Hanging out around a bright-burning campfire is one of the pinnacles of a great camping trip experience. You might decide to keep a campfire going all night while you sleep or just long enough to tell a few spooky tales before you turn in to your tents.
In either case, you’ll want to have a good estimate of how much firewood to keep your fire going. Not enough firewood will cut your campfire outing too short but too much firewood means less room in the car for packing other supplies.
How Much Firewood Is In a Bundle?
Typically, one bundle of firewood is equal to about 4-5 sticks of wood. One stick of firewood is a log of wood that is 4-5 inches in circumference and about 12-14 inches long.
When it comes to how long wood will keep your campfire burning brightly, two factors to consider are the type of wood you’re using and the size of your campfire.
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How Much Firewood Do I Need?
For an average sized fire that is about 3 to 4 feet in diameter, you will need anywhere from 1-2 bundles of firewood for every two hours. The longer the fire lasts, the faster the wood seems to be used up.
In the table below, you’ll see how many bundles of firewood you will need to keep your fire burning by the hour. You can also see how many nights your wood will last based on normal campfire estimates (3-4 feet in diameter).
| Campfire Duration | Firewood Required |
|---|---|
| 2 hours | 1-2 bundles (4-10 sticks of wood) |
| 4 hours | 3-5 bundles (12-25 sticks of wood) |
| 6 hours | 5-7 (25-35 sticks of wood) |
*These estimates are from our personal experience and will vary based on many factors, as stated above.
Camping Tip
Always bring more firewood than you need. If you have extra firewood at the end of your outing, you can leave it for the next campers.
Buying the Right Type of Firewood
Hard, dense wood will burn longer than light, soft wood. When choosing between the bundles of firewood, try to grab the heavier bundles. This is usually a good indication that the wood contained in the bundle is dense and will be a better value for your money, overall.
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How to Gather Firewood Around Your Campsite
Gathering firewood is a great way to do some exploring around the campsite. Here are some tips to consider when gathering firewood.
Tip 1: Start gathering around the campsite well before sunset. You don’t want to get caught out away from your campsite in the dark without any firewood to show for it.
Tip 2: Open areas where the sun shines through is a good place to start looking for dry firewood. There are also some dead trees to hack your way through in these areas.
Tip 3: Make sure you are keeping track of where you’re going and which way the campsite is. It can be easy to get lost while concentrating on the ground while walking and not keeping track of your path.
Tip 4: Wear gloves and thick-clothed sleeves to avoid splinters and cuts from bare wood.