Hammock Camping Not Allowed?

[dejoha]

I thought I read a thread here about hammocks in Philmont, but I'll dare to repeat.

As was mentioned before, Philmont has a number of treks that focus impact on a select number of sites. Anyone who's been to Philmont knows that these sites have very high impact. The ground is almost rock solid with vegetation trampled--but in very focused areas. Regretfully, I agree with the Chimp and others that if hammocks became as common on the treks, the few trees near these primitive campgrounds would easily be stripped down.

Philmont serves over 22,000 Scouts, Venturers, and their advisers each year, and the campsites are subjected to heavy use.

Philmont also has rules about tarp usage, and prohibits using a tarp as a shelter. You can view the standard gear list from their website. What I've heard is that this is part of Philmont's bear containment program. By keeping all kitchen items under a tarp and all sleeping in tent shelters, they are associating smellables with tarps, hence the prohibition of tarps for sleeping.

But, before going with what Philmont prescribes, it may be possible to negotiate your own gear, which could save you a lot of weight.

[I Splice]

I've read that some places (e.g. Philmont Scout Ranch) won't allow hammock camping due to damage to trees (or other reasons)? I don't see how that could be the case if webbing is used on the trees and the trees are of sufficient weight to bear the load. I know I'm preaching to the choir in regards to how much more hammocks would seem to follow LNT priciples.

Is this encountered often? What have been your experiences with this?

Philmont (and the BSA in general) can be rather authoritarian and strange at times, so I wouldn't read anything into BSA procedures and rules.

Philmont does have some special issues; Philmont has ~250,000 backpacking nights in just over 200 square miles every summer. Many of those nights are by fairly inexperienced campers who also happen to be adolescent men.

The no hammocks policy at Philmont is more part of their bear procedures than for tree protection. Tarps are disallowed by the same procedures, though floorless tents are OK. The reason is that the tent is a psychological barrier for the bear.

Philmont's bear procedures are complicated, effective, and onerous. From what I've been able learn about bear behavior, Philmont's procedures try to do everything possible to avoid bear problems.

[Just Jeff]

When I was at Philmont, they told us that absolutely nothing could be tied to the trees, including tarps. We had tents and bear cannisters and didn't plan on using tarps for anything anyway. This was in '95 or '96.

[Meteor]

I think mentioning Philmont as an example may have been a poor choice (although the discussion has been interesting). I realize Philmont has a number of special issues having to do with extreme land use, inexperienced campers, and the need to set a relatively standard regimen in a learning environment. I also understand the very stringent bear procedures (although I'm not sure how in any other environment hammocks would be that much different than tents or tarps to a bear).

But other than Philmont, are no-hammocking rules encountered often?

[TinaLouise]

I've not camped anywhere yet that has a no-hammock rule. But I've read here of places that are like that. My thinking is that the average Joe that buys a hammock will get something that has some kind of metal hooks or screws and the average Joe, not knowing anything about damage to trees will attach that to the tree. Some of my cheaper hammocks actually came with those metal hook thingys, which I threw away. Some of the web sites even boast about the hardware that comes with the hammock and some show pictures with this hardware attached/screwed/nailed??? to the tree!!! So if the average Joe is also a Ranger at a Park and this is is conception of what a hammock is..... well I can see why the place will say, no hanging allowed. We can then try to educate the Ranger and see if they will allow you to hang. But chances are even if you get the OK, the policy will not change because the park is still dealing with average Joe who thinks the hardware is to be put into the tree.

[tomsawyer222]

so even with straps we will damage the trees thru continuous use which means the more people who know about hammocking the more damage will be done !

what have we started by the end it will be solyent green all over again we must stop the spread of the hammock word before it gets all over the world and there are no trees left...

Oh wait never mind people have been doing it for about 5000 years already....

still trees left no movie theater to die in

I understand we have to protect the forest from being destroyed but i think that hammock straps on trees rank at least below deforestation for farm land and timbering to build homes.... trees dieing and rotting away is actually a good thing it may not be what some want to hear but its true

[warbonnetguy]

i like the don't ask don't tell motto.

i like to stealth camp when i go just because i like to be alone. often there may be rules on the trailhead kiosk about only camping in designated camping spots (or even worse not leaving the designated trails), but i figure i'm practicing LNT, and if i'm off trail a good ways into the woods then i'm very unlikely to have a ranger stroll by my hammock. this way i just feel like i'm avoiding the confrontation that might happen in a designated camp site.

it's pretty easy for me personally to justify it as long as i practice LNT, and by going stealth away from established camp sites, i'm also ensuring that the trees i pick have never been hung from and likely never will be again. i think the only place hanging could cause damage is in designated camp spots that get hung from on a constant basis, but even then, how many folks here have killed the 2 trees in their backyard?? i'd guess none.

[tomsawyer222]

I've not camped anywhere yet that has a no-hammock rule. But I've read here of places that are like that. My thinking is that the average Joe that buys a hammock will get something that has some kind of metal hooks or screws and the average Joe, not knowing anything about damage to trees will attach that to the tree. Some of my cheaper hammocks actually came with those metal hook thingys, which I threw away. Some of the web sites even boast about the hardware that comes with the hammock and some show pictures with this hardware attached/screwed/nailed??? to the tree!!! So if the average Joe is also a Ranger at a Park and this is is conception of what a hammock is..... well I can see why the place will say, no hanging allowed. We can then try to educate the Ranger and see if they will allow you to hang. But chances are even if you get the OK, the policy will not change because the park is still dealing with average Joe who thinks the hardware is to be put into the tree.

The metal hooks that could be screwed into the tree dont actually kill the tree its probably better then the straps. The tree will eventually absorb the hook in time also lets hundreds of people hand there with no more hurt to the tree

How many people actually hammock here on the east coast? Just from the east coast to the Mississippi? maybe 10000 how many acres of park do we have to spread out amongst those people and how many times do they get to go a year the numbers are ridiculous the odds that two people will hammock in the same spot night after night after night are too high maybe in certain high use areas where there is more then likely already a campsite.

You can use the what if all the time but in reality we are not hurting the trees at least not any more then the ice storm that just blew through and destroyed hundreds of them. If we keep playing it up like the trees are being hurt then there will be no hammock camping signs lots of places before you know it.

If you cut the bark off one side of a tree it will heal but if you cut it off on two opposing sides it will die I have seen that trick used to create fire wood dead and standing for later cutting.

[tomsawyer222]

i like the don't ask don't tell motto.

i like to stealth camp when i go just because i like to be alone. often there may be rules on the trailhead kiosk about only camping in designated camping spots (or even worse not leaving the designated trails), but i figure i'm practicing LNT, and if i'm off trail a good ways into the woods then i'm very unlikely to have a ranger stroll by my hammock. this way i just feel like i'm avoiding the confrontation that might happen in a designated camp site.

it's pretty easy for me personally to justify it as long as i practice LNT.

That is exactly how i feel

[Festus Hagen]

Many state campgrounds prohibit hanging hammocks from trees... the rules tend to vary by state. New York and Connecticut come immediately to mind as they are local to me.

The rule usually reads something like this: "Please do not injure the trees. No nails, screws, ropes or lines are permitted to be tied or inserted into trees, shrubs or other structures."

Seems to me this rules out hammocks or tarps in general.

There is nothing stopping one from using a fabricated hammock stand. Or, you can try the strategy of hanging out of general view where possible. I did once hang a tarp at Fahnestock State Park campground (it rained the whole time I was there and I didn't like just sitting in the tent), nobody looked twice at this.

I use straps but even so I try to hang from trees that have more rugged bark. Sorry to say I've managed to damage trees that were more delicate