View Full Version : Teach me how to stealth camp
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
05-13-2011, 08:05
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
05-13-2011, 08:14
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
05-13-2011, 08:39
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.
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
05-13-2011, 08:48
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.
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
05-13-2011, 08:51
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
05-13-2011, 08:51
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
05-13-2011, 08:57
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
05-13-2011, 09:18
thanks general. good common sense. i think that's all skooch and i were looking at. no grandious details.
Pedaling Fool
05-13-2011, 09:31
To teach one how to stealth camp first requires establishing a baseline. How many decibels can you attain while snoring:)
Tipi Walter
05-13-2011, 09:34
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
05-13-2011, 10:12
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.
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
05-13-2011, 11:07
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
05-13-2011, 12:41
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
05-13-2011, 19:21
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
05-13-2011, 19:35
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).
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' ...
There are different styles and different strategies for stealth camping.
I use a combination of a simple setup, discretion, and plausible deniability.
Tipi Walter
05-13-2011, 19:49
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).
Snow presents a real problem for hard-core stealth campers as any off-trail hidden campsite must be reached without leaving footprints in the snow. This can be done by stepping high thru doghobble, or bounding from bare rock to bare rock (or setting up a rock-hopping path and using it on repeated trips). Often you can take a "giant leap" from the trail and into the sidetrail brush into the snow and start the trek from there to your spot.
All of this is to get our precious bag nights, and is not an exercise in some kind of wannabe jungle expert fantasy or look-at-me recon survivalist. The whole point is to sleep on God's green earth wherever we want as is our birthright. While the earth gets paved over with sprawl and development, the bed roll boys will always find ways into and around them, and will get to touch Miss Nature's green hem one more time.
Wise Old Owl
05-13-2011, 20:12
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.
ahh you are not an ass. stop it...
Wise Old Owl
05-13-2011, 20:44
I am sure there are several definitions here. I have learned to look at the sun and when its three fingers from where its headed. I look for a shady spot off trail. This is accomplished by following a micro stream down off trail. When the trail disappears, I continue down - because I can follow the same stream or mountain spring back up. I get out of the altitude and away from the stream bed right where it first begins to pool. Now its warmer and easier to collect for cooking and making FBC. I can find strong trees and nobody will find me. I can sometimes pull crayfish out for an extra splash of a meal or a frog for its legs. No drama - just dinner. Pitch the hammock & tarp - done deal.
brian039
05-13-2011, 21:26
It's a piece of cake on the AT until you get to the Whites and beyond. The trick up there is to look for unmarked side trails, they will usually lead to a stealth site. Pretty much anywhere else on the AT will have good, flat spots to camp rather frequently. I've even camped right on the trail before when I had to.
Once you can recite and live by the seven main princilples of LNT I will comment on stealth camping! To me, no matter how stealth camping is defined, these seven principles are paramount to successful steath camping!
Wonderful responses. Yes I assumed the definition of stealth camping was to not be detected by others while hiking the AT. But the idea of doing this in town or along roadsides is very intriguing. Dare I say thrilling. A scenerio such as, I'm just tired and still have plenty of water. It is about an hour before dark and I want to stop. I misjudged my distance and energy. What do I see? How do I scout out a good spot that will not be seen from the trail. No cooking, Just hang my bag and go to sleep. And for arguments sake my tent is bright orange.
Once you can recite and live by the seven main princilples of LNT I will comment on stealth camping! To me, no matter how stealth camping is defined, these seven principles are paramount to successful steath camping!
Well if you are not going to tell me your seven precious secrets then you are of no help to anyone :rolleyes:
Dare I say thrilling! - Skooch
It sure is, even up to the point where a flashlight shining in your face at 2 a.m. has behind it a shiny badge, the local delinquent over aged beer belly buster club shows up desiring to set a new drinking record and then notices you attempting to stealth, or when the un beknowst to you irrigation turns on at 4 a.m., and sends you off skampering to pack up up avoid getting drenced with reclaimed water.
OK since you're a Kalalau Trail alumni I''ll cut you some slack. Leave No Trace(LNT) is no secret! Just got to do a quick Yahoo, Google, or White Blaze search and those seven precious secrets are no longer secrets! I'll even list them for you if that helps.
Plan Ahead and Prepare | Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces | Dispose of Waste Properly | Leave What You Find |Minimize Campfire Impacts | Respect Wildlife | Be Considerate of Other Visitors
Here is a link that expounds on those "seven precious secrets." www.lnt.org (http://www.lnt.org)
A bright orange tent is not a stealthy colored tent unless maybe you are stealthing on the surface of the sun or in a thick orange autumn hued sugar maple forest. Sometimes, being more stealthy requires the loss of a tent.
Hopefully, me and those "secrets", have been of some help.
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,
I hope you don't mean that you sleep under a tractor trailer...if so that is extremely dangerous...you never know when somebody is going to move that vehicle and not know you are under there and asleep.
How do I scout out a good spot that will not be seen from the trail. No cooking, Just hang my bag and go to sleep. And for arguments sake my tent is bright orange.
Just a guess, but I'll bet most AT hikers get a bit nervous camping out of sight of the Trail for fear of getting lost. And in many places the Trail can disappear quickly, so they always end up camping very close to it.
One way of "staying connected" to the Trail and increasing your comfort level walking deeper into the woods is to find a place where a stream crosses the AT then simply follow it until you find a spot to camp. Then follow it out the next morning.
Tipi Walter
05-14-2011, 08:03
Dare I say thrilling! - Skooch
It sure is, even up to the point where a flashlight shining in your face at 2 a.m. has behind it a shiny badge, the local delinquent over aged beer belly buster club shows up desiring to set a new drinking record and then notices you attempting to stealth, or when the un beknowst to you irrigation turns on at 4 a.m., and sends you off skampering to pack up up avoid getting drenced with reclaimed water.
Have you ever been stealth camping and had a cop with a flashlight come into your camp at 2am? I never had. One time I was stealthing on top of a knoll in rhododendron and unbeknownst to me there was a road on the other side. I woke up to a squelching police radio sounding out from a parked cop car nearby but he had no clue I was out in the darkness. Maybe he was taking a donut break. Nobody is going to be stumbling thru the woods with a light at 2am unless there's an all-out manhunt.
I hope you don't mean that you sleep under a tractor trailer...if so that is extremely dangerous...you never know when somebody is going to move that vehicle and not know you are under there and asleep.
In fact on my hitchhiking trip to California back in '89 I put my bedroll down under a tractor trailer/18 wheeler outside of Sacramento. You learn to sleep with one eye open and both ears perked.
off-pher
05-14-2011, 10:38
One must first master the art of zen. When one is walking down a trail..................
one must first stop look left look right think to ones self.......................................
(witch) way looks the best if the right side looks better than the left side.................
GO off the trail on the........................................
stealth camping to me is when,
you stay down a side trail within a 30 walk from a shelter in the G.S.M.N.P.
then getting up at daybreak, breaking camp, then walk past the shelter at spence field and hear the gray bearded, mouthy old ridge runner ask the same ol' tired and worn out opening line of, "where'dya'staylastnight ???"
then without stopping, look him in the eye and say, "just down there a bit"
his rant, my entertainment.
Tipi Walter
05-14-2011, 12:08
stealth camping to me is when,
you stay down a side trail within a 30 walk from a shelter in the G.S.M.N.P.
then getting up at daybreak, breaking camp, then walk past the shelter at spence field and hear the gray bearded, mouthy old ridge runner ask the same ol' tired and worn out opening line of, "where'dya'staylastnight ???"
then without stopping, look him in the eye and say, "just down there a bit"
his rant, my entertainment.
It's the Tent Police in full bloom. Your example is pure stealth camping at its best. Not because you're going off the trail a ways and bushwacking, but because you're camping at an "undesignated spot" which may get a ridge running Tent Cop in a Camp Only Here frenzy, with consequent snitching.
Shutterbug
05-14-2011, 13:21
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?
I am not sure anyone has actually responded to your questions.
How do you pick a site for your tent? Look for a flat area with firm ground. Look up to make sure there are no dead limbs overhead. Look around for dead trees that might fall. Examine the plants to make sure there is no poison ivy or oak. Look for animal trails -- you shouldn't put your tent where animals travel at night. Consider what you will do for water and for nature calls.
Consider using a hammock instead of a tent. With a hammock you can camp in the middle of a grove of trees and don't have to worry about finding an open spot for a tent.
It needs to be out of sight. Are you just bushwacking? How many yards in? True. If you are stealth camping, it needs to be out of sight. That means that you will camp in heavily wooded areas. With experience, you will quickly learn to spot likely areas to camp. Personally, I like to be at least 50 yards from the trail, sometimes it is necessary to look farther.
Are you identifying a clearing from the trail by looking at trees? You identify areas where you can hide by looking at the trees and the undergrowth, but you have to leave the trail to find the spot where you want to camp. If you can see it from the trail, it isn't "stealth."
I will share a funny story here. Several years ago, a friend and I were hiking on the Colorado Trail. We hiked until well after dark, then started looking for a good place to camp. We found a good flat area that was well away from the trail and was in fairly heavy bushes. We pitched our tents with a sense of satisfaction that we were well hidden. The next morning, when the sun came up, we discovered that we had selected a site that was only 10 feet from the tent of another "stealth" camper. I share the story only to point out that if you are hiking any of the well traveled trails, like the AT, it is unlikely that you will find a good spot that hasn't previously been used by someone else.
And how do you manage to mark your direction when trying to return to the trail? Frankly, I had not given the issue much thought. I learned navigation in pilot training for the USAF. I stay oriented by always keeping in mind which direction is north (It comes naturally, I don't have to think about it.) If I leave the trail, I pay attention to the general direction I am traveling so that I can reverse it when I am ready to return to the trail.
There have been a couple of times when I have become disoriented (unsure about which way is north) in the woods. In those situations, I use a map and a compass to regain orientation.
Thanks for the great tips. I guess I should have titled this thread STEALTH CAMPING TIPS:
to me its a place where no one knows you are there and when you leave no one knows you were there.;)
Stealthing to me simply means you don't want to be noticed. Where you do it and whether it's legal, illegal, quasi-illegal, I'll let others debate that.
I will stealth in most places whether near a trail or in a city. When in a town I might not object to steathing in any of those places Tipi mentioned in post #3.
Skooch, I bring up LNT because when stealthing I've sometimes witrnessed those supposed stealth areas, as Tipi mentioned, quickly become non-stealth sites over run with human garbage cut/damaged trees, trampled undergrowth, areas impacted by campfire damage, little or no concern for other visitiors, altered wildlife habits, etc. I mentioned those LNT principles because I would like when or if you do stealth to take into account how your stealthing might effect your environment.
Yes Tipi I have had law enforcement shine flashlights in my eyes at 2 a.m. when stealthing and I have also been placed in those other "thrilling" situations as I stated.
Some obvious pts to consider when stealthing are to set up as little as possible to avoid being detected, make little or no noise, avoid overuse of a headlamp at night or get a headlamp with a red light which is less noticeable and will also maintain night vision, use stealthy or natural or muted colored gear(setting up a bright orange MSR tent or wearing an orange rain jacket or hat is going to make you more noticeable), avoid unecesaary moving around or going in/out of your protected stealth site, avoid strong odors like if you decide to cook at your stealth site, consider the most likely routes humans will take in your stealthing area if humans will be nearby, consider lines of sight/from which directions would someone most likely notice you/avoid those avenues/lines of sight or account for them.
Most of all, I will say it again, is to leave your stealth site as you found it! LEAVE NO TRACE!
Hopefully, those are some useful stealthing tips
Thanks dogwood for the tips. I too can get on my soapbox about LNT. Sorry. I did get a little sarcastic with you.
No problem! I can get strongly opionated too. Just don't expect a Christamas card this yr!
Enjoy stealthing!
No problem! I can get strongly opionated too. Just don't expect a Christamas card this yr!
Enjoy stealthing!
Didnt you mean to sign that with a smiley face?
SunnyWalker
05-21-2011, 00:12
I think that stealth camping is best done with hammock or bivi. This is my experience. Easier to be hidden. To me it might be a spot that is supposedly not allowed. But to me it is camping in a spot and lnt, and it is unknown to others, special, memorable, unique, you alone are enjoying it, a spot you "earned".
In addition, and of course, all camping should be lnt. Right?
Obey the law and camp where everyone else especially the idiots aren't.
It's trespasing. Don't do it. It's illegal. This is the reason there are so many threads about how "hikers aren't considerate", and "hikers are a problem", and "why are hikers so rude", and "is it ok to commit this illegal act while hiking". Don't do it. Don't.
Dude! No worries. Im just talking about finding a spot off the trail in a storm or if im too tired or hurt to get to a designated site. Please take a look in general and let me known. How my packlist is looking.