Stealth hang

**Dog Listener** · 08-17-2016, 19:01

I have a few concerns about stealth hanging. I have seen such unfriendly responses to people that stealth camp with a tent, I wondered about stealth hanging. I read of a tent camper that found the designated camp sites just muddy or plain dirt and chose to use the pine needle, softer, cleaner area to pitch his tent on. The comments were very offensive that he would dare to step on a plant "off the trail". I do not quite understand this. How many wild animals step on or eat plants every minute of every day? I get that a tent has a bigger footprint than a hammock but is it really that horrible if you have so few choices? I have found myself in positions where there was just no way I could reach the designated site for one reason or another due to weather or the fact that I am an old lady and just could not get there. I have stealth hung on more than one occasion due to circumstance. I never leave a trace other than a plant or two that any animal could have stepped on. I use an alcohol stove to cook so no mark from fire is left. However, I feel like I am committing a crime and will have the forest gestapo on my trail at any moment. No, not really but it seems like common sense to stealth hang when you must, or(my biggest question) when you can as you find the best places.

**TrailSlug** · 08-17-2016, 19:08

Don't sweat it. There's always going to be a self righteous group of people that tend to over analyze the affects of stealth camping. There are always going to be times when you need to stealth camp so go forth and leave no trace.

**sidvicious** · 08-17-2016, 19:23

i "stealth" camp virtually every time i hang a hammock. there are some places that don't allow camping off site. fortunately none of those places are my stomping grounds. in fact, other than a few places [some stretches of the smokies, i think] i have never seen a national forest, or ground managed by the usfs, that prevents wild camping. there are some, i'm aware, but i've never had to deal with it.

**SilvrSurfr** · 08-17-2016, 19:27

I certainly never plan on stealth hanging, but it happens, usually when I'm hiking at night. I'm blind in one eye and have 70% vision in the other eye, and if I get lost, I usually just make camp rather than get more lost. In the morning I inevitably find that I wasn't that lost, maybe that I just couldn't find the next trail marker.

It's better to just stay where you are than get lost further.

**Billy Goat** · 08-17-2016, 19:44

On the Ozark Trail, there are very few "established" sites, and the one that are there are nearly all unsanctioned rogue sites. They prefer wild camping out there. Sometimes it is nice to have a high impact site so as to have a nice little fire or something, but I find the wild sites to be more enjoyable, anyhow.

Cheers,
the Goat

**mcbpdx** · 08-17-2016, 21:29

You can camp anywhere in a National Forest as long as you follow the rules (there aren't many)! State Forests can be more restrictive.

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**johnspenn** · 08-18-2016, 05:30

HYOH, within reason. I see no problem with "stealth" camping as long as proper LNT principles are adhered to. If a plant gets trampled, it will grow back. As long as we take reasonable caution not to negatively impact the areas where we camp, nature has a funny way of recovering and after a month or so no one could ever tell you were there.

Tents do have a larger footprint, but even a tent resting on plants for one night won't kill them, in general. Obviously you should know something about where you're camping and if there are sensitive or rare species to be concerned about, but typically and especially in a hammock the impact will be slim to none if precautions are taken.

Don't let the Green Nazis spoil your fun!

**OneClick** · 08-18-2016, 07:23

I typically think of stealth camping as camping where you shouldn't ever be (wooded area behind a store in the middle of the city, private property, etc)

But when it comes to getting further into the woods, say at a campground site that doesn't have the right trees, I can understand the desire. The problem is when every other person starts doing it. Pretty soon you have another "established" site. Then after 12 uses, the next person finds that too "dirty" and overused, so they hang another 50' away, creating yet another site. Whether they are 100% LNT or trashing the place, it will still take it's toll since it only takes one person to ruin it. Again, I'm talking about a moderate-heavily used area where they want you in a specific place.

I would never call hanging in the middle of a national forest "stealth" camping. That's all I ever do and I'm always off the trail. I don't stay at established sites since there's too much land to explore. I guess that's dispersed or backcountry camping.

**fallkniven** · 08-18-2016, 15:47

Honestly, the first time I've ever been in a designated campground, was with these guys a few years ago. Until then, all my camping was 'stealth' camping. To me, it was just camping. I had never heard of this not being allowed to camp in the forest thing before. I never would have thought that most places, you can't just camp anywhere you want. I still think it's crazy. Campsites are crowded, and you can never find any firewood nearby. I hate 'em.

**OneClick** · 08-18-2016, 15:51

Just follow the rules. From what I know around here...

Federal land like national forests: pretty wide open to camp anywhere. Usually something like 200' off trails and from water
State forests: usually more restrictive but still backcountry type camping
State parks: pretty nasty with overused pay sites
Public state land: similar to national forest; do whatever you want within reason. Some states require hanging a free permit (just a piece of paper on a tree)