NY State DEC says "camping hammocks" not allowed in DEC campgrounds.

[G...Hawk]

Spoke with an assistant to Mike Buzzelli, the DEC Campground Program Manager.
This is the person who is 'handling' this issue.
He will not be in office until Monday.

Emails can be addressed to [email protected] ( att : Mike Buzzelli ).
Subject : Hammock camping in DEC campgrounds.

Have not spoken to him and could not get information on how receptive he will be.
Looking forward to speaking to him, carefully.


Apparently : This is only a developed campground issue. Vehicle, Table, fireplace and neighbors.
Those out in the forest and on the trail go your merry way.


G

[SilvrSurfr]

Apparently : This is only a developed campground issue. Vehicle, Table, fireplace and neighbors.
Those out in the forest and on the trail go your merry way.
G

Well, that makes me feel slightly better. I went to Forked Lake once, took a look around, and decided it was not the campsite for me. The lake is nice, but the campsites are on top of each other. I usually stay at a couple of lean-tos down the road a few miles - never had a problem finding a spot.

[SoaknWet]

I never could understand people who go camping at a developed camp grounds with electric, running water,tons of people and rules! Camping is suppose to be an individual thing to get away from all that. My grandfather told me when you go out in the woods think of it as having crawled in God's lap. Sit down, shut up,listen and learn.

[perrito]

I never could understand people who go camping at a developed camp grounds with electric, running water,tons of people and rules! Camping is suppose to be an individual thing to get away from all that. My grandfather told me when you go out in the woods think of it as having crawled in God's lap. Sit down, shut up,listen and learn.

I used to think the same thing. But then my kids kept wanting to do it so I figured, whatever gets them outdoors. Fishing, campfires, cast iron cooking, bacon, and the sounds of nature. Yeah, anytime you kids want...

[Marmaduke]

I never could understand people who go camping at a developed camp grounds with electric, running water,tons of people and rules! Camping is suppose to be an individual thing to get away from all that. My grandfather told me when you go out in the woods think of it as having crawled in God's lap. Sit down, shut up,listen and learn.

In all fairness, Forked Lake is anything but what you described. All of the sites require a hike or a paddle to arrive at. There is no electric available, no running water, no amenities other than a fireplace and a picnic table. Many of the other DEC campgrounds are similar. There are many benefits involved with these campgrounds, and while we love to backpack, sometimes we like to have a car within a few miles so we can perhaps carry some heavier luxury items to our site in our packs that we wouldn't if we were doing 15 mile days. I'm pretty sure God's lap is big enough that these campgrounds are part of his jurisdiction.

[cmseeley]

I have never camped in a "DEC Campground" but have camped many times in DEC forests. There is usually an officer assigned to each wma and I typically call them and let them know my intentions. In most cases all they are concerned with is where i plan to park, and how many nights.

[slbear]

Man is this sticky. As an iPhone reader, I can't keep up.

It's a long drive for me to visit from SoCal, but let me suggest a Spicoli approach. Hang your hammock/tarp and if rangers or anyone approaches to enforce the rule, just say "Dude, that's bogus." If pressed, "What Jefferson was saying was, Hey! You know, we left this England place 'cause it was bogus; so if we don't get some cool rules ourselves - pronto - we'll just be bogus too!"

If that doesn't work tell them you want to make America great again. That might resonate better.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[G...Hawk]

We have good news.

The DEC is willing to see what kind of set-ups are used ! ! Privacy is the issue.

Mike Buzzelli, DEC Campground Program Manager and Superintendent Lisa Jensen have allowed us to hammock camp at North South Lake, ( Catskills ) a DEC campground, next week and will check out the setup and varied tarp possibilities.

We use Kelty Noah 9s, on the diagonal, for van camping; because we like how they look like birds flying in the forest. It may be the end of that type of setup; also, we will set one up like a pup tent.

Will also bring my backpacking WB winter tarp and old WB Edge tarp; perhaps the GrizzPeak for my Cuben Tarp to give a privacy end to the Edge.

We have been hammock hanging there for about eight years with no problems from staff.

Of course we are always in an loop / unit that has woods between the sites.
Almost always during the week, not weekends; never in the summer.
Often in the shoulder seasons, we are the only ones in that loop.

Therefore we are not the campers who have brought negative attention to themselves in closer, more occupied family units. It appears that is where the issue has risen.

Good luck to us all ! !

[Speedogomer]

I think some of the issue may not have been so extreme as 2 people "making whoopies slings", but may just have been a few hammock users changing clothes, and a family nearby was able to see.

A while back, in another thread, I read a quote that makes sense. "When camping, you don't get privacy, you give privacy".

It's not a big deal if a hammock camper changes his clothes as long as other people give them privacy. At a busy campground, that's not always possible.

A small tarp, busy campground, families near by, and a man changing his pants is probably all it took for complaints to happen, even if nothing bad ever occured.

[Marmaduke]

We have good news.

The DEC is willing to see what kind of set-ups are used ! ! Privacy is the issue.

Mike Buzzelli, DEC Campground Program Manager and Superintendent Lisa Jensen have allowed us to hammock camp at North South Lake, ( Catskills ) a DEC campground, next week and will check out the setup and varied tarp possibilities.

We use Kelty Noah 9s, on the diagonal, for van camping; because we like how they look like birds flying in the forest. It may be the end of that type of setup; also, we will set one up like a pup tent.

Will also bring my backpacking WB winter tarp and old WB Edge tarp; perhaps the GrizzPeak for my Cuben Tarp to give a privacy end to the Edge.

We have been hammock hanging there for about eight years with no problems from staff.

Of course we are always in an loop / unit that has woods between the sites.
Almost always during the week, not weekends; never in the summer.
Often in the shoulder seasons, we are the only ones in that loop.

Therefore we are not the campers who have brought negative attention to themselves in closer, more occupied family units. It appears that is where the issue has risen.

Good luck to us all ! !

wow, this is good news. Let us know what happens for sure.