Limited legal places to hang

[Ba13e4]

I am fortunate to have a wooded property so I typically hang in the side woods. However, this is not exactly "Into the Wild". I am excited to backpack this fall and setup more than a quarter mile from my house.

State parks in VA have restrictions or simply don't have trees in the campsites. National Parks and forests seem more hammock friendly, but require a much longer drive and additional planning.

Where do most of you hang? Do you just hang for a few hours to relax by a creek and then pack up before a ranger spots you? Do you have access to private land? I want to plan a trip that won't result in my getting a fine for overnighting where hammocks are not welcome. Thanks.

[OneClick]

I've been thinking about some short overnights around home, but nothing comes to mind. I'm fine with driving 3 hours south or 4 hours north to the closest places where I can just hike and hang anywhere, but these are for multi-day backpacking trips. National forest land is my favorite - just park and camp pretty much anywhere.

It would be nice to have something in town for a quick overnighter. Recently I've started getting out in the morning and hanging in local nature preserves/parks just to have coffee and relax. But I wouldn't want to do it overnight. It's still fun to just get well off the trail and enjoy the quiet. Another reason why I like earth tone colors - people can't see you but you can see them. There's an occasional trail runner but no one that would challenge me being there even if they saw me.

You could so a hammock stand in state parks, but I gave up on that. I have to listen to things like white trash yelling and shotgunning beers at 1am, country music blasting all night, dogs barking, kids screaming, muffler-less F150s cruising around, etc. No match for ear plugs.

[Cabmanhang]

have to listen to things like white trash yelling and shotgunning beers at 1am, country music blasting all night, dogs barking, kids screaming, muffler-less F150s cruising around, etc. No match for ear plugs.

Just busted a gut laughing.

We had an experience like this at a car camping spot in NC one time. It was a dang circus. I had no idea people liked to camp with a hundred of their closest strangers.

There were neon lighted buses, mega boomboxes, LOUD generators, kids running roughshod through all of the campsites, fist fights, yelling and hollering, 4wd trucks doing the motor mile loop (minus muffler), strobe lights, feces smeared all throughout the bathhouse, hard stares if you walked by their camp, etc..

It was a circus, I'm telling ya. Everybody snoring in sequence at 3am was a real treat.

So, yeah, I'm with ya Mark on the secluded camping. Thanks for the laugh.

[OneClick]

LOL poop on the walls will always keep me away!

When I hear Shug say he drove 4 hours for an overnighter, I get it. Quality over quantity. If I was the "trail is 5 minutes from my house" guy, I have a feeling it would get old quick.

[krazyamateurs]

Hung the hammock in the BWCA in August; it was magical! I did have to get creative in finding the right trees within the campsite - and endure a bit of grumbling by my party having my hammock in one of the trail lanes. But hey, I gave that guy the tent pad despite having the better tree spacing.

I'm heading up the North Shore next weekend and trying to figure out which campsites would have proper trees for hanging hammocks. While MN is "evaluating" hammock use in the State Parks, it's currently up to the campground individually now. I've been burned a couple times being told to take them down.

Right now, I'm thinking of going the National Park campgrounds - Sawbill or Crescent...they don't have any limitation.

[Shug]

Hiking and backpacking backwood trails! Hit the AT in VA. Do a section.
I won't camp in places that wont allow a proper hammock hang even when I explain how I am doing it and offer to use a 2" tree strap.
Shug the Stubborn

[dkurfiss]

In VA:
Belle Isle State Park for sure
Prince William National Forest
Any WMA in VA

[Ba13e4]

Thanks for the replies. My research is leading me towards "dispersed" camping in the George Washington National Forrest.

[TallPaul]

My trips are primarily in national forests but we have a state park semi-close that has backcountry sites. These sites are an easy 1 mile walk and I find that the neighbors are much quieter because of that mile. No boom boxes so far.

[Floridahanger]

Down here, the State Parks decided, after some testing and trial periods, to allow hammock camping using 2" straps for both hammocks and tarps. Although it became State Statute for the parks, I hear it still hasn't gone down hill to all the rangers yet.

That said, most rangers are cool with it and a few I spoke with where fine even before the trial started. That was a long time ago and I prefer National Parks or Water Management Districts due to being farther out backwoods instead of frontwoods. Also, they allow 1" straps for hammocks and none needed for tarps.