Hammock Camping Not Allowed?

[tomsawyer222]

It's important to remember though that the BWCA restricts the number of people that can access the area on any given day.

limits the group size? or total number of people in a day? I know the groupd are limited to 10 people or something but SNP does the same thing with a limit of 5 in a party i think

[canoebie]

limits the group size? or total number of people in a day? I know the groupd are limited to 10 people or something but SNP does the same thing with a limit of 5 in a party i think

Don't hold me to this but seems I heard there is a limit of 6 in the BWCA for any one group.

[Kasuko]

Anyone know anything about Hammocks in Ontario parks? I have searched the "rules and regulations" that contain 80% of how we'll take your money and 20% of how you can use the site. But nothing about hammocks, hanging things from trees or attaching things to trees.

[sk8rs_dad]

I've stayed at a number of provincial parks and never had any problems using my hammock. That includes Sharbot Lake, Charleston Lake, Fitzroy Harbour, Presqu'ile, Ferris, the Pinery & Awenda.

I'm not sure I'd want to hammock at Sandbanks. The root systems on those trees are none too stable.

There's an Ontario hang being organized for Bon Echo in August, in case you missed the thread.

[Kasuko]

I've stayed at a number of provincial parks and never had any problems using my hammock. That includes Sharbot Lake, Charleston Lake, Fitzroy Harbour, Presqu'ile, Ferris, the Pinery & Awenda.

I'm not sure I'd want to hammock at Sandbanks. The root systems on those trees are none too stable.

There's an Ontario hang being organized for Bon Echo in August, in case you missed the thread.

Aw Drat! We're going to Sandbanks, a big cousin camping trip. Was really looking forward to introducing our hammocks.

Guess I should look into some form of hammock stand. Good thing it's only car camping.

As for the Ontario Hang, I've seen it and sent my available dates.

[GW Sears]

I'm not sure I'd want to hammock at Sandbanks. The root systems on those trees are none too stable.

But it would make such a novel writeup for the Darwin Award!

[sk8rs_dad]

Statistically speaking you're probably OK to hang from the trees. They haven't had a death since 2006, and that was likely due to rot rather than roots.

[opie984]

I do wonder why people are so up in arms about the rope on the tree? Deer come along and rub the bark off the whole bottom of many trees and so do boars and beavers chew them to the ground. I normally spend one night in a spot then move on even if i used rope it would not do enough damage to cause a tree harm in one night.

Deer don't do the same kind of damage a hammock does. Hammock essentially girth the tree. In other words, they cause damage the entire circumference of the tree. This is one of the fastest ways to kill a tree.

Whereas deer and other wildlife typically only cause damage to one side of a tree--albeit sometimes significant.

[opie984]

The most common place that you'll encounter anti-hammock rules and regs are in State Parks. I know that rules preventing the use of hammocks exist in both Florida and Colorado (the two states I've lived in during my 'hammock-time'). However, the rules weren't written with hammocks in mind....I don't think. They are blanket type rules that forbid the attachment of "anything" to trees or structures. Makes you wonder what folks were attaching to trees at one point in time.

National Parks are much less likely to have rules that would eliminate hammock camping. A couple of years ago I had a brief email discussion with a gentleman at the BLM. He was also a hammock enthusiast and went on to tell me that there are a very small number of campgrounds on Federal land that have anything on the books about attachment to trees. No blanket laws whatsoever, but some uniquely high usage areas (Yellowstone) have instituted specific rules. Said rules, as far as he knew, applied only to the formal campgrounds and immediate surrounding areas. He was unaware of any Federal parks or forests that had such rules on any backcountry sites.

Best rule of thumb, stay away from State Parks. I see no reason to pay them a usage fee when they restrict my method of usage. Besides, they are generally too crowded and developed for my taste.

Good luck!

Recently stayed @ bear lake in Blackwater State Forest. Stayed in a primitive site away from the "established" camping areas and never once saw a ranger and me and a buddy both hung from the trees.

[Cannibal]

Recently stayed @ bear lake in Blackwater State Forest. Stayed in a primitive site away from the "established" camping areas and never once saw a ranger and me and a buddy both hung from the trees.

Far and away the best way to deal with State Parks. I hung in at least a dozen Florida State Parks, but only had a couple of encounters with Rangers. One of them got his pen and notebook out to write down website addresses I was giving him about hammocks. I'll bet a paycheck I converted that dude.