A camping getaway is a fantastic way to spend Thanksgiving with loved ones and make new memories in the great outdoors. Preparing and enjoying a Thanksgiving meal is a little different when camping, but that’s part of the fun.
Why Camp on Thanksgiving?
Camping is the perfect way to spend a Thanksgiving holiday because it offers:
- A unique experience in the great outdoors: Camping helps you step out of the ordinary and create new, unique traditions with friends and family. Rather than gathering around the kitchen table, you can dine at a picnic table surrounded by beautiful foliage.
- Rest and relaxation: Camping lets you escape your everyday life, helping you feel more relaxed. Let a crackling fire, birdsong and fresh forest air make the holiday special.
- Refreshing simplicity: Camping is an opportunity to enjoy a simpler, more relaxing Thanksgiving gathering. You can plan your meal to be as basic or elaborate as you want and bask in the joy of cooking in nature.
- Greater family connection: Something about the outdoors brings people closer together. At home, your family might watch a football game, scroll on social media or take a nap after dinner. When you camp, you and your loved ones have more opportunities to connect. Hiking trails, games and campfire stories invite everyone to enjoy each other’s company.
Pre-Trip Planning Essentials
Here are some top tips for planning a Thanksgiving camping trip:
Choose the Best Location
The weather is crisper around Thanksgiving, so consider your location options before booking a trip. Some camping locations close for the season, but many are open year-round. You might want to camp in a warmer location or embrace the full beauty of fall in a cooler state.
Camping also makes it easy to include out-of-state family in your holiday plans. Think about how far you want to drive, who you want to invite and typical regional climates before deciding on a destination.
Book a Campsite Early
Fall is a popular camping season, especially in foliage-rich areas and warmer regions. Booking a campsite early ensures you get a site for your holiday vacation.
Invite Guests in Advance
Whether you want to invite a large group or keep your holiday low-key, let your loved ones know as early as possible. This way, everyone has time to organize enough food and drinks and find the right lodging.
Turkey Cooking Methods
No matter how you cook the turkey at your campsite, aim for an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit in the thickest part of the turkey’s breast. Bring a reliable food thermometer for easy monitoring.
Grilling
Grilling a turkey over the campfire results in a tender, juicy bird with a delectable smoky flavor. Burn a fire until you have a bed of hot embers, and place your seasoned turkey on a stable grill grate. Baste and rotate the turkey at 15- to 20-minute intervals to ensure even cooking. You can also use a motorized campfire rotisserie spit over your grate for steadier, continuous rotation.
If you want to cook your bird in a portable pellet grill, grill it over indirect medium-high heat. For charcoal and gas grills, you will need to create an indirect heat zone for even cooking.
- On a charcoal grill, you can pile coals on one side and place a roasting pan with your turkey on the unlit side.
- On a gas grill, you can turn one side of the grill on and cook the turkey in a roasting pan on the side that is off.
Grill for approximately 12-15 minutes per pound until the turkey reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Dutch Oven Cooking
You can also use a camp-style cast-iron Dutch oven with legs and a flanged lid to cook your turkey. First, let a fire burn down until you have a bed of glowing embers. Next, place charcoal briquettes in the fire until they glow and develop a layer of gray ash.
Place your turkey on a layer of chopped vegetables or a roasting rack to elevate it from the bottom of the oven. Leave half of your coals under the Dutch oven and place the other half on top of the oven’s flanged lid. Most turkeys take approximately 13 minutes per pound to cook in a Dutch oven, but the total time can vary.
Replace the coals about halfway through to maintain heat and rotate the Dutch oven a quarter turn every 15 to 20 minutes for even cooking.
Spatchcocking
Whether you cook your turkey over the campfire, in a portable grill or in a Dutch oven, spatchcocking allows for more even cooking. This method flattens the turkey, resulting in crispier skin and juicier meat.
To spatchcock your turkey, remove its backbone with shears and then flip the turkey so that it is breast-side up. Press on the breastbone until the wishbone cracks and the turkey lies flat. Tuck the wing tips under the turkey’s body to prevent burning, and season the bird as desired.
Cooking Separate Parts
If you want an easier cooking method or plan to host a small group, consider cooking only the breasts or legs of a turkey. This allows for a faster, more even cooking process. But don’t forget – Thanksgiving leftovers make for some good eatin’ too. Take leftover turkey breast to make savory turkey sandwiches.
Creating Your Thanksgiving Menu
Once you decide how you want to cook the turkey, you can choose the perfect side dishes. Here are some ideas for camping-friendly Thanksgiving bites:
Vegetables
Vegetables are a Thanksgiving staple. Here are some ideas you can add to your meal:
- Foil-pack veggies: Wrap veggies in foil packs and cook them over the fire for a quick, delicious and healthy side dish. Veggie foil packs can contain potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, broccoli or a medley of your favorites with a delicious seasoning.
- Skillet green beans: Sauté green beans with onions, garlic and mushrooms in a cast-iron skillet. You can use a cast-iron skillet on a camp stove or directly over your fire.
- Grilled corn: Throw some corn on the cob on the grill for a classic camping favorite.
- Sweet potatoes: Who said veggies can’t be sweet? Cook sweet potatoes in the campfire with marshmallows for a camping twist on a Thanksgiving classic.
Dutch Oven Stuffing
Prepare your usual stuffing recipe and cook it in a Dutch oven. Stuffed turkeys take a little extra time to cook, so cooking your stuffing separately can help you save time. This is an excellent option if you are grilling your turkey because it frees up your Dutch oven for a side dish.
Cold Dishes
Cold dishes are some of the easiest dishes to make because you can mix or prepare them before your trip starts. Add these deliciously simple sides to your menu:
- Cranberry sauce: Cranberry sauce is a quick dish you can make ahead of time and keep chilled until you are ready to use it.
- Spinach salad: Spinach salad is another fast, simple side dish you can prepare before your trip. Add fruit and a vinaigrette dressing for a sweet version or almonds and dried cranberries for a special Thanksgiving-themed salad. You can also use chopped veggies, such as carrots, red onions and cucumbers, for a classic salad.
Campfire Skillet Cornbread
Mix your favorite cornmeal batter and pour it into a hot skillet for a buttery, crumbly comfort food. Similar to the skillet green beans, you can cook this on a camp stove or over the campfire.
Creating a Festive Campsite Atmosphere
Make your campsite feel extra festive and cozy with these features:
- String lights: String lights create a warm, inviting glow after the sun goes down.
- Pumpkins: Pumpkins make great centerpieces for the table, and you can line them up on the steps of your cabin or RV for the ultimate autumn touch.
- Pinecones: Place pinecones around your table for a beautiful, natural touch.
- Comfortable chairs: Comfy camping chairs are perfect for kicking back and relaxing after a delicious meal. Provide enough chairs so each guest has a nice place to sit around the campfire.
Smart Preparation, Serving and Cleanup Solutions
Use the following tips to make your Thanksgiving preparation, serving and cleanup quick and easy:
Prepare Ingredients and Side Dishes in Advance
Cut your veggies, mix ingredients and marinate your turkey before arriving at your campsite. You can store food items in plastic storage bags or reusable containers for quick, easy access. This makes it easier to put your turkey over the fire or prepare your side dishes when you are ready.
Cook a favorite side or stew ahead, freeze it and put it in the cooler. You can then pull it out and heat it up for a quick, low-prep dish.
Simplify Serving and Leftovers
Make serving and leftover packing easy with these ideas:
- Set up a self-serve station: Create a buffet-style serving station where guests can fill their plates. This leaves your gathering tables clear for decorations and easier conversation.
- Use foil containers for leftovers: Take foil containers to store leftovers and make some delicious camping dinners. Hearty campfire hash and turkey sandwiches make great post-holiday meals.
- Ask guests to bring reusable containers: To reduce waste, ask your guests to bring their own containers for leftovers. This makes it easy to send food home with loved ones.
Make Cleanup a Breeze
Spend less time scrubbing and more time chatting with your friends and family. Here are some tips to simplify your cleanup process:
- Set up an efficient washing station: Use separate bins to wash, rinse and store dishes. You can also hang dishes in mesh bags to air dry. Place a large trash bin next to the washing station so everyone can scrape their food scraps into a bag before washing.
- Double-bag your trash bin: If you have a large group, your trash bin may fill quickly. Line it with two or three bags so one is ready to go each time the bin fills up.
- Use paper plates and plasticware: Plasticware and paper plates reduce the number of dishes to wash, which is a great option for larger groups.
- Line pans with foil: Line each pan you use with heavy-duty foil to reduce stuck-on food and minimize scrubbing.
Creating Thanksgiving Traditions
A camping trip is a fantastic time to create new Thanksgiving traditions with your friends and family. Consider adding these fun activities to your trip:
- Sunrise cinnamon rolls: Kick off Thanksgiving Day with a sweet cinnamon roll breakfast around the campfire. Make it extra fun by snapping a goofy “bedhead breakfast” group photo.
- New family recipe add-ons: Each year, try a new recipe to add to your camping cookbook.
- Best bite awards: If you have a potluck Thanksgiving, you can hand out creative awards such as “Most Fantastic Flavor,” “Crunch King” or “Coziest Side.”
- Secret turkey: Similar to “Secret Santa,” your family can draw names and do stealthy acts of kindness for each other.
- S’mores for dessert: No camping trip is complete without gooey, crunchy s’mores. Try roasting marshmallows over dancing flames when your group is ready for dessert.
- A gratitude circle around the fire: Invite everyone to gather around a warm, glowing campfire and share what they are most thankful for.
- Campfire stories: After sharing gratitude, you and your loved ones can take turns telling fun stories. Whether you tell spooky tales, make up silly, creative stories, or talk about favorite moments from the past year, this is a great time to connect with your favorite people.
Plan a Cozy Thanksgiving Gathering at Kampgrounds of America
Nothing beats the fresh air, crackling fire and warm moments of a camping trip. Make your Thanksgiving extra special with a cheerful meal surrounded by nature and the ones you love most. KOA locations throughout North America offer Camping Cabins, Deluxe Cabins, RV Sites, Tent Sites and unique lodging for unforgettable camping adventures.
Each KOA offers unique activities, convenient amenities, and excellent service for a fun, comfortable stay. With over 500 locations across the U.S. and Canada, you can find the perfect KOA Campground for your next holiday.
Reserve a stay at KOA to plan a memorable Thanksgiving adventure!
About the Author: Kampgrounds of America
Kampgrounds of America is the largest system of open-to-the-public campgrounds in the world, with over 500 locations across the United States and Canada. Founded in Billings, MT in 1962, KOA’s family of campground brands – KOA Journey, KOA Holiday and KOA Resort – today serve more than a million camping families each year. KOA is dedicated to “connecting people to the outdoors and each other” by providing people with a variety of camping experiences and the information they need to make the most of their camping trip. Read more of their camping and travel resources by visiting KOA.com/blog.
