Coffee Camping: Where and What to Pack
Want to leave the cubicle and explore the mountains?Learn what coffee to pack with you when you go out camping.
Camping is a great opportunity to reconnect with nature and leave our busy schedules at home, but there is no need to leave everything behind—campers can still enjoy their morning cup of joe from the comfort of their tents! If you are looking for great tips and tricks to prepare for and stay caffeinated and energized on your summer camping trip, look no further.
Best places to camp this summer with your coffee
Before we talk about what to bring with you when camping, let's explore the best places to camp this summer. Depending on which state you live in, there will be different places that are ideal for camping. The first thing to take into account is the weather of where you live. If there is still snow outside your front door, either invest in a warm sleeping bag or consider heading to a warmer place so frostbite isn’t a concern.
In the US, there are 61 protected national parks, and most of these parks offer camping and backpacking! If you are living on the coast, there are usually many campgrounds and trails following the coastline that are perfect for backpackers and campers. We have gathered our choices for some of the most beautiful places to camp in the US:
Acadia National Park (Maine)
via @acadianps
Yosemite National Park (California)
via @yosemitenps
White Mountain National Forest (New Hampshire)
Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)
via @shenandoahnps
Assateague Island Campgrounds (Maryland)
Big Bend National Park (Texas)
via @bigbendnps
Ozark National Forest (Arkansas)
Sawtooth National Forest (Idaho)
Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)
via @thegrandtetonnp
Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)
via @grandcanyonnps
Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)
Joshua Tree State Park (California)
This is just a small list of all of the amazing places to camp or backpack in the continental US, but we at Waka Coffee encourage everyone to do some research on camping near you!
Preparing for your trip
Ok, so you have chosen where you are going to go camping, what’s next? For most national and state parks, hikers and campers need a permit which can be attained online and usually pretty far in advance. It is also important to check if you need to register for a campsite in advance or if it is a first come first serve kind of campsite. Regardless of the kind of campsite, it is HIGHLY recommended to do ample research on the area, wildlife, climate, and intensity of your chosen camping experience. Being prepared is required to have a good and safe time!
Another big aspect of camping (especially backcountry camping or backpacking over several days) is to pack the correct gear. Depending on where you are going camping, the list will very but an extensive general camping checklist can be found here.
What do we eat?
After you have decided upon your location, duration, and checklist, it is time to move on to the food. For those who are backpacking and heading out to the backcountry, it is essential to pack your own food and to pack lightweight foods. You will also most likely be carrying some of your own water which is super heavy and easily makes hiking up a mountain a harder feat. If you are hiking by running water, it might be easier to get your H2O from a stream or lake if you have the means to properly purify that water before drinking.
On a normal day, people consume around 2,000 calories, so it is important to think of how you can realistically pack those calories in a backpack without loading up your entire refrigerator. Everything you plan to eat, you must carry, so it is crucial to pack light in weight but heavy in nutrients. If the planned trip is 2 days, then you need only pack 2 days worth of food (obviously) and can probably get away with packing some heavier items. However, if the planned trip is weeks, you need to be very meticulous in planning what foods to bring. Some great options that are lightweight are; ramen, boxed mac n cheese, rice, oatmeal, pasta, dried or fresh fruit, tortillas, peanut butter, instant soups, pop-tarts, trail mix, and nuts and seeds. Feel free to read our list of best and fast camp meals post here.
It is almost unanimously decided by campers and backpackers alike that the absolute right way to start a day of camping, hiking, or backpacking is with a warm cup of coffee. After a long night in a cold tent, coffee has a way of warming up even the coldest toes and getting everyone ready for even the most grueling of hikes. Just imagine waking up in the mountains or beside a lake, popping out of your tent and sipping on a warm cup of coffee, steam wafting up into the cold morning air… what an appealing image!
Packing the light (right) coffee
Now that we have established that coffee is a camping necessity, how do we pick what kind of coffee to bring that won’t weigh down our already heavy packs? While there are many ways of making coffee while camping, bringing pre-brewed coffee is a huge waste of space and weight and can be immediately eliminated from the packing list. Because there is usually no electricity at campsites, coffee machines and brewers can also be eliminated from the list. Packing coffee grounds could be a good idea if they did not require a machine or coffee press to make the coffee—eliminated from the list.
This conundrum leaves us with one valid option—instant coffee! It can be added easily to warm or cold water and easily dissolved in mugs or water bottles (perfect for a mid-day boost). Instant coffee is perfect for camping because it is relatively weightless, takes up very little space, and requires no extra equipment or energy.
The final question stands;
What kind of instant coffee do you pack?
Waka Coffee premium instant coffee is an easy answer to our question. It comes in convenient packets that can be stuffed in small pockets and take up virtually no room. It can also be dissolved instantly in to hot or cold water which is perfect for those who want their coffee mid trail or for days without electricity/fire to warm up your water.
Not only is Waka Coffee the most convenient option, but it is also the tastiest option. Waka Coffee uses freeze dried Arabica beans, ensuring that every cup of coffee tastes as good as or even better than slow drip coffee.
There is no need to leave behind the comfort of great coffee just because you head out on a camping trip and Waka Coffee ensures that you don’t have to! It is truly the best instant coffee out there and perfect for your next outdoor excursion. Try it yourself and tell us.
Happy camping!
