Campgrounds or boondocking: Which do you prefer?

[Alaska-Mike]

My personal definition of stealth camping is anywhere that road noise and generator whine can not be heard.

Nothing irritates me more than hearing some one running a generator in a campground. Anything louder than the hiss of a two burner Coleman has me reaching for the side cutting pliers. LOL
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1983 Vanagon 1.9L GL - destined to become a dry camper

But I'd rather have a split bus.

[desertrefugee]

[Alex Proulx]

Camping for us is a familly vacation thing, wifey and a couple of kids. So stealth is out of the question. Got to have facilities, lots of room to play, fire place for smors, etc. The "stay" is half the fun, on road trips we try not to drive more than 2-3h per day.
We like to social aspect of it and the obvious change from "normal" life. We usually look for campgrounds with a nice view, waterfront is always nice.
Parking lots or dark corners would NOT do it.
If I was living in the van by myself on a tight budget things would be different but until THEN it will be campgrounds.
Alex
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Vanagon GL 1988 Full Camper, 4 speed manual, 2.1 stock engine
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[liwesty]

I"ve tried to suggest the stealth camping, traveling vacation thing to my wife.
its a no go. I guess I am lucky I have a wife that enjoys a vacation sleeping in the back of a truck!
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86 westy 2.5 subaru powered

[dhaavers]

[18Vanagonfan]

I don't mind camping at a camp grounds as long as its not a pavement lot. Alaska has great state camp grounds that truly made you feel like you were in the middle of no where with no one else there. I'm currently set up in the westy in an Army camp ground. All the fifth wheels an rvs are in one area paying $20 a night . I'm in the dry camping area by myself paying $6 a night. Lol. However, I do have to leave the camp sight every few weeks (per regs) and I find I can't find a whole lot of places to vanish to here in savannah or Charleston. Both are heavily populated along the coast and have "no parking" or "no camping" signs everywhere. So most nights ill just stay at Wally World. It's free and I got all the things I need right there.
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[oldhuldy67]

Hey..where is that Army campground? I go to SC every summer in July for 2 weeks with extended family..we go to Litchfield, rent some houses..lots of folks. Pass through Charleston on the way...did you get your Bentley and crossover tube?

[regis101]

[18Vanagonfan]

[CessnaJon]

I've had it with camping near other people.Last weekend, my wife and kids stayed at Amicalola Falls State park here near Atlanta. Other campers were up all night slamming car doors, chopping wood, yelling, etc...no sleep for dad. It baffles me why these huge state parks put 30 campsites on top of each other. [/quote]
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[tam_shops]

If Stealth includes Boon docking, that's my vote! Most camp grounds are just too noisy. I do find the WA parks better, then the Provincial Parks, but most of the private places have been way more expensive and crammed in like sardines!

Sadly I have no idea where either place is, but know they're in BC somewhere. One was on a lake, off some logging roads down a steep hill (Syncro needed) w/ almost no one around. Totally Free. Outhouses there.

Next, was on a river. Again Outhouses. I never remember anyone being around. Just again, what I think was logging road (not paved).

Both had swimming, quiet and so much fun! I went w/ my parents, but they're both gone and I wasn't into camping until I had my own kids. So sad...

People are just too rude and noisy and inconsiderate! I am totally anti electronics for camping, but there is a time and place. If my kids wake up at 6:30am they're getting a tablet thrown at them before being told to ZIP it. YET, countless times this summer, the jerks that kept us up at 11pm w/ their screaming and noise, are the same ones to then wake my kids up at 7am. Then, *I* have to deal w/ my cranky 4yo all day and they probably complain about the fact that he cries too much!

I *love* the social aspect, but need a little extra space around us for the quiet!

tam
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[jackbombay]

I rarely stay in campgrounds, and I rarely stealth camp, but I do a LOT of dispersed camping in national forest land and BLM land, there is so much open space out west that its pretty easy to travel without having to pay for camping or sleeping in my van where it is illegal to do so, ie "stealth camping". Sure, I'll occasionally get a night of stealth sleep where I'm not supposed to be parked/camping, but thankfully that is pretty rare for me...
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[aswah]

I started using the term stealth camping when hiking the Appalachian Trial in 2000 and I avoided the shelter/hut areas like the plague... stealth camping was anywhere except those spots. Who cares on terminology, I call stealth camping anywhere that is not an official campground or a parking lot.
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Aswah, Lisa, Beaumont and Loose Lucy Too!

1989 Westy
2013 Jetta Sportswagon TDI

[jackbombay]

If you are dispersed camping in a van on national forest land and it is legal, I don't see how the term "stealth" applies as there is no reason to hide your presence.

[vanagonjr]

I've always thought of stealth camping basically where it is forbidden, or at least not clearly allowable ..kind of the same as the way Wiki defines it.

stealth camping (uncountable)
(US) Camping out of sight on land not designated as a campsite, especially on land not used for habitation, agriculture etc.

(No I did not write the defintion )
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[singler3360]

We define stealth camping as 'in late/out early' and keep a low profile. Occasionally we'll stealth camp in a hotel parking lot on the way home from a week of dispersed camping on FS/BLM land. Dispersed camping gets our vote over campgrounds.

[danfromsyr]

no stealth camping for us anyways. as I travel with a family and at times multiple VW campers.. we tend to pay for our stays..

but if I were to try to travel on the cheap.
I'd drive/travel at night and stop at state/federal parks in the day on a day use access pass.
they don't care if you sleep in your van during the day for the $7/day use.
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[aswah]

Look, I really am happy people prefer campgrounds because it keeps where I go less traveled. FOR ME: it's not about travelling on the cheap it is about not wanting to be in a campground which generally suck (too much noise, drunk rowdy people, lack of privacy), very few exceptions. STEALTH IS ABOUT No neighbors, better views, remote spots... Campgrounds tend to be too closely packed (if you can see your neighbor than it is too close to me)... I like to go somewhere where I can let my dog run free and my three year old and not worry about whether they are going to get run over. Campgrounds are generally dirtier and more abused than stealth spots, Stealth campers tend to be a bit more conscious about pack it in/pack it out than the bulk of campground campers. Obviously not all but most. For me, camping is about solitude, star gazing, photography, reading, playing with my family, drinking wine with me wife, getting caught in snowstorms and wondering when I should pack up and head down the mountain. I get all the noise and commotion I need in my lifetime being a Chef. I prefer crapping in the woods than vault/pit toilets... I lived in Mendocino for a while in a primitive cabin in the woods with a pit toilet... no problem there just prefer a clear view of the world and the fresh scent of pine. Call what I do stealth lite or solitude camping, labels are way over rated. The best campgrounds I have been in have been near abandoned ones in Oregon and Alaska. Peace and Love to all. Some of my favorite secluded spots include:

out in Glen Canyon: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aswah/5500841961/in/set-72157626079744869

Valley of the Gods: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aswah/5532465144/in/set-72157626056103485

Mohave National Preserve: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aswah/5517948108/in/set-72157626244497244

somewhere in the Sierras: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aswah/4957882733/in/set-72157624755182493

off highway one right before it heads into the mountains north of Mendo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aswah/5416340476/in/set-72157625850225479

near Stratton Mountain in Vermont: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aswah/5415708241/in/set-72157625850225479

Mendocino National Forest: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aswah/5415682389/in/set-72157625850225479

another Highway ONe hotspot north of Mendo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aswah/5416291532/in/set-72157625850225479

Mule Team Road, Cali: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aswah/5415648437/in/set-72157625850225479

eating off Highway One south of Mendo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aswah/5416289026/in/set-72157625850225479

Champagne and just caught Alaskan King Salmon somewhere in the Bush: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aswah/5416290010/in/set-72157625850225479
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WIT WA DA DA (Peace and Unity)

Aswah, Lisa, Beaumont and Loose Lucy Too!

1989 Westy
2013 Jetta Sportswagon TDI

[dhaavers]

^^^ Game over - Aswah wins.


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[TequilaSunSet]

WOW Aswah

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