Problems with Rangers?

[Hulk]

I volunteer lots and lots of time to both national park and national forest lands. So naturally this means i spend lots of time with rangers. Some times a week at a time if i'm volunteering trail maintenance deep in back country wilderness areas. All of the rangers have been impressed with a hammock's ability to "camp" in "uncampable" locations with little or no trace.

[Jodster]

I pulled into Algonquin a couple years ago and had the following conversation .....

Me : staying for 4 nights
Ranger : tent colour?
Me : we are sleeping in hammocks
Ranger : oh .... you're one of those guys
Me : yep .... I'm one of those guys!

[FLRider]

Haven't had a problem yet, but I've also not tried to sleep in a front country area (other than one private campground, where they knew me from my ground-dwelling days and I asked about hammocks beforehand).

Hoping to get down to the local state park some time in either February or March, before the end of the pilot program...we'll see how that goes...

[otter]

To me I just don’t see why it’s a big dial. I mean I understand if you don’t use the right tree straps to not be allowed but since I also like repealing and I have never seen any damage done to the tree I’m rigged on why would it hurt if I’m hung between to trees.

[cfi on the fly]

Im not a tree expert, and i dont know just how much damage to the bark of a tree is too much that it actually hurts the tree. But I do know that when I hang from trees, especially larger older oak trees where the bark protrudes out more, there is some damage that can be seen. Its not much, but i can hear the bark bending and yielding when a load is placed on the hammock.

So im pretty sure that a ranger would not be swayed by my attempts to show them that hammocks are completely harmless to trees. But i cant sell water in the desert to thirsty men either.

Its a mute point though, as no ranger is going to find me if im hanging in the backwoods anyways. My trips are made to get as remote as possible.

[gargoyle]

Two years ago, the ranger actually came thru camp and stopped and checked out all the gear. He was impressed, after seeing 1,000 of rv's, and campers and tent trashing the land.

This year at a privately owned campground, I waited till nightfall and then strung the hammock up. In the AM, I took it down.

[Jcavenagh]

AFAIK there's no problem hanging in Ontario Provincial Parks. EGL group hangs use Algonquin regularly as do individual hangers who frequent the back country of the park.

Ontario is grouped in with 'All Others' in the 'Hangouts, Group Camping & Trip Planning' section. There's at least a couple other hangers from your area.

I agree. I've never had any issue in Quetico or Wababkimi. I intended to hang in WCPP last summer and was not warned against it. Unfortunately, that trip had to be called off...

[Whiskeyjack]

So this is Ontario Parks official stance on hammocks.
It seems they only apply any regulations/limitations to campground use.

Thanks for your email – it certainly did cause a great deal of discussion and deliberation here between main office operational staff.

We have to follow policy regulations which are that only 3 tent structures are allowed on the designated campsite at one time. The reason for restricting the site to 3 sleeping structures is so that we can preserve the areas around the campsite. The area around the campsite (mostly where you would find trees and other shrubbery) is considered a buffer area where camping or structures are not allowed.

In other words if the tree that you attach your hammock tent to is in this buffer area, you cannot attach it to that. If you can find a campsite that has trees within the campsite area, you may use these trees to tie your hammock tent to.

Does this make sense – we hope so.

Regards,

Ontario Parks

So I shouldn't run into any issues when I try some backcountry hiking in Sleeping Giant park this spring.

[struug]

I don't think hammocks have caught on in my area yet. I camped at a state park last year and the staff at the ranger station asked what type of camping unit i had (IE tent, car or camper). I said hammock and she looked at me like i was speaking a foreign language. I laughed and said just mark me down as a tent,

[Lorax]

Not yet, but I expect to at some point as I have noticed when looking for "the perfect trees" that draw the hammockers eye at some sites in BWCA, the vegetation below is hacked down and limbs trimmed to accommodate hammocks and tarps.

They are looking as worn as tent pads already and the impact is visible which goes against the policy of cutting and not using the tent pads. Some of those sites are rough shape already and I expect that someone in a green uniform is going to catch on at some point and they will not be allowed.

No problems anywhere else, but I backpack or paddle into places I don't normally see rangers.

I really should take some pictures next time. We're going to have problems at some point.