An encampment is a temporary place where people set up tents or shelters to live for a while. When Lewis and Clark explored the western United States in the early 1800s, they created a new encampment almost every night, pitching tents near rivers and posting guards before sleeping. When armies travel, they establish encampments where soldiers can rest, eat, and prepare for the next day's march.

Encampment usually suggests something more organized than just a few friends camping in the backyard. A scout troop might set up an encampment for a weekend retreat, with multiple tents arranged around a central fire pit and cooking area. Historical reenactors create encampments that show how soldiers or settlers lived centuries ago.

During the California Gold Rush of 1849, miners established rough encampments near rivers where they hoped to find gold, living in tents and simple wooden structures until they either struck it rich or moved on. These temporary communities could last weeks or even months. The word captures that sense of people gathering together in one spot, making do with temporary shelter while they're away from permanent homes.