stealth camping

[larkspur]

ok,anyone know if its legal? if its not, is that only so in certain areas? has anyone ever done it? how would someone go about doing it?

[cliffordbarnabus]

go down late, get up early, just sleep....and youre good to go

driving 36 in a 35 is illegal

[Odd Man Out]

ok,anyone know if its legal? if its not, is that only so in certain areas? has anyone ever done it? how would someone go about doing it?

This topic comes up often and the discussion usually boils down to a misunderstanding due to imprecise use of words. For some "stealth camping" means camping somewhere where you are not supposed to camp (illegal camping). For others, it refers to camping in an location that is not a developed or designated camp site (but not necessarily illegal). This is also be called dispersed camping, and from the wording of your question, it seems that is what you were referring to. But many replies (such as the first reply) may assume stealth=illegal camping as that is how many people use the term. In this former usage, "stealth" refers to hiding yourself from other people who might catch you camping where you are not supposed to camp. In the later, "stealth" refers to hiding yourself from wildlife that tends to congregate at designated campsites and shelters due to the availability of food. Classical stealth camping (in this deffinition) has you eat your evening meal at one location, then hike for sometime and then camp at another location where you do not cook a meal, thus minimizing animal attractants. With regard to the LNT ethic, dispersed/stealth camping has pros and cons. High use areas (GSMNP, e.g.) are likely to prohibit dispersed camping. The thought is that by forcing everyone to camp in designated camp sites, you essentially "sacrifice" a small part of the wilderness (the camp site) which you know will get trashed, in hopes of preserving the rest. But in low usage areas, dispersed camping (along with effective LNT camping) will disperse the impact enough that the whole environment is preserved (at least in theory).

Assuming you are talking about the AT, dispersed camping is allowed in many (most) areas. However, the trail passes through many different federal, state, local, and private jurisdictions and each sets their own rules. You will find the rules for each part of the trail in your AT guide book that you should consult. Typically, in National Forests, dispersed camping is allowed. Parks set their own rules. In Baxter SP and GSMNP, you must camp at designated spots (with permit). In SNP, dispersed camping is allowed (if far enough from a road, building, etc...). Lots of people do this. Not only are you less bothered by critters, you are less bothered by annoying people in shelters and campgrounds.

I personally believe a responsible hiker obeys the rules. This means that you only stealth camp where it is allowed and if you do, you follow good LNT guidelines. Do other people people camp illegally? Yes. But to promote or discuss the ins and outs illegal activities violates your Terms Of Use here at WB and may result in premature thread termination and/or post deletions.

[Studlintsean]

If you walk and you can't walk anymore, camp. If you don't want to stay at a shelter with people ( you can tent and never see them), get water and keep walking. Dont make a mess and LNT and you will be fine.

[kidchill]

I'll chime in on this one since I just finished a SOBO thru and I'm the stealth king! Odd Man Out hit the nail on the head. Not all camping done in undeveloped areas is illegal. I can only think of a few places where camping in certain areas is illegal...There are areas in the Whites, GSMNP, and I think CT had some rules posted about only camping at shelters/sites. I did stealth in the Whites as well as CT, but not in the Smokies. Majority of areas on the trail are fine to setup camp. I would, however, recommend NOT sleeping right next to the trail. I see people doing this, and there's nothing wrong with it, but be aware that large animals use the trail too! I don't fear large animals at night, but they wake me up at 3AM and it gets old after a while ;) I slept in shelters a total of 4 nights on my thru. One was due to rain, and the other 3 were in the Smokies. If you're in an area that doesn't forbid camping at non-developed sites, camp wherever you want! If you're in an area where it's restricted, plow off into the woods, off the trail a-ways, and then setup camp. Try to setup near or at dark, and leave early. Also, remember LNT. I use a hammock and tarp so I could stealth almost everywhere and the only thing I left behind were 6 titanium stake holes in the ground...

[JAK]

any port in a storm
what they don't know won't hurt them
don't lose any sleep worrying about people that are losing sleep worry about you possible stealth camping who knows where
if a body meet a body comin' thro' the rye
the only thing better than whiskey is smuggled whiskey
yada yada yada

[JAK]

any port in a storm
what they don't know won't hurt them
don't lose any sleep worrying about people that are losing sleep worry about you possible stealth camping who knows where
if a body meet a body comin' thro' the rye
the only thing better than whiskey is smuggled whiskey
yada yada yada

[Papa D]

Well, I was going to jump in on this thread but Odd Man Out and Kidchill covered it so completely, I for once, have nothing to add: :(

[Lone Wolf]

ok,anyone know if its legal? if its not, is that only so in certain areas? has anyone ever done it? how would someone go about doing it?
it's only illegal in NO CAMPING zones. i do it a lot. legally and not so legal. but define camping

[moldy]

I am a stelth camper. I like to sleep in soft mowed grass. I don't care if it is illegal, I hope that if I ever get caught I will get a warning. I try not to get caught. I sleep in parks and on private property along the AT. In bad weather, I also use stelth shelters. The trick with stelth shelters is like someone else said, "show up after dark and depart early". There are quite a few of them along the trail, most are in state and local parks that have picnic gazebos. They will keep you dry and break the wind. Some are quite nice, others are just metal carports with picnic tables. Among my favorites is the one owned by some private group near a road in Southern Virginia 5 or 6 hours North of the I-81 crossing at Atkins. Nobody has ever bothered me there. Another nice one is at the Washington Monument in Maryland, it even has running water. I also like porches to those PATCO cabins in SNP that are not occupied, they list them on the maps. I never have a fire, never leave a mess and I'm gone at first light. I also pack everything up before going to sleep so if necessary I can make a stelthy departure in a hurry if anyone shows up.

[Rain Man]

... I don't care if it is illegal, I hope that if I ever get caught I will get a warning..... Among my favorites is the one owned by some private group near a road in Southern Virginia 5 or 6 hours North of the I-81 crossing at Atkins. ...

Kinda reminds me of hikers who sneak alcohol and/or dogs into The Place in Damascus. Don't care. The rules are for lesser mortals. And if you are speaking of the O'Lystery Community Center pavilion 5 or 6 miles north of I-85 and Groseclose, it was closed to AT hikers for the very reason they could not be bothered to obey the rules. So, thanks a lot. NOT.


I personally believe a responsible hiker obeys the rules. This means that you only stealth camp where it is allowed and if you do, you follow good LNT guidelines. Do other people people camp illegally? Yes. But to promote or discuss the ins and outs illegal activities violates your Terms Of Use here at WB and may result in premature thread termination and/or post deletions.

Accurate and well said. I'll just add the old adage that "reputation" is what one does when someone is watching. "Character" is what one does when no one is watching.

Plainly and sadly, the AT continues to have a problem with abuse of rules and privileges. But happily most AT hikers understand and follow the rules and are respectful. And happily, there are almost an unlimited number of places to camp legally.

Rain Man

.

[scree]

Is the penalty severe enough for overnighting where you maybe shouldn't that it deserves worrying about it? If it's just a very remote chance of a ticket or something and you need a place to sleep just do what you have to do to get some rest, LNT, and move on. No problems caused.

[Another Kevin]

Hmm.

I try very hard to avoid stealth-camping on private property. The Trail has many easements from private landowners. Lesser trails often have revocable easements - and landowners have revoked them in the face of hiker abuse. One trail I used to hike had a lovely two-mile section replaced with a nasty five-mile roadwalk in just such a situation.

In many other areas, stealth camping is perfectly legal. I'm often in New York state forest lands, where the rule on camping is that anywhere below 3500 feet elevation and at least 150 feet from a trail or a water source is fair game. (There are exceptions, such as the eastern part of the High Peaks Wilderness, but in general that's the rule.)

In intensive-use parks and the like, for the most part I can put up with the shelter crowd for a night or three. Then again, I don't usually spend the night out in Harriman when the NOBOs are coming through or when it's full of boy scouts and summer camp groups. It's best enjoyed on weekdays when school is in session. I may stretch the rule about "camp only at a designated campsite" a shade to "oh, sorry, Ranger, I didn't know - I saw the fire ring and the trampled area, and assumed it was one of the designated sites," particularly if a slightly shady site is on a trail map.

Suburbia, like the section of the New York Long Path in Orange County, simply has no good options. If I were ever to attempt to thru-hike the NY LP, I'd most likely resort to the "friend-of-a-friend" network to try to arrange advance permission to crash in someone's yard. And even with permission, I'd expect the town cops to challenge me at least once during the night for vagrancy, if only to relieve the boredom of being a cop in a rich suburb.

Sleeping at something like a town park picnic shelter? It depends, and experienced hikers get a feel for such things. It ranges from "sorry, officer, I'll move on, can you point me to somewhere that it is lawful?" to "we don't want your kind in our town, thirty days!" In the latter kind of town, the best approach might be to get to the picnic shelter when folks are still using the park, strike up a conversation (usually not hard, in that sort of place, people are usually curious about hikers even if they are suspicious), and yogi permission to crash in someone's yard. Note: Since at this time of my life, I'm a clueless weekender, I haven't tried this in about thirty years. But I'd imagine that people are still willing to repay the entertainment of a few good trail stories. It helps if in the morning you can spot a chore that needs doing and offer to do it before you go.

If enough people do it the right way - that is, be respectful, always! - it gets easier. Because if enough people do it right, hikers go from being unwanted intruders to tolerated travelers and eventually to welcome guests.

[Cookerhiker]

This topic comes up often and the discussion usually boils down to a misunderstanding due to imprecise use of words. For some "stealth camping" means camping somewhere where you are not supposed to camp (illegal camping). For others, it refers to camping in an location that is not a developed or designated camp site (but not necessarily illegal). This is also be called dispersed camping, and from the wording of your question, it seems that is what you were referring to. But many replies (such as the first reply) may assume stealth=illegal camping as that is how many people use the term. In this former usage, "stealth" refers to hiding yourself from other people who might catch you camping where you are not supposed to camp. In the later, "stealth" refers to hiding yourself from wildlife that tends to congregate at designated campsites and shelters due to the availability of food. Classical stealth camping (in this deffinition) has you eat your evening meal at one location, then hike for sometime and then camp at another location where you do not cook a meal, thus minimizing animal attractants. With regard to the LNT ethic, dispersed/stealth camping has pros and cons. High use areas (GSMNP, e.g.) are likely to prohibit dispersed camping. The thought is that by forcing everyone to camp in designated camp sites, you essentially "sacrifice" a small part of the wilderness (the camp site) which you know will get trashed, in hopes of preserving the rest. But in low usage areas, dispersed camping (along with effective LNT camping) will disperse the impact enough that the whole environment is preserved (at least in theory).

Assuming you are talking about the AT, dispersed camping is allowed in many (most) areas. However, the trail passes through many different federal, state, local, and private jurisdictions and each sets their own rules. You will find the rules for each part of the trail in your AT guide book that you should consult. Typically, in National Forests, dispersed camping is allowed. Parks set their own rules. In Baxter SP and GSMNP, you must camp at designated spots (with permit). In SNP, dispersed camping is allowed (if far enough from a road, building, etc...). Lots of people do this. Not only are you less bothered by critters, you are less bothered by annoying people in shelters and campgrounds.

I personally believe a responsible hiker obeys the rules. This means that you only stealth camp where it is allowed and if you do, you follow good LNT guidelines. Do other people people camp illegally? Yes. But to promote or discuss the ins and outs illegal activities violates your Terms Of Use here at WB and may result in premature thread termination and/or post deletions.

Save this in bronze for the next time this question comes up.:)

[kyhipo]

ok,anyone know if its legal? if its not, is that only so in certain areas? has anyone ever done it? how would someone go about doing it?
I have spent most of my hikes alone on the AT stealth camping on the AT since 99 to avoid the larger crowds.I personally get more rest!ky

[Maddoxsjohnston]

One of the best campsites I've ever camped near was "stealth camping" though it was perfectly legal since I was in the southern AT. I was doing a fall section in NC/TN and it was getting cold and dark quickly, so I pulled off near a small waterfall about 100 yards off the trail. I never knew until reading these threads that this was considered "stealth camping". I wasn't trying to be a ninja or anything..I'm just one of those who enjoys solitude at campsite.

[neonshaw]

The GSMNP is the biggest hassle regarding camping. The shelters are always packed (even with your reservation) and there are no backcountry campsites near the trail. I dont even think you can tent near the shelter.

[Del Q]

Honesty?

OK, this my hobby, we (wife and I) have little social life..............and,

I am coming up on 1,000 posts

Very exciting!


So, I will take all reasonable opportunites (for a bit) to post. Keep a watchful eye.

Lone Wolf....keep me honest

Maybe it is because I am from Philadelphia, the "hood", but when I am out on the AT and find a spot to camp and am ready to camp, I am camping, period!

When I leave in the morning I am careful to leave my space as if I were never there..............#2 (buried) aside.

Have not been to the Smokies yet, we'll see.

I also figure, if I ever get in real trouble with the law, this would not be a bad record to have. " Just Sayin' "

[hikerhobs]

I stealth camp alot, I set up camp, relax, and move on. I leave no trace, you don't even no i was there.