Tarp Shelters
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What you will learn
- 1Name the parts of a tarp shelter
- 2Rig a ridgeline between two trees with a grown-up
- 3Choose an A-frame for rain and a lean-to for wind
- 4Stake out the corners tight so rain runs off
Mini Lesson
A tarp is a big sheet of waterproof cloth with loops at the edges. With a rope and a few stakes, it becomes a quick roof against rain, wind and sun. It is light to carry and fast to put up. In this lesson you learn two tarp shapes and when to use each one. You always pitch a tarp with a grown-up helping you.
🌿 The Wild Way (a roof from one sheet)
- SAFE SPOT: use your Grade 4 camp rules - high ground, no dead branches overhead, and well back from the water’s edge.
- RIDGELINE: tie a rope tight between two trees, about chest height. This is the backbone of the shelter.
- A-FRAME FOR RAIN: hang the tarp over the middle of the ridgeline so both sides slope down, like a roof.
- LEAN-TO FOR WIND: tie one long edge along the ridgeline and stake the other edge low, with the low side toward the wind.
- STAKE IT TIGHT: tie a guy line to each corner loop and pull it tight to a stake. A tight tarp sheds rain.
- GROUND SHEET: lay a second sheet on the ground under the roof to keep you off the wet soil.
Small checks that keep you dry
- NO SAGS: a saggy tarp makes puddles on top. Tighten the guy lines until the cloth is smooth.
- TUCK THE GROUND SHEET: keep it inside the roof edge, so rain does not run onto it.
- SLANT THE STAKES: push each stake in at a slant, leaning away from the tarp, so it holds when pulled.
- CHECK AGAIN: after wind or rain, walk around and re-tighten any loose lines.
Pitch every tarp with a grown-up, who checks the trees and the spot. Look up for dead branches before you choose two trees, and never tie to a dead or wobbly tree. Guy lines are easy to trip over in the dark, so walk around them slowly. Never put a tarp shelter near a campfire - the adult decides where the fire goes.
Words to know
tarp
A big waterproof sheet with loops at the edges, used as a roof.
e.g. We hung the tarp over the ridgeline before the rain came.
ridgeline
A tight rope tied between two trees that holds up the tarp.
e.g. My grown-up helped me tie the ridgeline at chest height.
A-frame
A tarp shape with two sloping sides, like a roof, best for rain.
e.g. The A-frame kept us dry all night.
lean-to
A tarp shape with one side high and one side low, best for wind.
e.g. We pitched a lean-to with the low side toward the wind.
guy line
A rope from a tarp corner to a stake that holds the tarp tight.
e.g. I tightened the guy line so the tarp stopped flapping.
ground sheet
A sheet laid on the ground under a shelter to keep you dry.
e.g. The ground sheet kept the wet soil off our sleeping bags.
🧠 Survivor’s Trick: tie a short piece of string to the ridgeline at each end of the tarp and let it hang down. Rain running along the rope drips off the string instead of sliding under your roof.
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