Camping Made Easy : A Manual for Beginners With Tips for the Experienced - by Michael Rutter
Basics -- and a bit more -- of the equipment, supplies, and the techniques for their use in the outdoors are presented in this guide. Family camping is explored in a complete chapter and also within sections on camping while backpacking, canoeing, and mountain-biking. The special equipment needed for canoeing and mountain-biking is also discussed. Rutter advises on the related activities of fishing, teaching a child to fish, and wildlife watching. This is a comprehensive guide to camping that should satisfy many questions on the subject of camping.

Roughing It Easy/a Unique Ideabook for Camping and Cooking - by Dian Thomas
Practical and down to earth suggestions for real families, who use the local supermarket for their supplies. Thomas reassures you that you don't have to be a super jock camper or a back packer to enjoy the outdoors in comfort, or with small children. With more than one million copies of previous editions sold, this proven, bestselling guide to having fun in the great outdoors provides an all-in-one tool that shows what readers need to know about campsites, fire-building, cooking, backpacking, winter camping, and more. Not meant for those already outfitted with luxury campers/trailers and already in possession of "camping comforts" accessories -- but excellent tips for those who cannot afford or do not have the space for a full camping gear arsenal.

Woodall's the Campground Directory 2002 : For North America by Woodalls (Editor)
This directory is the camping and RV industry's most widely used and respected, known for its accurate information and up-to-date, reliable rating system. Over 15,000 government and privately operated facilities are listed, including RV service centers and attractions. Not meant for tenting - but excellent resource for all other forms of camping. This is an excellent guide to commercial RV parks, but there are quite a few public campgrounds not listed.

Coleman National Forest Campground and Recreation Directory : The Only Complete Guide to All National Forest Campgrounds
There are over 4,300 National Forest campgrounds across the United States. While some are popular and well-known, many are obscure gems, seldom visited. Particularly good for those who don't like to stay in traditional commercial RV parks or campgrounds. This book lists the Forest Service established campsites, grouped by forest and then by region, each forest having a map that allows you to see what sites are in various areas you might be going. All sites have descriptions including facilities, area attractions (fishing, hiking), and price. One reader writes: "In my experience, Forest Service campsites (especially the free ones) are among the best campsites because they are rustic, secluded, often have few if any other people, etc!"

Search Amazon.com For More - It's nearly impossible to bring you links to books specific to all regions because there are so many excellent guides to parks and campgrounds available today. The above directories relate to North America but there are several available targeting geographic regions such as Northern California or Indiana to name a few. Also, if you live elsewhere you'll find several directories for Australia, England, and more! For a guide specific to your region, check out Amazon.com's travel section.

Primitive Wilderness Living and Survival Skills - by John McPherson, Geri McPherson
"If I could carry only one book with me, knowing that my plane was going to crash in the wilderness, this would be the book." Rub two sticks together (the right sticks, the right way) and you can make fire. (Yes. It works.) Dig some clay out of the ground, prepare it, fire it and have a cooking vessel. Take weeds, fur, or bark and make rope. You get the idea. It's all here, written by two men who don't just teach it, they live it!

Be Expert with Map and Compass - by Bjorn Hjellstrom, Newt Heisley (Illustrator)
More than 500,000 copies sold, this updated edition includes everything the beginner needs to know about orienteering: understanding map symbols, traveling by map alone, by compass alone, by map and compass together, traveling in the wilderness, and much more.

Wilderness 911 : A Step-By-Step Guide for Medical Emergencies and Improvised Care in the Backcountry - by Eric A. Weiss
The easy-to-follow format walks you through "Signs and Symptoms" and "Treatment," and notes "When to Worry" signs for a broad spectrum of medical emergencies. "Tricks of the Trade" sidebars offer improvisational techniques, such as closing wounds with dental floss, hair, or duct tape; treating burns or creating an airtight dressing with honey and plastic wrap; relieving mouth bleeding with a tea bag, and many more. This book is ideal for a hiking group with an average first-aid kit on board. It is a good buy: handy, small, packable and would be useful in some First Aid courses.

The Ashley Book of Knots - by Clifford W. Ashley
In this attractive, well-organized archive of more than 3,900 different knots -- presented through 7,000 illustrations -- the art of knot tying lives on, both as a historical reference and a reservoir of handy knowledge.

Backpacker's Start-Up : A Beginner's Guide to Hiking & Backpacking - (Start-Up Sports Series) by Doug Werner
A good start-up manual on the subject of backpacking. Before hitting the trails you'll want to review this book.

Conditioning for Outdoor Fitness: A Comprehensive Training Guide - by David Musnick, Sandy Elliott, Mark, A.T.C. Pierce
Offers a collection of exercises and key aerobic and strength training concepts incorporating functional strength and balance training. Explores how each region of the body works and describes conventional and functional exercises to improve fitness and activity performance for specific sports.

The Mountain Skills Training Handbook - by Pete Hill, Stuart Johnston, Nigel William
The Mountain Skills Training Handbook is written by two of the world's most active instructors and mountaineers and delivers an interactive learning style that enables any readers to master the tricks and techniques of mountain climbing and survival. It will become invaluable for both instructors and enthusiasts.

Caving Basics - by Tom Rea
Stressing safety and conservation, this is an excellent introduction to exploring caves. Includes useful information on gear, maneuvering, first aid, basics of speleology, and more. A good place to begin for the novice cave explorer.

The Complete Walker III : The Joys and Techniques of Hiking and Backpacking - by Colin Fletcher
"According to Colin Fletcher, walking can become an addiction. But it can also be therapy; he sometimes walks "along (a) ridge in order to think uncluttered thoughts or to feel with accuracy, or to sweat away a hangover, or to achieve some other worthy end." His guide touches on the spiritual but also gets down to brass tacks with a grandfather's authority. Heavy with specifics, Fletcher suggests which socks to wear and how to choose a boot based on one of the four available lacing options. He'll tell you how to pack the "house on your back," and he'll even tell you how to walk (yes, there is a proper technique to efficient walking). But Fletcher isn't an academic; his style is soothing and funny. And he'll tell you that above all, you shouldn't take your technique too seriously--walking is supposed to be fun." --Benjamin Tiffany

The Foxfire Book : Hog Dressing, Log Cabin Building, Mountain Crafts and Foods, Planting by the Signs, Snake Lore, Hunting Tales, Faith Healing, Moon - by Eliot Wigginton (Editor)
All 10 books in the Foxfire series focus on Appalachian living, and how Appalachian folks did things before moderization. If you're interested in how things were done before shopping malls and modern conveniences, this is a good place to start.

THE CAMPER'S POCKET HANDBOOK - by John Goll
This compact collection of camping wisdom fits into your pocket or your pack. Take it to the wilderness and read it, refer to it, and use it to help you stay safe, healthy, and comfortable in the great outdoors. The Camper's Pocket Handbook will help you attain what should be the ultimate goal of every wilderness experience - to enjoy it enough to go back and do it again!

Simple Tent Camping : The Basics of Camping from Car or Canoe - by Zora Aiken, David Aiken (Contributor)
Simple Tent Camping is for occasional campers, especially those with families in tow, offering field-tested advice on how to make tent camping more comfortable and enjoyable. Everything from occupying kids on rainy days to dealing with electrical storms is covered. Error-proof checklists are included. The book walks the reader through the steps of buying equipment, planing a trip, setting up a site, cooking food, first aid, and even provides lessons for taking trips by canoe.

Your Home On Wheels, a Beginners Guide to Part Time or Full Time RVing - by Carol Ray
While the author emphasises on fifth wheel travel and use, her book applies to other RV rigs about as well. Chapters loaded with information, tips and stories which will help potential RVers ease into the lifestyle of traveling and living in a Recreational Vehicle. Includes chapters on what it takes to become an RVer, choosing a recreational vehicle, how to equip the RV, what to pack into the RV (from towels to cookware), how to turn the RV into "Home Sweet Home", dealing with finances, communication systems and internet service while on the road. Questionaire for use when joining RV Memberships, Questionaire for Insurance Agents when shopping for insurance, Checklist for both the inside and outside of RV. Lots of photos to visually assist the reader.

Canoeing and Camping : Beyond the Basics - by Cliff Jacobson
Cliff Jacobson reveals how you can: select the equipment that's right for you and customize your canoe and gear for better performance; master key canoeing skills, from paddling portaging, and transporting your canoe, to avoiding common hazards and rescuing and repairing your canoe; apply your canoeing skills when solo canoeing, leading day trips, canoeing with children and pets, or navigating through wilderness; polish your camping skills: learn to fix quick and tasty meals; weather storms; avoid bears, bugs, and other bothersome pests; and plan canoe expeditions.

The Kids Campfire Book - by Jane Drake, A. Drake, Ann Love, Heather Collins (Illustrator)
A wide variety of pertinent topics is included: how to select the right wood for the specific type of fire that is being built; recipes for food to cook over an open fire; games to play; songs, complete with the music and lyrics, to sing; ghost stories for spine-tingling telling; helpful hints for interacting -- or not -- with wildlife and insects; guides to viewing the night sky; and the appropriate gear for sleeping under the stars. Safety precautions and the need for adult supervision and/or assistance are mentioned when necessary. This extensive guidebook will entice young readers to pack up their camping equipment, gather up their friends, and head for the nearest campground -- even if it is only the backyard.

Basic Essentials: Camping, 2nd Edition - by Cliff Jacobson
In the words of Cliff Jacobson, "Skills are more important than things." This new edition is packed with essential information for the camping novice, as well as a quick refresher for the veteran, with an emphasis on the all-important skills. Discover how to select and use your camping gear effectively, build a fire quickly and efficiently, even in wet weather, use the right cutting tools, cook quick and tasty meals in the outdoors, rig a snug camp with four basic knots and hitches, and use a map and compass to master the basics of backcountry navigation. With ample illustrations, it covers camping gear, how to select it and how to use it, including: how to measure a sleeping bag, what kinds of boots to look for, what kinds of packs to use, and what kind of ax is handy. Easy-to-use and portable, this book should be in every backpack.

Amc Guide to Winter Camping : Wilderness Travel and Adventure in the Cold-Weather Months - by Stephen Gorman
Revised and updated, this AMC classic covers the essentials of staying warm and safe in the winter. This guide is a must-have for hikers, skiers, snowshoers, mountaineers, and snowboarders. Topics include: Gear selection, from tents and clothing to stoves and sleds Updated sections on backcountry skiing and ski mountaineering Travel tips for skiing, hiking and snowshoeing, including navigation and ice travel. Winter safety: weather and health, injury prevention, and hypothermia Making camp: site selection, tents, snow caves, and snow houses.

Trail Food: Drying and Cooking Food for Backpacking and Paddling - by Alan S. Kesselheim
Healthy and nutritious food for backpackers, paddlers, and adventurers. The outdoors person's complete guide to drying, preserving and preparing lightweight foods. Over 50 field-tested recipes emphasize fresh, healthful, and delicious dishes that can be prepared quickly and easily.

The Kids' Nature Book : 365 Indoor/Outdoor Activities and Experiences - by Susan Milord, Susan Williamson (Editor)
This excellent nature-teaching book includes activity suggestions for every day of the year. Activities are organized on a day-by-day basis, corresponding to the different seasons. For example, in fall kids are painting with leaves, watching birds fly south, and creating projects with apples; in spring, they observe green life under the snow and plant seeds which they can tend into fall. It is the perfect book with which to cultivate a life-long love for nature in children living in a world of rapid environmental change.

CAMPFIRE SONGS, 3rd Edition - by Irene Maddox (Editor), Rosalyn Blankenship (Editor), Rosalyn Cobb (Editor)
Perfect for the guitar, here's a songbook which includes over 100 songs sure to bring back childhood memories, and inspire new warm memories while gathered around the fire. Songs are divided into about a half dozen categories such as "Spirituals and Gospel Hymns", "American Folk Songs and Rounds", etc. Easy chord changes make these songs particularly fun to play.

Toasting Marshmallows: Camping Poems - by Kristine O'Connell George, Kate Kiesler (Illustrator)
Don't have a guitar? Don't like to sing? Here's a possible alternative to keep young spirits bright around the fire -- and restir those warm memories at home after the trip. "George has captured the sights, sounds -- and silences that are part of camping. With humor and joy, the camping experience -- from setting up the tent to listening to an owl --is illuminated and enhanced by the words in this delightful book of poems."

Traveling with Your Pet: The AAA Petbook - by America Automobile Association (Editor)
Most of the book reads like any standard travel book. Arranged alphabetically by state, you'll find hotels in both small towns and major cities, with a list of icons showing what amenities you can expect. Dog owners will appreciate the list of off-leash dog parks throughout the U.S., which includes rules for national parks and forests. There are also listings for national public lands in the US and Canada that allow pets as well as a listing of emergency vet clinics by states.

Handbook Of Knots - by Des Pawson
Need a secure loop tied in the middle of a rope during your next camping trip? Bowline on the Bight to the rescue. Lash a canoe firmly in place atop your car? A clove hitch, maybe, though the smart move is to add one more loop to create the nearly immovable constrictor knot. Each knot is presented with step-by-step photos and concise instructions, and even the novice will be able to whip out surgeon's knots and Italian hitches before they know it. The chapter on braiding will be especially appreciated by home crafters.

Shelters, Shacks, and Shanties - by Noel Perrin, Daniel Carter Beard
D. C. Beard explains how to construct a variety of worry-free shelters appropriate to a natural environment that is by turns both friendly and foreboding. Included are a sod house for the lawn, a treetop house, over-water camps, and an American log cabin. Fully recognizing that the outdoorsman builds a shelter with the intention of inhabiting it, Beard explains how to build hearths and chimneys, notched log ladders, and even how to rig secret locks.