Stealth Camping 101

[dduelin]

My son is planning a cross country trip to the west coast from his home in Tampa. He’ll be driving his Honda Fit and camping along the way. He’s done some camping and has a tent and basic backpacking gear. I’ve always stayed in campgrounds but I know some of you practice stealth camping and that’s what he wants to do. What are some of the things to know when camping like this?

 

[Buckeye Rich]

No experience in doing it but I remember seeing a big thread on advrider.com. Here it is: https://www.advrider.com/f/threads/stealth-camping-101.1131258/

Also, most Walmarts allow cars to "camp" in their big parking lots overnights.

 

[the Ferret]

I thought about trying that once and even contacted George (The ST forum resident stealth camper from years ago) about some tips, but in the end, I wasn't brave enough to try it. Seemed too risky to me, but then again, I'm a scaredy cat rules follower kinda guy.

You can get a Comfort Inn room for under $100 a night and have a bed, shower, toilet, heater/air, a locked door and a free breakfast.

Fla to Cal is only 2 days, 3 tops.

Personally, I would give my kid a couple hundred bucks if he needed it, and tell him to get safe warm rooms.

If you google Stealth Camping there are websites, Vlogs and podcasts dedicated to it though.

 

[Mellow]

State and national parks are cheap and great scenery, would be my first choice.
The tread app shows lots of good campgrounds, so does the Parkadvisor app.

 

[jonz]

I'm a fan of stealth camping. I do it all the time. It's easier on a motorcycle especially an adventure bike or dual sport. In a car/truck, a 4wd works well for getting to an inconspicuous place. The smaller your overall footprint, the easier it is to find an obscure spot that will work. Also, it's way easier in the west than in the east as there is more public land. Dispersed camping is legal on almost all BLM and USFS land. Since Covid, many many more people are using dispersed camping sites. The iOverlander app is useful for finding sites but any site that is listed may well have someone camping there. If you really want to be stealthy when you may not be sure of the status of your stopping place; stop late, turn off your lights as soon as possible, no fires, use a red headlamp for your light source, set an alarm and leave early. Do your cooking and cleaning somewhere else.

 

[Willsmotorcycle]

Having done this a few times, expectations are important. Looking for a campfire and hang out the laundry, tough to do. If you're going for quick nap in a bivouac almost any gas station along the interstate or rest area works. I've "camped" in church parking lots, gas stations, rest areas and the like. I have pulled over and slept on the ground in my kit minus helmet in the daytime and night time, grass or asphalt, tired is tired. I have never been afraid of being robbed or kidnapped or stolen or worse. I don't carry a weapon unless you count the bear I am when I am woken unnecessarily. Business parks, industrial parks, all work after 10 pm and out by sunrise, no-one has ever said anything even when I overslept once and employees coming in at 9 am woke me. Don't over think it, just go to sleep, wake up, leave.

I like to keep an espresso with me and have a latrine near by if possible for when I awake.

 

[dduelin]

I thought about trying that once and even contacted George (The ST forum resident stealth camper from years ago) about some tips, but in the end, I wasn't brave enough to try it. Seemed too risky to me, but then again, I'm a scaredy cat rules follower kinda guy.

You can get a Comfort Inn room for under $100 a night and have a bed, shower, toilet, heater/air, a locked door and a free breakfast.

Fla to Cal is only 2 days, 3 tops.

Personally, I would give my kid a couple hundred bucks if he needed it, and tell him to get safe warm rooms.

If you google Stealth Camping there are websites, Vlogs and podcasts dedicated to it though.

I don’t think money is the issue. This is his third driving trip sea to sea in ten years and he started camping about a year ago. I don’t know where he got the stealth camping idea from but I told him I would ask around.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

 

[maddog13]

I use this to find campsites. Gives you a map and description of the campsite. Many are free.

iOverlander.com

 

[ST Gui]

You can get a Comfort Inn room for under $100 a night and have a bed, shower, toilet, heater/air, a locked door and a free breakfast.

This is why I'll never do stealth camping. Again. However when I was young... A work buddy and I rode up to Jenner for some reason and stayed at a KOA (I believe). It was a day camping sight only and a Ranger showed up to shoo everyone out and put a chain across some tree stumps. My buddy and I wheeled our bikes out the back of the camp grounds in into the woods a little.

We laid the bikes down an covered them with dead branches. We laid out our sleeping bags and did likewise. This was all prior to the arrival of the Ranger. We also had to avoid the few campers who stayed possibly thinking they could camp overnight and no would know.

We slept in until a Ranger opened the camp ground and left. After discussing the day's agenda we put the bikes in the camp ground before anybody else arrived.

When we started the weekend ride I though we'd be camping in campgrounds. I don't know the trip would entail criminal activity.

Besides I like the all you can eat breakfasts at most of the Best Westerns etc.

 

[DannoXYZ]

I think Walmart only allows RV to camp out overnight. Although I've slept in my car for couple hours in their lot before.

As mentioned, there's lots of free campgrounds listed in various apps. I usually don't go more than 600-700 miles per day. Enjoy watching scenery and checking out tourist sites too much to go further than that.

I usually pack MREs for dinner when I haven't found fast-food places or stores for meals along way. Saves having to start campfire or stove at night and possibly attracting attention. I've since found some tents with spring-loaded hoops that can be deployed in less than 60-seconds (like windshield sunshades that roll up into 3rds).

 

[northwestparider]

I guess I did this around Labor Day.

I flew to Phoenix AZ and got a van for the family. Night 1 I stopped at a gas station and slept for about 5 hours. About 10am the next day I stopped at a truck stop and parked with the big rigs to sleep for about 2 hours. That night I stopped at a truck stop / restaurant and sleep in the restaurant parking lot for about 6 hours. The next day I stopped and slept for a brief bit.

I'll sleep pretty much anywhere that doesn't look scary. I like places with lots of people around.

 

[DannoXYZ]

You do realise that's fictional scene from movie right?

Anyone here ever had violent altercations when stealth camping?

 

[Willsmotorcycle]

You do realise that's fictional scene from movie right?

Anyone here ever had violent altercations when stealth camping?

One time a van of GirlScouts rolled up and said I was on their site, we worked it out with cookies and coffee.

 

[Andrew Shadow]

I can't remember who it was but someone on this site who stealth camped a lot stated that, in small towns, he usually goes to the fire hall and asks if he can set up his tent on the grass behind them. They almost always are very interested in his method of traveling and are more than happy to accommodate him. They even fed him breakfast on one occasion.

He has also tracked down a local patrol car and asked if there was somewhere that he could sleep, again in small towns. Often they take him to a grassy area behind the police station or the local park/baseball field and tell him to set up on the edge out of the way. They often tell him that now that they know that he is there they will pass by during the night to make sure that he is OK.

 

[STRider]

'Leave no trace' tenents cover sensory as well as litter and damage to the site.

That said, inconspicuous gear is preferred. Tent colors that blend in; avoid bright ones. Mine's light drab green. Use a bike cover, but conceal any reflective patches.

 

[Willsmotorcycle]

Two examples of a typical setup for me. I actually do this reluctantly, I prefer to ride. Alas, the bike needs gas and I need sleep.

This night had no coffee at the station, and my wife doesn't like when I do this. I parked outside a Camping World so on the map it seems (to her) like a camping spot. This night I rolled ou the sleeping bag, I usually don't. Making your own coffee means camping.



This after an 1100 mi stretch that was semi planned, I was riding until I was tired. Spearfish, SD to Ohio. No tarp just the rolled bike cover as the pillow. Took off the kit to wash up in the morning. I had just pulled over at sunrise after finding a rest area and the wife texted, "you need to sleep". I thought it was weird I had pulled over to do just that.

 

[ST Gui]

You do realise that's fictional scene from movie right?

I think he covered that with the scene in Easy Rider bit in his post ICYMT. He's probably aware that Easy Rider was a work of fiction and while possibly a slight indictment of some aspects of humanity it was not a documentary.

Anyone here ever had violent altercations when stealth camping?

It may be the data points represented by the lack of any member here showing any incidents of being attacked while stealth camping imply or allow you to infer that this just doesn't happen. It doesn't mean that some caution and SA aren't necessary. Your own experience is your own experience.

 

[jonz]

Anyone here ever had violent altercations when stealth camping?

Noisy drunks who occasionally fight with each other is the worst I've encountered. One thing I left out that I do when deciding whether to use a potential stealth camping spot is to look for signs that it's the local party spot. Signs include lots of space, fire ring(s), and discarded beer cans etc. Even if I don't run into late night partiers, I have been checked out by the local cops looking for said partiers. No big deal other than being on the wrong end of a spotlight beam late at night.

 

[SMSW]

Back in the '70's, I did a 10k mile loop around the US in my Saab. All of my camping was 'stealth' - usually I just pulled the car off a small road, threw down a ground cloth and unrolled my sleeping bag. I slept next to the car. Sometimes I parked in deserted parking lots and did the same (add a foam pad). The car held all my food and a camping stove...I was not into campfires.

Yes, I did worry about my safety, but I tried to find out of the way spaces or public areas where the worst I could expect would be a LEO telling me to leave.

I only once had to break camp in a hurry. I was sleeping in a picnic area in the Rockies and was awakened by the wind very early in the morning. I tipped over the table and slept on in its lee. Some time later, I awakened to shrieking wind and other tables being blown across the huge lawn. I threw my stuff in the car and drove off. When I hit the highway, I rolled down the window and stuck my arm outside - I felt still air even though I was driving eastward at around 60 mph.

 

[Mellow]

If you don't camp, your input isn't helpful and will be deleted.