Tenting in Massachussets

[spfleisig]

Can you plop down a tent anywhere you want on the AT in Mass?

Thanks

[Sarcasm the elf]

Mass requires camping at designated sites only.

[GoldenBear]

> Can you plop down a tent anywhere you want on the AT in Mass?

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts states pretty unambiguously
https://www.mass.gov/files/documents...alachian_0.pdf
"Camp only in designated areas."

[Slo-go'en]

Even plopping down a tent at shelter sites can be iffy. They don't give you good options at some of them. There are zero tent options at Hemlock Hollow - but it is a nice shelter.

BTW, the "only designated sites" is also true for NY, NJ and CT. The trail through these states are on a narrow corridor which often crosses private land.

[Teacher & Snacktime]

Don't include Shaker Campsite in your plans. An aggressive Mama Bear with a trio of cubs has claimed the area and is willing to defend it. You may have to skirt around that section by following Jerusalem Rd past the danger zone.

[Traveler]

As said here earlier, MA has a designated camping regulation along with a State wide ban on campfires (applies to CT as well). Camping areas are varied and not too far apart so they can be accessed easily. Some have shelters, some do not, most all of them are located near fairly reliable water sources.

Though tempting at times to not camp in these designated areas, the regulations exist for a reason. What may seem unnecessary to some like fire bans and designated camping area rules, to land owners who's land is impacted the regulations are very necessary and usually written into their agreement for the AT easement or access permission. Failure to abide by these agreement tenets can and have led to trail closures. Its not Rangers or Trail Runners one should worry about, it's discovery of individuals or evidence of trespass by land owners that will bring problems.

A good example is the Riga Plateau in CT from Salisbury to the MA line. After the last forest fire started by a campfire, trail access was nearly terminated by the land owners. Were it not for the exceptional persuasion talents and assurances of better policing by the local AMC Chapter the AT would have been permanently moved to the shoulder of Rt. 41 all the way to the Race Brook Falls access trail. An all too familiar scenario involving a section of the AT nearly ruined by someone who was ignorant of the fire and camping restrictions, or worse, did not feel these rules applied to them.

Unless there is an emergency of some type, following the local land owner wishes and trail use regulations is important for trail access and for the generations that follow us.

[BillyGr]

As said here earlier, MA has a designated camping regulation along with a State wide ban on campfires (applies to CT as well). Camping areas are varied and not too far apart so they can be accessed easily. Some have shelters, some do not, most all of them are located near fairly reliable water sources.

Just to be sure we aren't confusing people - I know CT has the campfire ban, and both have the designated sites regulation, but I never heard of MA having a fire ban (unless it was a temporary one due to low rainfall some years)?

[Traveler]

Just to be sure we aren't confusing people - I know CT has the campfire ban, and both have the designated sites regulation, but I never heard of MA having a fire ban (unless it was a temporary one due to low rainfall some years)?

Thinking about it, the fire ban may have been for last year during the drought. Though I thought its been in effect along the AT passing through private land with the exception of State parks that have fire rings that can be used.

[Sarcasm the elf]

Camping restrictions should be respected, of course.

Not sure about shooting trespassers, but I seem to recall a famous sign on abutting property owned by the National Zoo down south stating that treaspassers would be eaten.

One thing surfacing in this thread is confusing to me however.

I recently read that 99%+ of the Trail is now situated on public land.

Some of the posts in this thread suggest that this 99% number must include easements on privately held land that can be revoked (for specific reasons) by a private land owner.

Can anyone shed some light on that?

Perhaps a very narrow AT corridor is now public ally owned as it passes through private land? Perhaps something else?

RickB, what I have read over the years is that 99% of the trail is protected, including easements on private property, which may be what you’re referring to. I know of quite a few places where the trail is on private land in CT and MA alone, abd IIRC that is one of the factors that led to the camping and fire restrictions in the area.

[Sarcasm the elf]

Thinking about it, the fire ban may have been for last year during the drought. Though I thought its been in effect along the AT passing through private land with the exception of State parks that have fire rings that can be used.

Some, but not all MA established sites allow campfires in the maintained rings. The two southernmost campsites in MA, Sages Ravine campsite and Laurel Ridge campsite (across from the former Bear Rock Falls campsite) both prohibit fires, which may be what you’re thinking of.

[Traveler]

Thanks. I thought it was State Parks that allowed the fire exception through use of metal fire rings, but could be mistaken and any site with metal fire rings can be used for campfires.

[Cosmo]

Here’s the deal in Mass: About half the Trail in Mass is on Federal (NPS) land, most of the rest is on State land (including most of the overnight sites). There’s a few miles on municipal watershed lands. Most of the time the corridor is fairly wide (1000ft management corridor in State Forests, width varies on NPS lands, depending on what was purchased.

Camping is restricted to designated overnight sites to [I]protect the resource[I], meaning the physical environment and the hiking experience. Camping causes long term changes in the environment (regardless of your self-evaluated stealth skills). We don’t want the Trail to be a series of campsites, we want the issues that occur with camping (vegetation damage, human waste, litter, etc) to be confined to locations that can be managed to mitigate those impacts. Further, Mass has more rare plant occurrences on Trail lands than any other Trail state. Many are quite close to the treadway.

There are places where the Trail corridor IS narrow. CT, NY, NJ have parts of the corridor that are essentially in people’s back yards for significant distances.

Do the right thing, and protect the Trail’s resources for those who will be traveling after you. This includes the environment, the hiking experience, and tolerant and friendly neighbors. In Mass, there are tent sites at every shelter. At The Hemlocks (where a previous poster reported difficulties in finding room), hikers can tent at Glen Brook, 100 yds further south, where there is an extensive (and very nice) tenting area.

These restrictions are not random, not intended to simply be be a pain in your ass. Barring injury or illness, overnight sites are a very reasonable day’s hike apart, or less—strong hikers can skip 2 or 3 every day. They are there to preserve the best hiking experience for everyone.

Cosmo

[connolm]

Anyone know specifically if stoves like the Biolite and Emberlit are considered "campfires" or merely stoves? I would prefer to be compliant.

Sent from my VS990 using Tapatalk

[Traveler]

A lot of conversation on this type of stove and fire bans. Consensus seems to be if you can control the flame and can shut it off, then it is not considered open flame burning, however specific information on this is sketchy. Interpretation then becomes what is allowed or not. A landowner who has had a significant burn on their land may find this type of stove an "open fire" because there is no way to shut off the flame. Conversely, a ridge runner or warden may find this type of stove allowable on lands in their venue.

I don't believe there is a one size fits most answer.

[Slo-go'en]

Anyone know specifically if stoves like the Biolite and Emberlit are considered "campfires" or merely stoves? I would prefer to be compliant.

So long as there isn't a regional fire ban, wood burning stoves should be okay. Just don't set it on the grass and build a fire in it like in the second photo. Put it on a rock or clear the area around it of anything combustible.

[Just Tom]

I sent a note to head keeper of the trail for AMC CT (don't recall exact title, you get the idea) and he said woodburning stove (I specifically used a Solo as an example) was fine, but not to use it whgere it would leave a burn ring. I keep that printed note and bring it with me in a Ziploc any time I happen to use such a type of stove in CT on the AT.