The Crafty Campsite: Stone Stove

When it comes to camping, getting crafty with your campsite is a necessity to make sure your trip goes smoothly and comfortably. Whether you have to "Jerry Rig" or "Macgyver" your gear to make your site comfortable, as long as it works, it works! Also it occupies yourself, and/or your kids, and make your campsite unique and fun.

One great example of an interactive and unique campsite activity is a homemade stone stove. While not all geographies allow for a stone stove, most sites in lower mountain and hilly areas do.

First, all you need to do is gather several loads of stones, some buckets of clay/mud, and a little bit of design inspiration. Begin by picking a safe site, slightly level the site, and begin stacking stones. As you stack the stone, wet the clay/mud mixture and begin layering the stones, while allowing enough time for the mortar to dry. As you work your way from the bottom to the top, begin to plan a flat surface for your cooking, above the fire pit. Be sure to add a breather hole in the back of the stove for air circulation to feed the fire. Leave the front of the stove open, for easy access to add wood. As you gain vertical height, begin to enclose the stove in a concave fashion to direct the smoke upwards or away from the campsite. Then, let dry, sit back and enjoy! 

This is a great campsite craft for leisure, survival, or just plain old fun! Great active task for the kids/and or camp buddies! 

And don't forget to disassemble the stove before departure, and return the stones back to their natural habitat so future campers can enjoy the natural resources!