Please read this carefully: using the wrong wood to cook over can lead to a night of miserable sickness. Trial and error is not the preferred method to determine which woods work best. Take a minute to read this and save a night of sleep.
Where allowed, gathering firewood can be a fun part of the camping experience, and there are a lot of articles out there about different types of wood and their properties. But when the wood is being used to cook over, there are a few extra knowledge bombs that can prevent sleepless nights, upset stomachs, and looking lost.
Only gather wood where it's permitted. No one wants an encounter with law enforcement on a camping trip. And law enforcement would rather not have to have that encounter either. Keep it low key, check ahead of time, and if it's not permitted, bring your own wood. If you're traveling far, set up camp and go get some firewood from a local shop. This plan saves space when packing and can prevent spreading invasive insects to new areas.
Know how much wood is needed. Remember this one: an armful of firewood lasts about 45 minutes. Refer to the earlier article about getting the right sizes of firewood.
DO NOT USE WOOD FROM CONIFEROUS TREES. Unless in the pacific northwest, do not use wood from any cone bearing tree. The wood contains toxins that will absolutely ruin a meal.
Finally, use the right wood to get consistently hot, long lasting coals. To get good coals, use a hardwood like oak, hickory, maple, pecan, or cherry. They burn longer and create a consistent heat for cooking.
Good luck and bone apple teeth.