Rant: LNT hammock camping and state parks don't mix

[DSM_Stephen]

Sounds like you've found out when different type of recreators clash philosophically. I wouldn't rule out all state parks but I would stray from super developed campgrounds like you spent time in.

Never forget that like outside exists beyond parks. The forest Service and Bureau of Land Management have more land the the Park Service for the people. Lets use it!

[MAD777]

No campgrounds for me! The more wilderness and the farther from the trailhead the better. State Forests, Wildlife Preserves, and mostly National Forests are my haunts. (Halloween is almost here you know).

[snarlbuckle]

Thanks for all of the support, but I have one concern perhaps you fellow hammock campers can help me to address. My wife and I went to the state park as a way to do a short overnight trip legally. We don't know enough about the legalities of wandering into the woods and setting up camp, so we went to an established campground.

So how do I know where I can camp and where I can't? I'm sure we can 'stealth camp' and probably get away with it, but we don't want to be somewhere we shouldn't.

Any advice on this would be appreciated, thanks.

[Sidewinder]

I avoid managed campgrounds unless I have no other choice. National forests are the places to go.

S

[stevebo]

I've always felt more safe when deep in the woods-------------the deeper the better!

[Miguel]

You sir are preaching to the choir. I feel your pain and avoid State Parks whenever possible for the same reasons as you.

[NCPatrick]

The State Parks around me are all great. My favorites have backcountry camping sites as well as the family sites, and are on the whole clean and pretty.

[nothermark]

Given your scenario you have to admit that you were the "non conforming" user. ;-) As somebody who can pick anything from a Hammock to a Motor Home to go camping with I understand your rant. The problem is you don't fit the mindset of the folks running the show. They don't know what to do with you. Unfortunately the police mindset is to eliminate folks who do not conform.

As far as the rest of the denizens go none of us like the hog with loud music so more folks who are out a lot avoid the party weekends and leave that to the folks looking to party. My thought is that the better the park is for the average car camper the less you will like it. OTOH a lot of the folks at the campgrounds are big supporters of keeping the wilderness wild so you can enjoy it. It seems a reasonable price. I hope you can find some "good woods" to enjoy.

[tncamper]

Here in west Tn there aren't many options other than state parks backyard camping. There is one that I do frequent quite often when working out of town at a sister company and have had nothing but great experiences there. The only exception was 3 weeks ago I had to work 2 weeks back to back there. The first week coincided with fall break and the "primitive" sites were all taken and I too had to set up in the RV section. I was really shaking my head at how they all had way too big fires, being (what I considered) loud, and just couldn't get it in my head why they would even want to do what they were doing.

Well, after running into some ex-inlaws and catching up with how they had been. They invited me to "dinner and a movie" (which to me means a hotdog and sitting around the fire). I told them I'd come over in a bit. They were setting up the sheets for the projector when I got there. I had no idea they were serious. They headed out the next day and over the rest of the week I observed the others coming and going. I came to realize that i was on their turf and even though they don't share the same "respect" (for lack of a better word) for the outdoors, they were at the least getting the family out and enjoying some family time away from home.

Best as I could tell, all the campsites were cleaned up and no one really got so loud that it was bothersome.

[gunner76]

I tend to go to State Parks to camp in the off season (fall. winter, spring) when it is not as crowded.