Camp on the high side, not the low

Yes, you can avoid flooding by reading the terrain like water would.

The first thing to look for is the high-water mark from previous storms. Dried mud on grass, flattened weeds, a line of debris like twigs and leaves—that’s nature’s flood gauge. Camp well above that line, not right at it.

Dry creek beds are a trap. They look like a nice flat spot. They are a river waiting to happen. Even a gentle depression can funnel runoff from a thunderstorm miles away. Rain doesn’t need to fall on your head to flood you out.

Look for a slight rise with good drainage—gravelly or sandy soil drains fast, clay turns into a bathtub. Avoid the bottom of a valley or the base of a slope where water will converge. A spot on a gentle ridge or a bench halfway up the hill is usually safe.

Watch out for that one tree in an open field. It might not flood, but lightning will find it. That’s a separate problem.

Better to carry your gear an extra fifty feet uphill than wake up floating.