💧 Camping Water Calculator
Never run dry — or lug more than you need. Enter your group size, trip length, and conditions to see the total water in litres and gallons, what it weighs, and whether to carry it all or plan a resupply.
💧 Water needed
That's more than your group can reasonably carry (about 12 L). Plan to refill and treat water along the way rather than hauling it all.
Water is the heaviest thing you carry, so a filter or purifier plus a map of reliable sources usually beats carrying days of water from the trailhead. Always carry enough to reach the next known source with a margin.
Water is heavy — plan around it
At a kilogram a litre, water is almost always the single heaviest thing in your pack or vehicle. For car camping that barely matters — bring a generous jug. On foot it changes everything: the art is carrying just enough to reach the next reliable source, then filtering or treating a top-up there.
Whatever the trip, build in a margin. Sources dry up, filters clog, and hot days drink more than you expect, so plan for a little more than the calculator shows and you'll rarely be caught short.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How much water does one person need per day when camping?
A common planning figure is 3 to 4 litres (about 1 gallon) per person per day for drinking, cooking, and a little cleanup in mild conditions. Hot weather, high altitude, or strenuous hiking can push that to 6 litres or more. Children, dogs, and dish-heavy cooking all add to the total, so round up rather than down.
Should I carry all my water or plan to resupply?
It depends on weight. Water weighs almost exactly 1 kg per litre, so a couple of days' supply for a group quickly becomes impractical to carry. As a rule of thumb, beyond about 6 litres per person it's smarter to carry less and refill at reliable sources along the way, treating it as you go, than to haul the whole trip's water from the start.
How do I make found water safe to drink?
Filter or purify any water from streams, lakes, or taps you don't trust. A pump or squeeze filter removes protozoa and bacteria; chemical drops or tablets and UV pens add virus protection; and boiling for a minute works anywhere. Match the method to the risk and always carry a backup, because a clogged or frozen filter can leave you stranded without safe water.
Does this include water for washing and dishes?
The 3–4 litre figure covers drinking, cooking, and light cleanup, but not showers, big wash-ups, or filling a basin. If you plan to wash properly or cook water-heavy meals, add a litre or two per person per day. Car campers with a big jug can be generous; backpackers counting every gram keep cleanup minimal.
How should I store and carry it?
For car camping, rigid 10–20 litre jugs or collapsible containers are easy to refill and pour. For hiking, split the load across bottles and a bladder so a single failure doesn't lose all your water, and keep at least one wide-mouth bottle for mixing drinks and scooping from shallow sources. Insulate bottles in freezing conditions so they don't turn to ice.