Motorcycle Camping in the Rain: Pick Safe Ground, Sleep Dry and Pack Up Wet Gear

To stay dry and safe when motorcycle camping in the rain, camp on ground that drains and never beside streams or in washes, keep one set of clothes and your sleeping bag dry no matter what, ventilate the tent to cut condensation, and cook outside the tent. Watch yourself for the signs of hypothermia: it can happen above 40°F (4°C) when you are wet.

This guide is part of our motorcycle camping guide. For the tent routine in any weather, see tent camping on a motorcycle.

Key takeaways- Low ground next to a stream can flood while you sleep. Pick higher ground that drains.- There is no safe place outside, including a tent, when thunderstorms are near.- Condensation is not a leak. Airflow is the best fix.- Never run a stove inside the tent, even with the door open.- Shivering, fumbling hands and confusion are warning signs of hypothermia.

Check the forecast: when to skip the campsite

Light rain is a comfort problem. Floods and lightning are safety problems.

• Flash floods. Rain miles away can turn a quiet stream into a torrent in minutes. The National Weather Service says not to camp or park along streams and washes when conditions are threatening, and to take extra care at night.
• Thunderstorms. The NWS lightning safety page says there is no safe place outside when thunderstorms are in the area. Substantial buildings and hard-topped vehicles are safe; small shelters are not. A tent is not a substantial building.

If storms or flood warnings are forecast for your camp, a motel or a cabin is the safe call. Ride there early rather than late.

Pick ground that drains

Choose the site before the rain starts if you can. The National Park Service advises level ground that is not a low place, and avoiding low and sunken spots that get very wet in rain. Stay away from ravines that might flood.

Look for:

• slightly raised ground where water runs away from the tent, not toward it
• no channels or flattened grass that show where water ran last time
• firm ground for the side stand, which softens as it gets wet
• no dead branches overhead; wind often comes with the rain

If you use a footprint or tarp under the tent, fold any excess under. A tarp sticking out beyond the floor collects rain and channels it under you. Our guide to choosing a motorcycle camping site has a full site check.

Pitch fast and keep the inside dry

Practice your pitch at home so you can do it quickly in the wet. If your tent can be pitched rainfly-first, do that so the inner stays dry. Keep the rainfly taut, so it sheds water and carries condensation down to the ground.

A small tarp over the cooking area, set up first, gives you a dry place to unload and to work. Face its open side away from the wind.

Condensation or a leak?

Wet patches inside the tent are often condensation, not a leak. Warm, moist air from your breath and from wet gear meets the cold fly and turns to droplets.

Airflow is the most effective way to reduce condensation. Keep wet riding gear out of the inner tent; the vestibule is the place for it.

Cook outside the tent, always

Rain makes the vestibule tempting. Don't. Camp stoves, heaters, lanterns and grills should never be used inside a tent or enclosed shelter, and opening doors or windows is not enough to stop carbon monoxide building up. Cook under a tarp in the open air, or eat a no-cook meal.

Keep a dry set, no matter what

Pick one set of clothes and your sleeping bag and keep them dry, even if everything else gets soaked. Pack them in a dry bag inside your luggage. Put them on only in the tent, and change back into wet riding gear in the morning.

Your sleeping bag's fill matters here. Most down bags won't insulate when wet, while synthetic bags perform better in wet conditions and dry faster. Our lightweight motorcycle camping gear comparison covers the trade-off.

Know the signs of hypothermia

The CDC says hypothermia can happen at cool temperatures above 40°F if you are wet from rain, sweat or cold water.

Warning signs in adults: shivering, exhaustion, confusion, fumbling hands, memory loss, slurred speech and drowsiness. Hypothermia is a medical emergency. If someone shows these signs, get them somewhere warm, remove wet clothing and warm the center of the body first; do not give alcohol, and get medical help.

On a solo trip, check yourself. Fumbling with a zipper or a buckle is a reason to stop, change into dry clothes and warm up. Our solo motorcycle camping guide covers leaving a trip plan so someone knows where you are.

The video below, from a rider who travels full time by motorcycle, covers picking high ground, keeping gear off the tent walls, hypothermia and packing a wet tent. His advice to pick high ground and to get wet people dry matches this page; for the medical steps, follow the CDC.

Pack up wet without soaking everything

• Pack the fly and the inner tent in separate bags, so the wet fly does not soak the inner.
• Strap the wet tent outside your dry luggage, or in its own waterproof bag.
• Dry the tent as soon as you can, in the sun if possible.
• Stop and check the load after the first few miles, then regularly, in case wet straps have worked loose.

A jacket under the rain gear

Your riding jacket is part of staying warm on a wet morning. If you are shopping for one, look at Leather Collection motorcycle jackets.

FAQ

How much rain is too much for camping?

The amount matters less than the type of storm. Skip the campsite when thunderstorms are near, because there is no safe place outside, or when flash flooding is possible near streams and washes.

What is the 200 rule for camping?

Camp at least 200 feet from lakes and streams. In wet weather, also stay off low ground next to streams, which can flood while you sleep.