The Secrets Of Stealth Camping
November 23, 2008 by Darren Alff
It’s called many things: stealth camping, wild camping, guerrilla camping, rolling off into the woods, etc. In the end, they all mean the same thing.
Stealth camping is the act of quietly finding a place away from people where you can camp for the night and then quickly slip away in the morning without being detected. The key to stealth camping is to remain hidden at all times and to leave no trace of your existence during or after your departure from the site.
Stealth camping is not for everyone. It typically takes some time to work up to, but this is how it usually works:
As night approaches, you’ll be riding your bike along the side of the road. As you ride, you come across a large forest. When there are no cars around, you duck into the trees and quickly disappear.
Making sure that you are far enough away from the road and in a safe location, you set up your tent, cover the reflectors on your bike, and simply fall asleep. In the morning, you quickly pack up your tent, walk back out to the road, get on your bike, and then continue riding.
Many people choose to stealth camp as a way of saving money. Others do it because of the incredible campsites that it can create. Whatever the reason, stealth camping is an excellent choice for the smart and prepared bicycle tourist. It is not for the scared or timid.
If you’re thinking about doing some stealth camping of your own, here are some things to consider first:
Never camp in an area that is marked with “No Trespassing” signs.
Never camp inside of a gate or fence. You are likely on someones private property! It’s even possible that you could be locked inside that gate and have to remain there until someone comes to rescue you.
Make sure not to set up your tent inside of a dry creek or riverbed. Flooding can occur quickly!
Do not make camp in an area where animal tracks or dung can be found. You don’t want to be disturbed by a bear, raccoon, skunk, or mountain lion in the middle of the night.
When stealth camping, make sure that the reflectors on your bike are covered up so that passing cars do not give away your location.
Stealth camping works best if you have a brown, green, or camouflaged colored tent. If possible, use leaves and branches to help hide your tent and bicycle.
When you leave your location in the morning, be sure to leave the place in the same condition it was in when you first arrived. Pack out all your food and trash.
Warning: If you are traveling alone and you choose to stealth camp, know that you are your own rescuer. If you get into trouble, no one is going to know where you are. If you get yourself into a dangerous situation, you are the only person that is going to be able to get you out of it.
If you’re nervous about camping in a place without permission, ask!
If you’re on someone elses land, ask them first if they will let you spend the night on their property. Many people are more than happy to help you! You might even get a free meal or shower just by asking!
If that doesn’t work, consult the police. Find a police officer or police station and tell them that you are traveling by bike. Be upfront and explain that you are looking for a place to spend the night. Many police officers (depending on the person and the location) will gladly point you to a part of town where you can spend the evening.
This usually works best in small towns where camping out under the stars is more acceptable. In such places, police officials may even be so kind as to escort you to a private campsite in the woods. Some may even bring you food and invite friends to come and hang out with you and hear your stories.
Other officers may not directly tell you where to camp, but give you the indication that if you do roll off into the woods, they aren’t going to mess with you. Often times, the officers will want to know where you are camping, just so they can keep an eye on you and make sure that you are safe. If this happens, tell them where you plan to sleep and kindly accept their protection.
Some police officials (especially in big cities) will rudely tell you to get a hotel room or move on down the road. If that’s the case, the choice is up to you. If you can find a place that looks save, feel free to enjoy a night of wild camping. Otherwise, it might be best to follow the officer’s advice and find other accommodations for the night.
In the end, the choice is up to you. Stealth camping can be scary and dangerous, but it can also be beautiful and rewarding. Some of the best camping spots on your tour might just be in locations where you chose to do a bit of stealth camping!
Do you have a story or piece of advice about stealth camping? If so, use the comments box below to share your thoughts with other BicycleTouringPro.com readers.
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Of course, in the Nordic countries they have “everyman’s right”. This allows you to camp almost anywhere except in someone’s front yard or where you might damage crops or something. You can run the term through Google.com or read more about this on Virtual.Finland.fi. Wondeful! And the Nordic countries are safe!
I much prefer stealth camping to staying in most campgrounds; especially if it is an RV park. I have done it for many years. Basically it is not much different than “Leave No Trace”(LNT)camping ethics. As more and more areas are designated as “Wilderness Study Areas,” then we will all be “stealth” camping. The only addition to what you have already stated in the article is that I also try to eliminate my tire tracks when I am off the “road.” Sometimes I will even make false tracks in order to lead people astray. Most people are not very persistent in trying to find you. There are particular animal signs that I look for in the area that I am planning to camp. If I find tracks or signs, then I move on. For example, mountain lions eat deer, so if I find a lot of deer tracks and/or droppings, then I do not camp there. I also use the lay of the land and the landscape to camouflage my location. I cook and eat somewhere else so as not to send out signals. I bed down just before it becomes dark and I get up early to avoid detection. If I do meet someone before I camp, then I solicit as much information from them as I can and then almost invariably give them erroneous information on my short-term plans. This gives the whole adventure a kind of Indiana Jones feel.
John Muir used to wander the wilderness and camp where he pleased. After finding a camp site he would probably make himself a campfire by gathering firewood or if necessary cutting down a tree near his campsite. Today, he would be required to file for a backcountry permit after he paid his $35.00 to obtain an Adventure Pass; Campfires would not be permitted. I tell this story to make a point, and that is, I take issue with the concept of public officials restricting the use of public land. You see, I’m old enough to remember when state property or city property was referred to as public property. Throughout our nation’s history (speaking from an America centric point of view), people have been able to camp when the need arose (FYI, I am not referring to private property). More recently, in the late 60’s and early 70’s, the idea of disguising your camping site would be unheard of as it was common practice for a young traveler to live amongst nature. Unfortunately more and more we are seeing federal, state and local government passing legislation restricting the use of public land. It drives me insane! Now because our society has essentially become soft, we dare not venture out into the wild and camp more that 20 yards off the main highway for fear off being hassled by the authorities or worse yet, “offending someone.” IMHO, I say camp in the open and challenge (politely, but firmly) all who question your right to stop for the night. Do so before we have no rights at all. I do not condone the slaughter of innocent trees. No trees were harmed in the writing of this comment.
I went off into the woods one time in Michigan. Strung up my hammock and tarp (best way to camp in woodsy areas!) and went to sleep. I was awakened in the night by the snuffling and snorting of a large animal rushing back and forth in the trees–Bigfoot? Black bear? What? After a few minutes of, I admit it, terror, I pulled out my flashlight and scanned the woods in the direction of the noise. I finally caught the reflection of two glowing eyes no more than a few hundred feet away. The animal stopped and stared into my light. Slowly, I realized it was moving toward me…closer and closer. Finally, it got close enough that I could see with my light that it was a very large whitetail buck. The fear mostly drained away, but he kept coming toward me. I didn’t know what to do and so I watched him. When he was about 50 feet away, don’t ask me why I made this choice because I don’t have an answer for you, I said, “Boo!” He bolted! But, for the rest of the night I could hear him in the distance galloping back and forth in a semi-circle in the woods. The best I could figure is that I was camped right in his usual path to the river and he was too much a creature of habit to comfortably go around me! I kind of felt bad after but, hey, he scared the crap out of me!
I didn’t have much experience in camping, none the less “stealth camping”, but I recently completed a Pacific Coast bike tour and stealth camped a few times. It wasn’t all that bad. I couldn’t/wouldn’t do an entire trip that way, I wreaked as is with showers here and there. Sometimes stealth camping was the best option. I couldn’t find any good campsites and didn’t have the funds for a hotel, I was just going to push through the night to the coast and crash out on the beach…but in the middle of nowhere, my headlight died. So I found a good spot off the road, setup my solo tent, read a little, wrote a little and woke up feeling a slight sense of freedom and independence. PS I had a mountain lion wonder out into the road after I shined my light on it, I didn’t think much of it until I googled mountain lion attacks bicyclist and read about people getting their necks bitten off. Since then I turned into a sissy and try to stick to daylight hours.
PS if your light ever dies, and you don’t have a spare(DOH!) you can use your cell phone to read road signs or a book if your bored….Lifesaver
Yes, having a cell phone (or even a GPS or MP3 player of some kind) is a great way to find your way in the dark. I’ve done entire bike tours without a light of any kind. I just used my cell phone as my light whenever it got dark.
Yes, I certainly can see pulling off the road to camp when necessary. However, I plan my destination when I start each day. The destination usually has a campground or motel. I have backpacked the entire Appalachian Trail. So a campsite for me must have a spot large enough to pitch a tent and water within 0.5 mile. The water is for drinking and cooking. But, I do like campgrounds with water, picnic tables, and showers.
I like touring with the ACA [Adventure Cycling Association] maps. They are a travel guide as well. I can call ahead and reserve a spot. That is necessary in season and on holidays.
Primitive[stealth] or a B & B what ever is at the destination works for me.
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