View Full Version : Camp site at Big Meadows this Weekend
What are my chances of finding an available site at Big Meadows this Saturday if I were to hike in around 4-6pm?
Wish you could edit posts. I mean't to clarify that I would need a site with trees - as I am a hammock sleeper. So wondering what kind of luck I will have snagging a site on a holiday weekend as a walk in. Slim chance? Good chance?
Majortrauma
09-01-2011, 14:08
You have a better chance of spotting an Eastern Cougar than snagging a campsite this weekend.
You have a better chance of spotting an Eastern Cougar than snagging a campsite this weekend.
lol I kind of had a feeling this was the sort of response I would get. I have a hammock, so all I need is trees. I will just have to find my own campsite in that area off the trail somewhere.
johnnybgood
09-01-2011, 18:01
I will just have to find my own campsite in that area off the trail somewhere.
Exactly . Why pay 20 bucks for two trees . Just remember to camp 40 feet from the trail .
Spirit Walker
09-01-2011, 23:13
You can get a shower and meal at Big Meadows without staying there. Just spend some time enjoying the amenities and then hike on. It's much more peaceful far from the car campers.
No chance of getting a campsite, but I'll tell you what I did in July and it was AWESOME! I hiked in, did the food/shower/laundry thing and then followed the trail to the spring right behind the campground (I think it's Davis Spring) and I slung my hammock right back there. I was about 100 yards away from the tent campers, right beside the water and really close to the campground. And it's downhill and out of sight of the campsites, so it was "legal" to stay there and free :) I was planning on staying there, but didn't realize how close it was to the campground until I was there, and it was one of my favorite campsites on my trip.
FYI, the restaurant closes at 7 and is about a mile from the campsite off skyine drive.
No chance of getting a campsite, but I'll tell you what I did in July and it was AWESOME! I hiked in, did the food/shower/laundry thing and then followed the trail to the spring right behind the campground (I think it's Davis Spring) and I slung my hammock right back there. I was about 100 yards away from the tent campers, right beside the water and really close to the campground. And it's downhill and out of sight of the campsites, so it was "legal" to stay there and free :) I was planning on staying there, but didn't realize how close it was to the campground until I was there, and it was one of my favorite campsites on my trip.
FYI, the restaurant closes at 7 and is about a mile from the campsite off skyine drive.
Great tip thanks! I will look out for it.
No chance of getting a campsite, but I'll tell you what I did in July and it was AWESOME! I hiked in, did the food/shower/laundry thing and then followed the trail to the spring right behind the campground (I think it's Davis Spring) and I slung my hammock right back there. I was about 100 yards away from the tent campers, right beside the water and really close to the campground. And it's downhill and out of sight of the campsites, so it was "legal" to stay there and free :) I was planning on staying there, but didn't realize how close it was to the campground until I was there, and it was one of my favorite campsites on my trip.
from the latest compendium (http://www.nps.gov/shen/parkmgmt/upload/Compendium-2010.pdf) on page 9 : camping "Within 1/4 mile of any campground, lodge, picnic grounds, restaurant, or other developed facility" is prohibited
in other words you got lucky and could have been ticketed
that said note that so long as you are out of sight of roads and developed areas you are relatively safe from ticketing due to the low number of LE rangers provided you don't make any problems or you don't run into a "remarkable" individual who feels its his responsibility to mess with you
Any legal options anyone wants to point out within 2 miles either south or north of big meadows that I should look out for a spot to hang off the trail? I don't care about having a water source close by.
well one spot that I think is now legal (or at least arguably 1/4 mile from the developed area) is to take the dirt road that passes by Lewis Spring all the way to the end (don't turn off on the Lewis Falls trail), walk into the woods (out of sight) and hang there - you may be able to get water at Lewis Spring but whatever you do don't get the water from the exit pipe from the waste water treatment facility that will be down somewhat near the end of the road
well one spot that I think is now legal (or at least arguably 1/4 mile from the developed area) is to take the dirt road that passes by Lewis Spring all the way to the end (don't turn off on the Lewis Falls trail), walk into the woods (out of sight) and hang there - you may be able to get water at Lewis Spring but whatever you do don't get the water from the exit pipe from the waste water treatment facility that will be down somewhat near the end of the road
This the spot your talking about? I added an arrow on the map.
http://imgur.com/NnC5u