🐻❄️ Cold Weather Camping Checklist

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​Please Read Before Temperatures Drop Below 32°F

Cold weather camping is peaceful and beautiful — with the right preparation. If you’ve never camped in freezing temperatures before, this checklist will walk you through exactly what to do to protect your camper and our campground equipment.

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​Water and Hoses 

These steps are critical to ensure there is no damage to your camper or the campsite infrastructure.  

DO NOT leave water running - running water in a camper either:

• fills your holding tank and backs up into the camper, or

• slowly trickles down the sewer hose and exponentially increases the possibility of an ice dam in the sewer line - it may be days before the sewer hose thaws and you are able to dump tanks.

ACTION STEPS

☐ Turn water spigot off.  This is a MUST - turning the spigot off drains water from the section of the pipe that is above ground and helps ensure no damage.

☐ Remove water hoses - Never leave hoses connected if freezing is expected.  Even heated hoses can freeze and split quickly if the power goes out for a short period of time.  The resulting damage to the hose and camper can be very expensive to repair.
☐ Drain and store unused hoses

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🚨 Frozen hoses can damage RVs, campground spigots, and underground plumbing.

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Sewer Hookups

☐ Ensure valves are closed and sewer lines are well drained prior to the onset of the freezing temperatures.  Water trickling in the sewer hose can create an ice dam.
☐ Dump tanks only when mostly full

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Inside your RV

☐ Keep heat on at all times (minimum 55°F)
☐ Open cabinet doors near plumbing
☐ Use only RV-rated space heaters safely

☐ If equipped with tank heaters, turn them on

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Extended Stays - things to consider

☐ Install RV skirting
☐ Check beneath your RV regularly

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📞 Need help?
We’re happy to stop by and take a quick look. We’d rather help early than fix frozen pipes later.

Thank you for helping us care for Black Bear Plantation.

Stay warm and enjoy winter camping!