Memorial Day has come, and while not the official start to summer, mentally and socially the season has begun. I kicked off my summer season by experiencing the wonders of Moab, Utah. I camped at a primitive BLM campground, interloped through a hippie festival camping village and enjoyed the amenities of a plush RV park. Preparing my list of things to bring seemed longer than the Appalachian Trail. I stuffed the vehicle with what looked like a cord of wood into every nook and cranny not occupied by bulging coolers of ice, gallons of water, and let's not forget my own personal necessities like the phone charger, the June issues of every fashion periodical, and a hair dryer backed up by a 1600-watt Jensen converter box.

Camping unprepared can be a disaster. So why would we go without knowing the etiquette of camping? We camp to get away from it all and, ironically, we put ourselves in an environment where we all share one toilet (if we're lucky) and often sleep near strangers, separated by only a nylon barrier. Here are some camping rules of etiquette, based on experience and common sense, that will keep you and fellow campers singing Kumbaya.

Aside from the posted rules specific to each campground there are several unwritten rules to observe.

• Setting up camp: Camp in designated areas and respect the boundaries of campsites and communal space. While stopping to read the site map or searching on foot for the perfect site, turn off your engine. When arriving after quiet hours, set up the minimum necessary for the night as stealthily as possible.

• Keeping up appearances: 50 mph gusts sent our neighbor's tent and chairs crashing into our site, damaging equipment and ultimately ending up in the river. Between coolers, chairs, tents and frying pans, campsites hold an enormous amount of gear. Keep your site tidy by containing and securing your personal effects, especially if you will be out all day. Don't leave food or food scraps out attracting ants or other larger, furry appetites.

• When nature calls: While taking a walk I came upon a stream of toilet paper stuck to a tree which made me stinking mad. Leave no trace when using the loo and when "No. 2" calls, take a number of steps away from campsites.

• Pet peeves: One time while camping, my boyfriend's dog nipped the camp host. We were asked to provide proof of vaccinations and to leave immediately with no second chance. Don't let the dogs out until they have been thoroughly socialized and trained at home. Like humans, pets should leave no trace when nature calls.

• Playing with fire: We managed to burn up a only dish towel rather than a national forest. Learn what type of fire, if any, is permitted at your site and don't leave it unattended. Where applicable, reuse an existing firepit. Aluminum, glass and Styrofoam should not be burned. Thoroughly extinguish your fire! Consider laying the wood for a fire for the next campers as a welcome surprise.

• Love thy neighbor: Never cut through someone else's campsite, even if it means walking out of your way. Be aware of how your voice and music carry. If neighbors look like they are struggling to set up a tent, see if you can help. Observe quiet hours and if your crew is the type to party till sunrise, pick a campground that meets those needs.

• Litterbugs: Pack it in, pack it out. When departing, wipe down picnic tables of crumbs, empty fire pots of any food remnants or materials that did not burn and pick up every tiny piece of foreign material. The general rule should be to leave the site in better condition than you found it.

Camp as if you are a guest in someone's home. You wouldn't walk through someone's room without asking, play the stereo until 3 a.m., drop trash on the floors nor burn the house down. Bringing the appropriate gear and observing some common-sense rules makes for happy campers.

Bizia Greene is founder of the Etiquette School of Santa Fe. Contact her at www.etiquettesantafe.com">www.etiquettesantafe.com or 988-2070.