Stealth - Appalachian Trail

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#1

I hate shelters. Tell me about stealth camping. How far off trail? Impossible with a tent? How do you do it?

Brian Johnson

#2

There are several important things to understand about stealth camping. Perhaps the best way to explain it is from the process method.

When I stealth the process starts miles before I get off the trail for the night. I cook the last meal of the day on the trail, do all my camp chores, then I walk for a few miles before I choose a campsite. You want to be at least a couple miles from the nearest shelter or road.

The distance from the trail will vary based on foliage and terrain. What you are looking for is a place that cannot be seen from the trail. It’s important to have some way of steering yourself back to the trail the next morning (compass bearing is best). I once surprised myself stealth camping by not being able to find the trail the next morning even though I was not that far away from it, and have a good sense of direction. I bushwacked for 45 minutes before I found it again.

Yes you can stealth with a tent but it’s generally easier to stealth with a tarp.

Ponytail

Everyone’s a Hero, just ask them, they’ll tell you

ponytail

#3

It is also much easier to stealth if you are using a hammock. They can set up almost anywhere.

Big B

#4

Stealth camping with a hammock is great. But you have to be mindful of the oozing blue light of your LED if you read, etc. You don’t want Ranger Rick spotting you. Especially on State or Federal park/forest land.

Horn Head

#5

Stealth camping with a hammock is great. But you have to be mindful of the oozing blue light of your LED if you read, etc. You don’t want Ranger Rick spotting you. Especially on State or Federal park/forest land.

Horn Head

#6

Another option - have a big enough container (I use a 3-qt. Nalgene canteen)to load up on water then dry camp. Don’t have to worry about after dinner miles. And if water isn’t a concern, the campsite options are nearly endless.

Booger

#7

“You don’t want Ranger Rick spotting you. Especially on State or Federal park/forest land.”

What would happen if they found you? A small fine or something more serious?

Brian Johnson

#8

“You don’t want Ranger Rick spotting you. Especially on State or Federal park/forest land.”

That’s why I carry a Glock. To answer the man with the gun.

UGH

#9

UGH is Steve Hiker aka Jumble Jowls. Ignore the Troll.

Seems to me the most rigidly enforced area is perhaps Shenandoah NP. I knew several folks who got tickets for illegally camping in the park. You can expect a fine if caught camping illegally.

Jeffrey Hunter

#10

Ranger Rick could take your gear, escort you to the nearest county’s holding facility, and fine you up to $500 (or so). However, they usually threaten you with an escort off of the park’s land and a fine of $250 (they will definitely live up to the fine portion of the threat). You really need to watch out in the GSMNP and SNP.
To be honest, the rules in those 2 parks need to be strictly enforced due to bear activity and the dumb-arse people who come into contact with them. These parks have bears which are not at all shy about approaching shlters or campsites for food, even when they have hangers/boxes and lots of people around. So they could certainly garner the nerve to approach you off in the woods alone. They are often aggressive.

Horn Head

#11

Part of the reason for stealthing is to avoid unfavorable interactions with the local wildlife. Animals are not random in their search for food; they go where they are most likely to find it. Cooking at a stealth site screams to any animal with a decent sense of smell, “a human with food is here!” This is the reason for the after dinner miles.

Ponytail

Everyone’s a Hero, just ask them, they’ll tell you

Ponytail

#12

one more thing about stealth camping if you hiking a trail which crosses an indian reservation,then you need to whatch out some of them can get really scary really fast, esecially when you are trepassing and all that. so if you are hiking, just keep an eye out and don’t be noisy fools in the darkness, if you’re floating try to campo on the oppsite side of the bank where the reservation sits. or push or if both sides are res land than push back and stealth away from the bank.

the dave

#13

That’s right, Dave. I nearly lost my scalp twice on the Washington coast last summer. Those Injuns can come out of nowhere fast.

Jowls