I have stayed in most of Georgia's state parks and have never run into a problem. I did have the ranger at Jekyll Island SP tell me to make sure I was using tree starps. I guess she was familiar with hammocks?
I have stayed in most of Georgia's state parks and have never run into a problem. I did have the ranger at Jekyll Island SP tell me to make sure I was using tree starps. I guess she was familiar with hammocks?
I personally think that it's usually more about individuals making their own decisions were hammocks have not been discussed in the rules.Originally Posted by STinGa
That's good to hear. She has learned about hammocks somewhere
I too will something make and joy in it's making
It really didnt occur to us that we could'nt or that we would need permission. We were just worried we would'nt be able to find trees! LOL Oh well, live and learn, I am going to contact the park and talk to someone in a really nice way and explain about hammocks. We shall see.when i was looking into parks i wanted to go right to the person and talk with them, to see. one or two people hanging can be forgiven a little easier than 20. so i would walk in with my eno setup and the warbird in the car, along with tarp. i asked, and also offered to demo the hammock, my logic being i could both show whomever made the decision it was very low impact, and maybe get them into one and get a convert/extol the virtues of our way of life.
and ive always explained it as a floating tent. we have rain flys and bug nets just like the tent stuff. even use tent stakes at times. were just MUCH more comfortable.
in the end, it didnt come down to that. they were more concerned we wouldnt be able to find an appropriate space since most parks thin the trees pretty good, and they dont just want you off in the woods where they cant have someone stop in if needed.
those that will meet me will notice im "modified" with tattoos, piercings, even implants in my face. i learned a long time ago its better to educate people politely than leave questions unanswered, and i do this with almost everything i do. im all for more parks knowing about what it is we do and how we do it, so we have access more places.
"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves." ~John Muir
I believe that the vast majority of park rangers, be they state or federal, have the well being of their parks and the safe and happy enjoyment of those parks by the public as their highest priorities. It is true that some folks who are ignorant of the hammock systems will have that knee-jerk reaction that it can't be good if it's THAT different. The regulations requiring "camping units" to be on the tent pads makes a lot of sense when we consider what many people will do otherwise, e.g. driving into the site, cutting live branches, chopping down whole live trees, or even shooting at trees. There are a lot of folks who don't practice LNT camping and the rangers are the ones who end up with damaged or trashed camping areas. They get pretty PO'd when that happens, and rightfully so. Some of the parks are the only habitat for a particular species and I can't blame a ranger for perhaps being overprotective. I have never had a ranger be belligerent, but again I always try to respect those folks. They are in the parks a whole hekuva lot more than I am and they have actual responsibility for the place. But referring a ranger to this website can be helpful, too. They can learn just like we have how low impact hammocks can be.
Most rangers I have talked with have a real passion for the wilderness and for the conservation of the parks. I respect that and will work with them toward that end.
This guy was not worried about the trees, just said they were dangerous...
The ranger earlier who came by didnt say anything. Another reason why I prefer backpacking....
"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves." ~John Muir
Florida state parks' unreasonable rule against hanging anything from trees has been analyzed thoroughly in another thread. You could bring your own Turtle Lady stand, set it up right in the middle of the "tent pad". What can they say? Once you throw a tarp over it, it would be difficult to argue that it is not a "camping unit"!
"Pips"
Mountains have a dreamy way
Of folding up a noisy day
In quiet covers, cool and gray.
---Leigh Buckner Hanes
Surely, God could have made a better way to sleep.
Surely, God never did.
All this is why I only backpack into wilderness areas where no ranger could ever find me. The only exception is began last year when I discovered Hammock Forums' Group Hangs.
Mike
"Life is a Project!"
Odd...I hung up at Unicoi back in April...or was it March...with no problems at all other than the weather got nasty and sent a bunch of soaked tenters to sleep in the shower houses (no such problem for me).
I was planning to stay there again this Friday but may drive a few miles further up to Andrew's Cove...a small USFS campground north of Helen a few miles. I'll try to give the head ranger up there a call this week sometime and see what gives.
Sounds like a fellow who was afraid of what he didn't understand. "Oh my, it's a hanging contraption"..."it might fall"..."someone could get hurt"..."we could be held responsible"!....
We hang at our own risk...and laugh at ourselves when we're "less" graceful
Hootenanny Hang June 11-13, 2021
Love many, trust few & always paddle your own canoe. American Proverb
Adventure is Calling... nolilearn.org
San Diego has lots of beautiful county parks. Alas, they have a "nothing attached to trees" rule...
Most of my hanging has been on private or national forest land. . .
"Do or do not, there is no try." -- Yoda
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