Question about dispersed camping along the trail.

[timj141]

Hello everyone.

Got a question for all you pros. Im planning a thru hike in June sobo. Been planning this for a while and believe Im ready as I will ever be. My question is this: Going thru all the guide books I see all of the shelters and tent camping areas. I also read where there are restrictions in certain areas. Are there any unwritten rules for just stepping off the trail and setting up camp where there is no designated spot?

Please keep in mind, I believe in leaving no trace. Any help would be great.

Thanks
Tim

[ChinMusic]

Beyond written rules for certain areas you can just set up camp where you want. Ideal is that when you leave in the morning CSI would be hard pressed to know you were there.

[WingedMonkey]

Going Southbound, you have a bit more restrictions as to suitable camping spots than the beat to hell southern terminus.

But...it is really simple to follow the basic don't muck up the woods and leave no trace. Follow the environmental restrictions. They ain't that hard to work around and still follow posted restrictions.

[rickb]

In those areas where it is permissible to camp right next to the trail in the Whites and Maine (there are more than most people think) I don't think I am alone in thinking those who excersize these rights are tools.

[Odd Man Out]

I posted a similar question a few weeks ago. Maybe some of this will help.

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...-AT&highlight=

[Slo-go'en]

The problem with "just steping off the trail to camp" is that it just isn't very practical 99.9% of the time due to the steep terrain, the dense new growth forest and all the boulders along with lots of branches and sticks which would have to be cleared. When you get here and see what we have to work with, you'll understand. You'll be real happy that there are shelters and tent platforms to use. There are some suitable tenting spots here and there, but they are fairly rare. You can't say "I'll just walk until I find a place to tent", as you might be walking all night. Hammock hangers do have some advantages in this kind of terrain, but it can be almost as difficult to find a suitable pair of trees to use.

The only section of trail where I've seen numberous "just off the trial" campsites is the GA, TN/NC section. Once you get into VA, your options start to become limited and they really get restrictive in New England. Not so much due to regulation, but simply because of the terrain.

The only official restrictions are no camping above tree line (where the avearge higth of the trees is less then 5 feet). In NH, no camping within 1/4 mile of huts, shelters and designated tent sites, parking lots, road crossing. You should be at least 100 feet off the trail and away from any water. The 1/4 mile rule around designated sites is to prevent sprawl due to overflow encroching into the immidiate surounding area.

[timj141]

Thanks so much for the responses. All good advice. Looking forward to seeing all this for myself.

[rusty bumper]

I was on trail for 5 months and stayed in shelters only 3 nights. I also tented on a platform one night in New Hampshire. My approach was to hike most days until 6 or 6:30 and then start looking for a tent site. Some of those sites ended up not being the greatest, but I always managed to get a good night's sleep. I also found that it was usually easier to find a site within a half mile of so of the shelters.

[rafe]

The only section of trail where I've seen numberous "just off the trial" campsites is the GA, TN/NC section. Once you get into VA, your options start to become limited and they really get restrictive in New England. Not so much due to regulation, but simply because of the terrain.

I'll take some exception to this. I think the statement's a bit too broad. The only area I've seen where stealth camping is really difficult is in the White Mountains. That is mostly because of the terrain (as you describe) and also because of the strict regulations, which are enforced. The AT through New England is pretty mellow, at least till you get to Glencliff.

As far as stealth camping is concerned, Maine has the sketchy terrain, but not the strict regulations and enforcement of the Whites. Inside Baxter park, the regulations and prohibitions are absolute.

[ChinMusic]

rafe - In VA SNP was tough for me to find tenting sites. The rules are somewhat restrictive with most tenting sites around shelters. Unless you knew the area well it was hard to find random camp sites that were within the rules. I would arrive late in the day and vacationers seemed to have already taken all the sites. They had walked in a whole half mile from the roads. I was forced to "bend" the rules a couple times.

[rafe]

With regard to SNP -- For the most part, I didn't tent in SNP but had no problem finding room in the shelters. At Big Meadows, I ended up yogi'ing a tent site from a couple who were kind of managing the campground. They fed me an awesome breakfast in the morning. The woods nearby seemed usable (tent-able) but I really wanted to take advantage of the camp facilities.

On my 2nd-last evening in SNP I was hoping to make it to Black Rock shelter and came up short; I ended up tenting at Dundo Group Camp and had the place to myself.

[Coffee]

On my 2nd-last evening in SNP I was hoping to make it to Black Rock shelter and came up short; I ended up tenting at Dundo Group Camp and had the place to myself.

Dundo has been converted to a picnic area with no camping signs. However, a bit north of the no camping sign on the AT are areas that I think are legal.

[Dahoyt]

Plenty of stealth sites in Vermont...

[joshuasdad]

I usually hike until past sunset, so I usually camp just off the trail on a cleared area, for example, on old fire roads, on pine needles, or any obvious camp site that I encounter when tired. Since I generally leave at or before sunrise, and my tent is self supporting, any breaking of unwritten rules doesn't really impact anyone's hiking experience. If you are making camp well before sunset, it seems courteous to use sites that are a bit off the trail, for example the 100 feet off trail that Slo-go'en suggests.