In preparation for our trip to South Toledo Bend State Park, I put together a packing list that covers everything we would need for the few days that we would be there. I like to make packing lists like this in advance of a trip as it saves all the headaches of rushing around at the last minute trying to figure out what we actually need, what a stressful nightmare that is! Over the years I’ve found it’s much more efficient to prep the list well before we even need to begin packing so that we can make sure that everything we need to take is in good working condition and I know exactly where to find it when packing day comes.
Another nice benefit of making these lists is you can take old lists and make small adjustments to them for future trips. Feel free to steal my list and adapt it for your own needs as you may!
What to take on the hiking trails
Clothing and accessories
The clothes you choose to wear make a big difference to the quality of your hike. These are the things that I picked out for our trip to South Toledo Bend State Park:
- Moisture wicking t-shirt
- Lightweight rain-proof jacket
- Comfortable shorts
- Footwear for hiking (hiking boots, etc)
- Sandals
- High quality socks
- Trekking poles
- A durable wristwatch
What to carry in your daypack
To start out with you’ll obviously want a lightweight and durable daypack. These are the essentials that I carry in mine while we head out for a day of adventure and exploration:
- Large reusable water bottle
- National parks guide book
- Dog snacks and treats
- Snacks and protein bars
- Map of South Toledo Bend State Park
- Cell phone (with offline maps downloaded)
- Charging cable for cell phone
- High capacity portable battery
- Essential medication (stored in a waterproof Ziploc bag)
- Bug spray
- Tick repellant spray
- Sunscreen
- UV protecting lip balm
- Sunglasses with polarized lenses
- Hand sanitizing gel
- Restoring hand cream
- Mini first aid kit
- Blister bandages
- Feminine hygiene products
- Flashlight and spare (rechargeable batteries)
- Trash bags
- Dog poo bags
- Toilet bags
- Toilet paper (use the toilet bags to dispose of upon your return to camp)
What to bring for the RV park
South Toledo Bend State Park offers up traditional tent camping, RV pitches and rental cabins. We’re going to be bringing our RV for a balance between affordability and comfort. If you’re camping or cabining your needs might be different, but this is what I condensed our RV packing list down to:
Essentials for comfortable RVing:
Taking your RV with you on a camping trip is great because it’s like your own home away from home. But just like your actual home there are things that you’ll need for everyday use and in an emergency. This is what we’ve got on our packing list for the trip to South Toledo Bend State Park:
- Drinking water hose
- Water pressure regulator
- Electrical adapters
- Extension cables
- Multi-port USB chargers
- Charging cables for phones and tablets (including spares)
- Surge protector
- Motor Oil
- Transmission fluid
- Lightweight folding shovel
- Toilet plunger (essential!)
- Chemicals for the toilet
- RV toilet paper
- Duct tape (you’d be surprised the situations this will get you out of)
- Electrical tape (same deal as the duct tape, but for your electrics)
- Waterproof document bag (for reservations, drivers license, registration etc)
- Fire extinguisher
- Fire blankets
- First aid kit
- Tire repair kit
- Tire pressure gauge
- High capacity tire changing jack
- Jumper cables
- Leveling jacks
- Wheel chocks
- Spare cotter pins
- Headlamp (especially useful for hands free motor repair in an emergency)
Kitchen and cooking supplies
Besides food and snacks for your trip (which is pretty subjective per family, so we won’t go into it here) you’ll need some supplies for preparing and cooking meals. This is what we’ve equipped our RV with:
- Eating utensils (knives, forks, spoons etc)
- Kitchen knives
- Heatproof silicone tipped tongs
- Metal barbecue skewers
- Gas powered camping stove (and gas to power it)
- Portable charcoal grill
- Barbecue charcoal (small bag)
- Can opener
- Wood chopping board
- Cast iron griddle
- Large stainless steel pot
- Plastic dishes (plates, bowls etc)
- Plastic tumblers
- Enamel coffee mugs
- Eco friendly dish soap
- Dish drying towels
- Dish washing sponges
- Paper towels
- Paper napkins
- Kitchen cleaner spray
- Disinfecting wipes
- Garbage bags
- Styrofoam cooler
- Tupperware food storage containers
- Ziploc plastic bags (in different sizes)
- Plastic food wrap
