Spending time with nature is one of the best things we can do to help cope with coronavirus stress. Fortunately, experts say that camping is one of the safest forms of recreation during the COVID-19 crisis.

On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the riskiest activity, camping scored a 3. But camping is not entirely without risks, and Dr. Matthew Sims, director of infectious disease research at Beaumont Health in Michigan, outlines safety measures to bear in mind when planning a camping trip.

According to CNN Travel, one of the big pluses about camping is that you are outdoors. "We have very little evidence of outdoor transmission. It's not zero — there are definitely cases reported — but it's much, much lower than inside," Gretchen Snoeyenbos Newman, an infectious disease physician at the University of Washington, told The Washington Post.

Sims advises camping solo or limiting your group to family members since interaction with others raises your risk of catching the virus. You should also avoid gatherings such as singing around a campfire because that aerosolizes the virus, he said.

Campfires can also be smoky and cause coughing, which helps spread the virus. Sharing food increases your risk, he tells CNN Travel so "if you make a big pot of stew and everyone goes and takes from the same pot using the same utensils and ladle, that's a risk."

The Minnesota state park system has put together excellent safe camping tips, and the California Department of Parks and Recreation also has helpful advice:

• Bring your own cleaning and personal hygiene equipment, including disinfectants, paper towels, and toilet paper.
• Practice social distancing by setting up your campsite away from others.
• Follow all the campground rules, including wearing a mask in public areas and putting camp equipment back in its proper place.
• Avoid contact sports and trails that will bring you into close and potentially dangerous proximity of others.