Teach me how to stealth camp

[skooch]

So this is something I've never done. How do you pick a site for your tent? It needs to be out of sight. Are you just bushwacking? How many yards in? Are you identifying a clearing from the trail by looking at trees? And how do you manage to mark your direction when trying to return to the trail?

[ekeverette]

i will be doing the same as you when i attempt my hike. hopefully it will be close to shelters, maybe within hearing distance. i would think only 25 yds or so from the trail, but i would also like to know, because that's the way i think i'm going.

[Tipi Walter]

First you have to define stealth camping. I do not consider stealth camping to be going off the trail or into the woods somewhere and camping where it's legal to do so. This is just pulling a normal and usual backpacking trip and finding a place to camp, even if it's off the common route and includes bushwacking to a never-used site.

To me, stealth camping is setting up an overnight camp where it is quasi-illegal to do so, like in some woods or behind a treeline off a highway or interstate during a hitchhiking trip, or in the woods behind a Walmart, or inside a city park or along a greenway, or throwing a bedroll down in a town cemetary or behind a church, etc etc. The shelter mystique and mantra "ONLY CAMP HERE" is so strong with some people that apparently they think camping anywhere away from established sites is stealth camping.

[Two Speed]

I'll second Tipi on needing to define stealth camping before figuring out what you need to do.

Provided your definition is finding rarely used camp sites along a trail I'd say the first step is learning to read a topo map so that you can pick sites that will suit your needs.

[general]

So this is something I've never done. How do you pick a site for your tent? It needs to be out of sight. Are you just bushwacking? How many yards in? Are you identifying a clearing from the trail by looking at trees? And how do you manage to mark your direction when trying to return to the trail?

as far as a tent site goes, flat ground is flat ground. i really like grass too. a good topo map is helpful when trying to find off trail camping spots. think about all of those places where the trail goes almost to the top. there might be a nice rock face on the other side, or a big level mountaintop, and the topo map will tell you that. putting a figure on yards in is limiting and irrelevant. out of site i guess would be the idea. as far as getting back to the trail, it's still where you left it.

[Leanthree]

To Tipi's point and various LNT principals of mine, I would only recommend this when it is legal or an unplanned safety issue (like if you twisted an ankle making it tough to make the miles planned for the day or the weather got intense).

If you look at the map, any area which doesn't get crossed by contours is a good option.

If you are going to dry camp, it is good to have a bladder or extra bottle that can be filled with water. Otherwise, use the map to identify water sources to camp by. Often times the area around a permanent water source is flatter.

If you can find a campsite that has already been used, that is preferable to one that hasn't to minimize impact. If choosing a pristine site, make sure it is hard to find so that the area can recover before another backpacker stays there.

Again to Tipi's point, this is what most non AT backpacking is like and it is great.

[general]

definition of stealth camping site: somewhere you expect to be un-bothered by the masses, undiscovered, in the sanctuary of rarely seen woods. or: anywhere you don't want any body else to see you, cause if they see you, then they are gonna wanna talk to you, and well, sometimes, i'd really just rather not, maybe for illegal reasons, maybe because i'm just an ass.

[Two Tents]

Many times when funds are low I leave right from home on foot. I may be gone as much as three 'stealth' nights. I'll walk home, hitch, or call for a ride when I'm done. I walk country roads and set up where ever I end my day. Mostly it is just off the road. How far depends on the terrain and coverage given by bushes, trees, hills, ect. Just out of sight. The cool thing is when I'm in or near a town. Places I look for are - bridges you could camp under, parked (and looking like they wouldn't be be leaving in the night) tractor trailers, ball fields(especially the ones that have dug outs that face away from the road) playgrounds will sometimes have a big piece of culvert pipe for the kids to crawl through( nice, you just have to plug the hole that is usually in the top of the pipe if it rains) fair grounds that don't have fences around them have tons of stealth spots, abandoned farms, some farms that appear that the building you'll use won't be checked real early. Are you getting the picture? Next time you go out, look at every possible feature and think, 'I could spend the night in that hedge, bush, bldg. ect.' I always look out the window in my travels with that frame of mind. A couple quick rules to avoid discovery, Set up right at or a tad after dark, break camp and move at first light if you think you may be seen, very rarely will I use a light much less EVER start a fire, don't make any noise, and always LNT. Good skill ta have when times get tough. Practice.

[jersey joe]

Stealth Camping...Set up camp as it is getting dark...break down camp at the first sign of day light...leave no trace.

[Two Tents]

Man ! I just read my own post and now I think I'll go practice my skills this weekend. I'll catch a ride to 'town' stopping along the way home and no one will know I'm right there 'just outta sight.'

[ekeverette]

thanks general. good common sense. i think that's all skooch and i were looking at. no grandious details.

[Pedaling Fool]

To teach one how to stealth camp first requires establishing a baseline. How many decibels can you attain while snoring

[Tipi Walter]

definition of stealth camping site: somewhere you expect to be un-bothered by the masses, undiscovered, in the sanctuary of rarely seen woods. or: anywhere you don't want any body else to see you, cause if they see you, then they are gonna wanna talk to you, and well, sometimes, i'd really just rather not, maybe for illegal reasons, maybe because i'm just an ass.

The problem with this definition is an example of one of my backpacking trips into the remote Citico wilderness. I camped right next to trails for 15 days and didn't see a single human the whole trip, and yet I never considered myself to be stealth camping.

Many times when funds are low I leave right from home on foot. I may be gone as much as three 'stealth' nights. I'll walk home, hitch, or call for a ride when I'm done. I walk country roads and set up where ever I end my day. Mostly it is just off the road. How far depends on the terrain and coverage given by bushes, trees, hills, ect. Just out of sight. The cool thing is when I'm in or near a town. Places I look for are - bridges you could camp under, parked (and looking like they wouldn't be be leaving in the night) tractor trailers, ball fields(especially the ones that have dug outs that face away from the road) playgrounds will sometimes have a big piece of culvert pipe for the kids to crawl through( nice, you just have to plug the hole that is usually in the top of the pipe if it rains) fair grounds that don't have fences around them have tons of stealth spots, abandoned farms, some farms that appear that the building you'll use won't be checked real early. Are you getting the picture? Next time you go out, look at every possible feature and think, 'I could spend the night in that hedge, bush, bldg. ect.' I always look out the window in my travels with that frame of mind. A couple quick rules to avoid discovery, Set up right at or a tad after dark, break camp and move at first light if you think you may be seen, very rarely will I use a light much less EVER start a fire, don't make any noise, and always LNT. Good skill ta have when times get tough. Practice.

I like this post as it hits right to the center of what stealth camping is all about. Over many years of similar stealth camping, I agree with many of these points, especially going in right at dark and coming out right at daybreak. Another big rule: Never have a car. A parked car draws the attention of authorities, and without a car a person has a tremendous amount of freedom on two legs to just slip in and out of places undiscovered. And of course, NEVER have a fire.

For years I carried a green olive drab nylon army poncho to hide my tent and help it to blend in during stealth forays. And like Two Tents says, your eyeballs start scoping out places that call out to you---there, under that bush---over there, in that treeline---look, behind that tombstone under those cedars---wow, check out those bushes next to that church, etc. Once you get tuned into the lifestyle of truly living out of a backpack, your Bag Night Seeking Antenna goes into overdrive. It's a great place to be. When the darkness of night arrives, most of the known world becomes a bedroll paradise---just make sure you have ear plugs to block the noise of city life and it helps to have a watch cap to keep the eyes covered when the night sky glows with town lights.

[Buffalo Skipper]

I guess when I have heard of stealth camping, I have always perceived it to be any camping where your campsite is intentionally out of sight of others. This could be off the trail, more or less, depending on the vegetation. It could involve camoflage or simply muted colors. This could be a legal or illegal location.

I guess everyone would have their own definition or "degree" of stealth camping.

[sbhikes]

I guess I'm guilty of using the term stealth camping to describe something that really isn't. But I have done the kind of stealth camping that Tipi Walter describes. It's pretty fun. And it's liberating too. You end up with a sense of freedom. It's a little crazy, but I can totally now understand why some homeless people want to stay that way.

On the trail I called it stealth camping whenever I selected a site that wasn't in an established camping area. Something that didn't have fire rings and a water source nearby. Often it was obvious the site had been used by other hikers. Usually these sites were little nooks at the turn of a switchback or a little flat cleared area in the chaparral or just a spot big enough for me to lie down. Usually it was right next to the trail. Just set up, sleep and get out early before anybody ever knew I was there. I enjoyed this kind of camping immensely.

[Many Walks]

Just a couple of little things that may help in simple terms of camping on the AT or other designated trails without being noticed. It's easier to camp above the trail and don't have to go as far, as the line of sight is much greater and easier to spot a camp looking down from the trail. Note if you turn right or left to go up the hill to camp, use that same direction to turn onto the trail when you go back down in the morning to hike. Same with shelters. Right in/right out, left in /left out. Keeps you heading the right direction. It sounds funny, but people have hiked the wrong direction for miles after a simple mistake before figuring it out.

[WingedMonkey]

Since you are planning an AT hike and have mentioned before your desire to avoid shelters I assume you mostly mean places to camp out of site along the trail.
Some of the best level spots can be found by following abounded woods roads, they are usually purposely blocked from the trail by logs or brush to keep hikers from getting off trail by mistake. Or may even have growth blocking them if they haven't been used for fire breaks.
Often in an area open to hunting you will find a spot where hunters have stopped for a small fire break (real hunters make very small fires for warmth).
Sometime the old roads will wind and bend a bit, but almost always have an open and flat area.
If near a stream or spring, even better.

[Ironbelly]

I typically define stealth camping as camping in a way to avoid detection, often in areas that do not allow camping outside of designated areas or otherwise illegal. I try not to illegally camp whenever possible. Most land owners or townships will give you permission if you simply ask in my experience. Remember that if you do get caught you can be cited , fined, and or arrested, or otherwise accosted by the land owner.

Some tips for stealth camping that I find handy are:

Do not camp within eye sight of the trail
Do not camp within 100yards or so of a road/access point
Set up your camp either above or below the elevation of the trail, if your over a drop off, in a gorge/ravine, or above the trail on a hillside etc it is usually easier to avoid detection.
Use earth tone colors
Practice light and noise discipline
Avoid having a fire, and if you do it should only be for a short period of time such as for cooking, then extinguish it.
Set up at or just before dark, and leave at or before first light.

Fires, noise/light discipline, bright colors , or being too close to a trail/road/access point is how most people get caught. Follow these few basic things and you can camp anywhere without being detected. And as others have said Leave No Trace, many land owners discover camp sites after the fact and become more attentive as time passes making it harder for others to use the same areas in the future.

[Jonnycat]

Definition of stealth camping site: somewhere you expect to be un-bothered by the masses, undiscovered, in the sanctuary of rarely seen woods.

That is my definition as well. People step on my nature buzz, so I almost always stealth camp whenever possible/practical.

As a corrolary, it is possible to use time instead of space to stealth camp. A popular location, unusable during the normal season, can be stealth camped during times when it is impractical for the masses to be there (like when there is a heavy bed of snow for miles around).

[10-K]

Skooch - are you talking about:

a) camping with the intention of not being seen by others

or...

b) finding a campsite off the beaten path that no one else has used - not really trying to hide necessarily.

I'm guessing 'b' ...