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Reader Participation Day: When Smoke Fills Your Campground

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By Kurt Repanshek - December 15th, 2021

At times this past summer the view of the Tetons from the Cunningham cabin was obscured/Kurt Repanshek

The summer months of 2021 were certainly smoky ones in the West. From California to Kansas, view-obscuring and occasionally choking smoke from wildfires filled the air...and campgrounds and the outdoors in general. Has the prospect of smoky summers becoming the new normal swayed you from booking a campground reservation?

Normally the view of the Tetons from the Cunningham Cabin at Grand Teton National Park offers a beautiful view of sharp-edged mountains clawing at the sky, some still holding snow. This past August the view was shrouded in smoke.

With memories of smoke-shrouded campgrounds and hiking trails not too far removed, what are your camping plans for 2022? Will you book a spot months in advance as usual, wait until the last minute to see what the fire season looks like, or head east of the Mississippi?

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Comments

Submitted by y_p_w on December 15, 2021 - 1:52am.

It happens.  Just the normal amount of campfire smoke can be pretty nasty.  The first time I took a friend to Yosemite there was a haze because they were conducting controlled burns right in Yosemite Valley where we saw firefighters in all their metallic safety clothing.

 

I mean - it probably can't be any worse than when I've been in the cities with fires all around.  I learned what an N95 mask was well before COVID-19.


Submitted by CBS on December 15, 2021 - 8:47am.

Already booked for Glacier National, July 2022, keeping our fingers crossed. 


Submitted by Loui on December 15, 2021 - 9:05am.

I prefer not to wait till August when fire risk begins to rise.  Go earlier and your chances are better to avoid fire issues.


Submitted by M. Miller on December 15, 2021 - 12:24pm.

Have already booked resort lodging for Glacier and Tetons/Ystone. After last summer, won't take a chance with the smoke and camping. It was truly awful. I spent 5 months in my little RV and basically couldn't get away from it, no matter where I went. At least I can go indoors if this summer is bad, though not my first choice.


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