How do you /out/siders feel about camping off of designated campsites?

>>815241
>campsite along the AT
i sorry but i don't understand.
i have not kept up with regulations about the AT.
are you now required to camp in only designated campsites?
if so than my government has moved one step closer to tyranny.
if you are referring to the ethics of camping in non-designated campsites...well that's totally up to you to do the right thing.

>>815253
>i'm sorry but i don't understand.
>i have not kept up with regulations about the AT.
>are you now required to camp in only designated campsites?
>if so, then my government has moved one step closer to tyranny.
>if you are referring to the ethics of camping in non-designated campsites...well that's totally up to you to do the right thing

>>815241
It's called stealth camping, and is pretty common. It's tolerated some places, and other places it's more strictly enforced. Most ethical campers see no problem with it. The issue really becomes when unethical campers do it, and leave a bunch of bushcrafted bullshit laying around with garbage strewn about.

>>815241
You're on mt Tammany huh, i can tell just from the view.
Im a noob at /out/ too and spent my first trips there at the water gap.

You'd be fine if you just didnt use a ground fire, and used a stove, and didnt set up like 10 feet from a trail. I mean, that's just in my opinion. You pretty much said it yourself.

Stealth camping is common and parks just want to prefer that you go on the sites.

Im guessing you camped at the forest fired site that overlooks PA, near sunfish pond. Along with the yellow water that the filter cant take out, lol

Shit gets cold up there in the high mountains!

>>815241
nice pic OP. The Delaware water gap is pretty populated, so that prolly why they want people to stick to designated sites. Even when you LNT you still leave a trace- that said, stealth camping is always an option and there are plenty of places where people said fuck the rules and stealthed and were fine. In addition to doing what you've already stated, I'd look for one of these spots (basically don't be a dumbass and go bushwhacking and cutting down trees which you implied you wouldn't do). I'd avoid setting up camp until it starts almost getting dark, and then don't sleep in too late in the morning. That way if a ranger comes along "I'm sorry, I got lost" or "I underestimated..." they deal with idiots turning themselves into liabilities all the time, so if you present yourself as just not wanting to get injured or lost they'll most likely let you go.

>>815282
This. Not that you're going to do this OP, I'm just getting up on my soapbox. Bushcrafting belongs in the bush, not in a popular state park. Just imagine if everyone did what you're doing. Some state parks would be hideous, all the trees batoned down.

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>stealth camping
it's called dispersed camping. it is not illegal or frowned upon but the USFS does have some rules on it.

http://www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/fishlake/recreation/?cid=stelprdb5121831

but i mean come on. it's public land, dont be an ass of course but don't go looking for rules to follow either.

>>815296
Yes, and I can guarantee the rangers break multiple laws every day in their pursuit of a no fun zone to secure the forests for corporate interests

>>815282
>>815296
It's called fucking camping
Why would anyone restrict themselves to designated camping spots don't be a retard and respect your surroundings

>>815316
>It's called fucking camping
race car driving and school bus driving are both driving.
olympic breast stroke and doggy paddle are both swimming
shooting someone in the head and disemboweling them are both murder
jumping off the golden gate bridge and jumping off a foot stool are both jumping

>>815316
butt sex with man and butt sex with woman is still butt sex
sucking trap cock and sucking burly woodsman cock is still sucking cock
shoopin da wooping and woopin da shoopin is still hoopin da flootin
mooting the olive and oliving the moot is still moliving the oloot
shitposting on /out/ and shitposting on /b/ is still shitposting on 4chan

>>815316
designating camping spots and spot camping designation is still designation of the said area in which camping shall be preformed

>>815316
anyone restricting themselves and restricting oneself to a designated camping spot is still camping in designation

>>815316
to designate anyone to themselves in the surroundings would be a retard

>>815316
camping called fucking retard would designate spots in your surroundings

>>815296
>>815316

No, it's stealth camping when you're camping in an area you're technically not supposed to.

Dispersed camping is when it is allowed anywhere.

It's called stealth since you're generally just laying low, and not attracting attention since you're not supposed to be there. People do it on public and private land. There is a lot of public land that does not allow dispersed camping.

>>815386
no, it's called dispersed camping. OP is on the delaware water gap which is public land.

https://www.nps.gov/dewa/planyourvisit/backpacking-campsites.htm

>>815241
All you really need to do to stay legal on the AT, at least along that stretch in NJ, is stay over 3 nights and you can camp anywhere you want. Anywhere there's a ton of stops along that route....although mohican outdoor center is stupid expensive. I used to live in NJ until only a few months ago, I do miss the greenery up there.

Anyway, camping out of site gets out of hand super fast in highly visited areas, that and your typical visitor who thinks he can camp where ever he wants will probably not be following local regs anyway, starting campfires and whatnot.

>>815394
You're not allowed to dispersed camp in the Delaware Gap unless you're on the AT.

Yes stealth camping is often dispersed camping. It's still stealth if you're not supposed to be there.

You're arguing about nothing. Please stop.

Op here

So whats your best advice for finding a discrete spot?

>>816495
Spoon feeding intensifies

I don't see anything wrong with wild camping. I never leave a trace that I was in the area, and I find it much more enjoyable, the views are better and there's less people. In the Lake District it's legal if you follow the rules, and you're able to skip the crowds by setting off at a different time. You're not as rushed to go up and down the mountain in one day.

But I've had moments, wild camping in torrential rain and sideways wind with the tent half collapsing, where I really wished I could just pack up and leave.

I've had to camp in a random field just out of a lack of actual campsites while cycling before and that's less enjoyable, hoping I don't get caught. But as long as you just pack up when you wake and move on before breakfast it's fine I think.

>>815241
It's the only way I like to camp. That said, in national parks in Ohio you can usually legally camp off the trail anywhere. In state parks usually you can't. I only go on brief hiking trips at state parks if that tells you anything.

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I think in national forests it is legal to camp off trail as long as you LNT?

At least when I did an outward bound awhile ago we were off trail the entire time and it seemed fine.

>>816495
Go to google maps and look for trails. Protip: keep terrain on so you can keep track of elevation. Find un unnamed lake or a river that's at least 500m away from any trail. With a lake, you can river hike up to it but i advise you check out the river first to see if it's trekkable. Happy bushwhacking :)

Op all I tend to do is when darkness falls I set up my camp in the area I want and if anyone questions I say I didn't feel comfortable walking to my car/home in the dark so I stayed the night where I knew I was safe with the fires say it was for protection against bears/cougars or whatever and ofc leave no trace. Been caught a couple of times and gotten away with it doing this. all of which were actual cases of me missing my deadlines.

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>>815241
Is dispersed camping not permitted there?

Make a dispersed camp where permitted, and use existing sites where dispersed is not permitted. The US forest service creates these regulations for legitimate ecological reasons.

The US government has appointed a multimillion dollar team of experts to the task of answering your question, they will do a better job than the unemployed and uneducated users of this Chinese cartoon discussion board.

>>816837
LNT isn't required anywhere granola faggot. It's just a marketing scheme

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>>817010
This. This is good.

The Delaware Water Gap is so fucking heavily traveled that it really matters if people stay in designated areas or not. Otherwise, idiots will camp everywhere

>muh dispersed camping
>muh wilderness

It looks like shit, destroys whats left of the environment and all day you're hiking through a bunch of failed or shittly set up campsites and bushcraft experiments.

>>815294
anon here with the wisdom.
especially this:
>I'd avoid setting up camp until it starts almost getting dark, and then don't sleep in too late in the morning.

>>817372
>It looks like shit, destroys whats left of the environment and all day you're hiking through a bunch of failed or shittly set up campsites and bushcraft experiments.

I think OP is not referring to camping, really. just finding a spot for a tent to spend the night and be off on the next morning. If you get the tent out late and start early then no one is going to walk through your site.
No bushcraft either.
I agree that camping like you described should be regulated, but it's something different.