas Hiram Holding. Youth camping has also been popular in America for over a century now and it is believed to have started with Frederick William Gunn and his wife who established camps for schoolboys in 1861. The first girls’ camp was established in 1888 by Luther Halsey Gulick and his wife. Both these programs have become immensely popular over the years with summers becoming synonymous with camping!
Both primitive and motorized camping are popular in America, Canada, and Europe. Those who like to be on the move opt for RV campsites, which allow them to holiday and camp at the same time. Commercial RV campgrounds are equipped with modern amenities like electricity and water supply. With time, camping materials and gear have seen many technical
advances, too. Waterproof materials like nylon make camping possible in rain and snow. They are also easier to carry and are easily foldable. Campers no longer have to worry about lighting a bonfire or eating tinned food since lightweight aluminum cookware and portable stoves have made cooking easier at campsites.
National Camping Month timeline
Boy Scouts America is formed by Ernest Thompson Seton and camping is one of the primary activities.
The first Girl Scout camp is built in Georgia.
The International Federation of Camping and Caravanning is formed.
The first ‘truck tent’ arrives, which is basically a pickup truck with a tent attached to it.