Stealth bike camping. Is wild camping safe?

Stealth Camping In The United States’ National Parks

There is a sub-culture for just about everything in the United States and when you start to research the Internet for certain ideas it’s amazing what you’ll find.

When I started to look for cheap or free places to camp in my van I discovered a whole community of likeminded souls who embrace the spirit of dispersed camping, aka Stealth Camping or Boon docking.

But I had no idea there were so many characters driving inconspicuous looking vehicles with a bed and a portable stove inside and using the cash saved on accommodation expenses for more exciting activities.

And a lot of disenchanted faux gypsies moving their office/lifestyle to the road in an effort to get out of the rat race and live a more varied existence a bit closer to nature.

It’s officially a movement and you’ll see some pretty sweet examples if you research ‘van lifers’.

Whatever your motivation I guess it’s up to the individual and what makes you smile. A comfortable mattress in a cheap van, a cooker and some country music gave me something to grin about for a couple months when I attempted some overland adventure travel through one of the worlds best road trip nations.

The idea behind having a Stealth Van is that it looks like your average tradesman or delivery van from the outside and can therefore be parked just about anywhere.

My house on wheels was a 1993 Ford Econoline van that I purchased for 500 from an ex rental company and if you can imagine one of those dodgy beaten up looking vans that all the crooks and baddies use in every American cop show then you get the idea. A double-edged sword though as anyone, good or bad, was reluctant to approach the vehicle for fear of being kidnapped with the exception of the entire Whitefish police department.

Perhaps in part in due to its political environment and the fact that it is relatively expensive, the US is not high on a lot of peoples overland travel destinations. Even taking the exchange rate into consideration though, in comparison to Western Europe and Australia I think the food, fuel and alcohol is cheaper, as are the insurance and registration costs. The road networks are second to none with barely any tolls and the continent has some truly dramatic and contrasting landscapes.

I purchased my vehicle ‘The General’ in Canada and had already done more than 8000 kms through Alberta, British Columbia, the Yukon Territory and Alaska camping in mostly legitimate campsites. They ranged from a 7 per night parking spot with a drop toilet to upwards of 45 per night for full hook up drive through lots designed for six-figure RVs requiring water, power, Wi-Fi and even satellite TV connections. But none of this is necessary or even preferable if you’re prepared to rough it a little bit and venture even slightly off the beaten path.

By off the beaten path I mean anywhere on the 247.3 million acres of land that is administered by the BLM (bureau of land management) or the innumerable state forests that permit campers to pitch up for the night on the condition that they leave no trace, and tread lightly (info at blm.gov). Many of these lands are inaccessible for large RVs and some need to be hiked into so the rewards are often unique and isolated campsites without the crowds.

Then there are the National Parks themselves. An annual parks pass can be purchased for 80 and can accommodate two signatures (so you can pass it on to someone when your done) and is great value if you plan to visit three or more parks.

Some national parks in the United States are in danger of being loved to death with more than 325 million visitors to the nations 127 parks in 2016. Yellowstone, the worlds first National Park had 4.3million visitors alone and during peak times – June July August – campsites are booked months in advance.

Sometimes they run a lottery for overnight hiking permits for the most popular hikes. Its a similar story in all the major national parks in North America and places like Banff in Canada have overflow campgrounds to accommodate the ever increasing number of tourists.

Useful resources for stealth camping in national parks in the U.S.

Harvest Hosts – free overnight camping at farms/wineries and agri-tourism sites.

Boondockers Welcome – free parking on private property

Campendium – RV park reviews, photos, blogs and details of FREE Campsites.

About the Author. Ben Devitt

When I find a few bucks in my there always seems to be some magical place that wriggles its way into my consciousness and haunts me until I go. I’ve worked at golf courses and ski towns, factories and farms, restaurants, resorts, hotels, galleys, pubs, clubs, bungee sites and bars. Generally there is a plan but I’ve got a habit of just turning up with minimal preparation and taking my sweet time to smell the roses along the way. I was once told I take an hour and a half to watch 60 minutes. So I’m going to take a few photos, hike some trails, eat the good food, drink beer with the locals and tell you some crazy stories. Hopefully you’ll be inspired to come and join me or invite me on an adventure of your own. Check out my blog, Elephant’s Atlas.

2 thoughts on “Stealth Camping In The United States’ National Parks”

Hi.my name iz rob.I’m an avid stealth camper.I consider myself ‘invisible….First if all I wud lyk to say that I am stealth camping az we speak.I’m in Colorado foothills. I wud lyk 2 share sum tipZ…on staying inviZ…First of all I got a tent that matches with my invironment…I usually set up under a tree …pine or spruce sumthin that stayZ green pretty much year round…let me tell you I’ve done thiZ quite a few timeZ… without being seen or close. to it….I usually try 2 blend in with natural vegetation around me…hoping I won’t be detected…I’ve had couple occasionZ were people walk right past my campsite not even notice…for me the thing that worries me being detected iz not humanz. but manZ best friend….so far I’ve been pretty succusfull…on trying 2 detour critters and predatory animalZ …I luv waking up 2 sounds of wildlife in morning….sumthin bout it that u got 2 be there 2 experience ………jus luv Colorado …… all the great wildlife…. beautiful. ….hope you will sum time vizit thiZ Wonderful…state….God bless……️️⛰️

Okay, now write an article about what NOT to do when “stealth” camping. The Pig Mentality abounds in North America.

The Velo Hobo

First step, select a safe spot. If you can find a secluded area near a picnic grounds with a public restroom and water source, all the better. You can hang out in a non-creepy fashion and as dark approaches slip off into the woods. Nothing creepy about that, right?

Next, hide the bikes. You can use my approach, hide the bike behind a large Jurassic looking tree, or use Larry’s approach and fling your bike in the bushes in a carefree manner making it look like part of the natural landscape.

Lastly, make camp far enough into the woods to remain undetected. Make sure your food and smelly items are hung a safe distance from your makeshift camp. Also note that you’re not making camp in a deer path or a place where animals bed down for the night. It’s important to get your bearings before dark and break camp at first light. Be sure to leave no trace.

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one thing i discovered in stealth camping…. is your reflectors on anything…. will light up the night… if a passing headlight from a vehicle catches it.ouch!…watch out.i carry an extra rain fly to cover my bicycle with…. i try to find a site about 30 mintues to an hour before sunset…. and an hour prior to that i cook my even meal…at another location…. give yourself time to clean up…get organized for the evening…. some years ago i found in a sporting goods store a little flash lite… made by “Coast Led Lenser” this little flash lite is a red light…with a battery life of 10,000 hrs…it is small…but just the right size and light to read by at night…and it does not advertise that you are there stealth camping… i do like your pictures… for one year i lived just a stones throw from the west virginia border out side of covington, va. in a little hamlet called crows,va…. i spent some time bicycling some of the old colonial mountain by ways…. when you would get up on top and look around in the early morning…it was looking at islands in the fog… and like you mentioned not to be setting up your HH4SSS where the animal highway might be…

Good point, I have a light-weight green poncho to cover up the bike at night, my tent is a drab olive. The next hammock I buy, I may go with a camo pattern.

Choosing a Good Campsite

When wild camping we tend to worry more about people, but depending on where you are, natural hazards can be a bigger issue. Here are some rules to keep in mind when choosing campsites in wild environments.

• In deserts, don’t camp in dry streambeds or washes that might flood suddenly if it rains nearby.
• In forests, look up for dead branches or trees and don’t camp where they could fall on you.
• In cold weather, avoid camping at the lowest points in valleys or canyons where the coldest air collects.
• In bear habitats like the western US and Canada, follow good food storage practices: don’t cook where you sleep, and hang your food and dishes somewhere away from your campsite.
• Don’t camp in the middle of game trails or other areas with signs of recent large animal activity. Also don’t camp on top of ant hills!

(Wild Camping in Argentina @Alissa Bell)

How to Avoid Being Seen

If you’re wild camping where you want to not be discovered, follow these tips.

• Arrive after dark or just around sunset, and leave around sunrise.
• Avoid using any light at camp, including your stove. It may help to cook and eat dinner before stopping to camp.
• Near roads, choose sites on the insides of curves where headlights won’t shine. If you can’t find cover, choose uphill sites instead of downhill; drivers are less likely to look above them than below.
• Wait until no traffic is coming before you leave the road. If you think curious people might see your tracks and come to investigate, lift your bike over the edge of the road or cover your tracks.
• Avoid areas with signs of frequent human activity: fire rings, foot paths, trash or food scraps, footprints.
• Cover large reflectors on your bike and tent.
• Don’t leave things outside that might give away information about you. For example, solo women might want to bring shoes or clothes inside the tent in places where they feel vulnerable.
• Before you set up your tent, spend a few minutes in your potential camp spot to make sure it feels good. If it doesn’t, find a different place. It would probably be fine anyway, but it’s important to pick a place where you’ll feel comfortable so you can get a good night’s sleep.

(Bike camping in Oregon, USA @Alissa Bell)

How to Wild Camp Responsibly

In some areas the land is already marred by human activity and your presence won’t make a difference. But if you’re in a remote and pristine place, it’s good to leave it as nice as you found it. Here are tips for camping responsibly:

• Put your tent on durable surfaces like dirt or leaves, not on delicate growing plants.
• Don’t camp right next to water if it’s the only source nearby, because you’ll prevent animals from coming to drink.
• If you wash dishes, clothes, or your body, don’t empty wash water directly into water sources; pour it into a hole instead.
• Always pack out what you brought in, including food scraps, wrappers, and fruit peels.
• When you go to the bathroom, dig a hole at least 6 inches deep to bury solid waste.
• Avoid making a campfire in very dry areas when forest fires are easily started. If you do make a campfire, keep it small and try to make it on dirt or rock so it doesn’t leave a scar. Always make sure it’s fully out before you leave it unattended.

(Wild campsite on the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route @Alissa Bell)

What is stealth camping?

The practice of stealth camping is picking up steam on both sides of the Atlantic – but what is it, and why do people do it?

The practice of stealth camping is picking up steam on both sides of the Atlantic – but what is it, and why do people do it? (Image credit: Matthew Jones)

Have you ever camped somewhere you probably shouldn’t? I know I have. Not just for kicks, but I’ve definitely taken a spontaneous trip to Moab, arriving after dark only to discover that all the campsites are full. After a couple of hours of fruitless searching, I found a quiet road to park on and pitch my tent near for the night, crossing my fingers that no one came along. And while I’m being honest, when my boyfriend and I drive down south to visit his parents, we virtually always park the van on a side street in a beach town, climb in the back for the night and hope none of the residents is too keen on neighborhood watch.

Whether you’re trying to avoid the expense of paying for a hotel or you just don’t have any other option, you’ve probably had the experience of discreetly camping somewhere unsanctioned, and it turns out that not only is there a name for this – stealth camping.

Different from dispersed camping or wild camping, which is legal camping outside of developed campgrounds, stealth camping involves covertly sleeping in areas where it’s either explicitly or implicitly forbidden. But why do people do it? Is it just to save a buck, or is there more to the matter? We take a look at stealth camping both in the US and the UK, where the definition varies slightly, and explain some of the reasoning behind this growing trend.

What is stealth camping in the US?

As we discovered, the practice of stealth camping can be slightly different in the US versus the UK, though the definition is largely the same. Certainly in states with lots of public land, like Colorado, there’s no need to stealth camp in a tent, though it may be more common back east and down in Texas. West of the Atlantic, stealth camping can also refer to the practice of van camping outside of designated RV campsites. Rather than pay to park at an RV site, where you can enjoy amenities like hookups, showers and trash and there’s no issue about setting up your double-burner stove for a cookout, stealth campers will park their vans in public areas such as downtown in a city or in a residential area near the beach. In these locations, overnight camping (AKA sleeping in your vehicle) is often prohibited, but with curtains on your camper van, or a windowless van, no one really needs to know you’re in there. It just looks like another passenger vehicle parked on the street.

Why would you do this? Well you save money on camping fees and on hotel rooms if you’re in a city environment, and the practice is likely growing in response to a lot of cities and municipalities cutting down on tent sleeping to curb the presence of homeless people. It also means you can camp close to the action you want to explore, whether that means surfing or exploring the city, maybe having a few drinks and not worrying about driving anywhere afterwards. If you’re traveling during a major holiday or event, you might also find that there aren’t any hotel rooms available and it could be your only option at times.

Of course, stealth camping in a van may be illegal and you could end up with a fine if you get discovered. Since parking and sleeping rules vary from one area to the next, it can be difficult to know if what you’re doing is truly breaking the rules or just worthy of a frown, but obvious “No overnight parking” and “No sleeping in vehicles” signs are a dead giveaway.

Some stealth campers choose quiet neighborhoods, though that might elicit suspicion from eagle-eyed residents, while others prefer to hide in plain sight, on busier city streets where it will be noisier, but no one will suspect that you’re sleeping inside.

For this type of stealth camping, you obviously need a van to begin with, and it’s worthwhile making it as discreet as possible, with blackout shades or curtains over the Windows, and a screen between the front seats and back so that even a curious dog walker (or cop) can’t see you back there in your sleeping bag.

What is stealth camping in the UK?

In the UK, the term stealth camping can refer to the same practice as it does across the pond, but it has really evolved to refer to a type of wild camping that’s focused on survival, and like in the US, it’s being escalated by increasing restrictions on wild camping. Since wild camping in the UK is now limited only to Scotland, people who camp outside of designated campsites in England and Wales without landowner permission are technically breaking the law. In response, so-called stealth campers may try to covertly pitch a tent without being detected, or asked to move along.

One reason for this is that many residents of the UK believe that they should rightfully be able to spend time in nature in their own country, and the activity has become a moral crusade in areas such as a Dartmoor, where wild camping that has been allowed for generations was recently banned by a stingy, rich landowner. In return for being able to pass the night undetected in the wild, true stealth campers agree to pick up any trash they find on the trail, and otherwise do good deeds for wild spaces.

Among some groups, stealth camping has become an activity in its own right as it allows people in England and Wales to practice their backcountry bushcraft skills and survival skills, which of course you can’t do in a frontcountry campground (though the showers can be a scary test of your mettle). These people might approach it a bit like they’re contestants on the TV show Hunted, moving from place to place unnoticed and without leaving any signs of their visit.

For this type of stealth camping, you might seek woodland areas where you can be obscured by the brush, or large stretches of remote wilderness, and use a dark or camouflaged tent or hammock. You might even ditch the tent altogether and learn to build your own shelter using natural materials to make yourself less conspicuous. You need to be judicious about lighting campfires to avoid attracting attention. If you are stealth camping in a wild area, you’ll have to understand backcountry safety, learn navigation, and carry everything you need for survival, including a first aid kit, camping knife and water purification.

No matter what continent you’re on, and whether you’re on foot or wheels, stealth camping can definitely be thrilling and may even strengthen your outdoor skills. Of course, we can’t recommend breaking the law and must insist that any treading on the natural world be done lightly, leaving no trace.