Campground Camping vs Dispersed Camping: Brutally Honest Pros and Cons
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- čas přidán 2. 05. 2023
- Whether you're motorcycle camping, car camping, or hauling an RV around the country, you have an essential choice to make: campground camping vs dispersed camping. Will you set up in an established campground that costs money or find a dispersed or wild camping spot for free? There are pros and cons to each type of camping, and in this dispersed vs campground video, I'll break down the brutally honest advantages and disadvantages of both.
Campgrounds have a ton of amenities and make camping easy especially for newer campers. Camping in a campground does not require you to find a site, but there are campground camping disadvantages like having to pay money or lots and lots of people nearby.
Dispersed camping is free, but finding a dispersed campsite can be difficult, you are on your own while wild camping, and you have no choice but to find and process your own firewood.
Dispersed camping vs campground camping can be a tough choice to make, but fortunately you can always do both! What are your thoughts on dispersed vs campground camping? Let us know in the comments!
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I just got a portable toilet. I hate vault toilets. I never want to use one again
“You” go to the woods to listen to the woods. Some people love to party in nature. I personally hate campsites. If I wanna be loud I don’t want to have to worry about ruining someone else’s time and also the opposite. If I’m trying to relax and wind down and not have to listen to neighbors. For me I go to the woods to get away from the crowds. To me, campgrounds are training grounds. A place to learn the lay off the land and what’s needed and also what’s not needed. Once you’re comfortable then head out into the wild and don’t forget to bring some extra trash bags. People are destroying the outdoors.
I haven't had a campfire in decades when camping alone. Nothing separates you from nature like a campfire. It commands all your attention and swamps your senses. You smell it, feel it, hear it and see it. And, you have to fiddle with it. A fire is great social glue. But, really not needed if you are alone and have the right gear.
Here in Alaska most of us follow the “dispersed” philosophy. Campgrounds up here often get filled up by clueless tourists that leave food out and attract the bears, or people out to camp party (loud and drunk). The few good campgrounds that don’t have those issues get booked up months out. That combined with so much public land to camp on (state and federal) makes it easier to follow the dispersed method.
It has gotten so even places like Nancy Lake canoe trail has gotten crowded on weekends. 30-40 years ago you could go out on a weekend and not see anyone. Even Swan Lake canoe trail on the Kenai has lots of people and even youth groups that make noise late into the night that carries across the lakes. The best time to go to these places is after Labor Day.
How the mosquitoes when u camp?
@@FlaminHotChips they are bad this summer here in Fairbanks, I stop on a hill and a cloud of several hundred form in under a minute. Repellent is a must have accessory at present.
I saw more bear sightings around designated campgrounds than "dispersed" campground.
The same philosophy is followed by many of use in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Before I got into adv riding, I had a couple decades worth of ultralight /minimalistic backpacking experience. Tons of overlap and between the backpacking experience and prior motocross and harescamble racing experience, my learning curve for adv riding was next to nothing. It all came super naturally I got into the hobby at 40, and now at 43 and on my second proper adv bike I am 'one of the youngsters' in our community here. Throw in a small ultralight tenkara fishing rod and can fish at camp if I want to.
Motorcycle dispersed camping is a lot like backpack camping. Those interested in motorcycle dispersed camping would do well to research backpack camping for lots of lessons, tips, ideas, etc.
The only scary thing to me in the woods is people. Seriously.
I hate going there, but being a man of color and you experience things in a camp ground that's not favorable, I have to agree it's the people..
Foolish to go anywhere with no means to protect yourself.
Nah also Mt lions, bears, rattle snakes.
@@gtrance3567any reasonable person would say this 😂 the chances of u running into some weirdo in the woods is slim to none , you should really be worried about the tons of wildlife and big game that surround u depending on where you’re ar
My friend smith and Wesson keeps me unbothered
In the west, finding both campgrounds and dispersed camping is pretty easy. East of the Mississippi campgrounds are harder to find and dispersed camping can be very difficult to find since it's mostly private land.
That's very true. I found one recently by just looking in the area I wanted to go. There weren't many people there, it was beautiful but no cell service. Which was fine with me!!
In Arizona, 18 percent of land is privately owned. The rest is either Federal, State or Tribal. In Kansas, 98.1 percent of the land is privately. Quite the difference.
Camping was always easy up here in upstate NY. When I started traveling south, it always became difficult to find dispersed camping south of Pennsylvania, especially along the coast.
There is a middle ground that is National park backcountry camping. It’s like the perfect mix of dispersed camping and camp grounds! My last trip to big bend we had a back country camp site that was a 30 minute pretty gnarly bike ride away from the camp ground site that had bathrooms, showers, and a little store, but the back county site we had was so remote which beautiful views! Nothing but a fire ring and a bear box. And only $10 a night. Zero cell reception and not accessible by car, only bikes and hardcore 4x4 vehicles. Just absolutely perfect mix of the two.
The only catch is obtaining a permit for the more desirable spots. You bring up a great point though.
I love it when people say you go to the woods for for nature sounds and everyone needs to adhere to that. The national forest I go to has off road riding, my friends and I go for that and target shooting. I do understand in campgrounds one should have respect for others, I’ve been there on a few occasions where I’d like to wring the necks of jerks.
In the western states you guys are lucky with plenty of BLM land, not so much in the East.
I favor National Forrest campground which usually attract like-minded people, aka not blasting music, usually hikers who go to sleep at reasonable hours. Also these campgrounds are more rustic, small and sometimes very small , like 8 or 12 sites very spaced out. Only have pit toilets... Far from towns. You can pick up wood, or bring some.
But most importantly, I don't camp on weekends. Too many people and families. I camp Sunday(except holidays) through Wednesday nights. Mondays and Tuesdays are the quietest.
Great video Ben.
Great video! As someone who grew up in North Idaho camping with my family in a tent and then an RV, the video was eye-opening. We never camped in a campground. The entire point of camping was to get away from people and to enjoy the stillness and peace of nature.
The negatives of "dispersed" camping are all positives for me. If you don't process your firewood, or build a fire pit, or clear a spot for your tent, or are completely self-sufficient, then you aren't really camping. The whole point of camping, for me and my family, is to get away from civilization and to become closer to nature by proving that you can survive nature.
I enjoyed seeing Ben's perspective on camping as it is from someone who grew up in an urban environment and completely foreign to me. Yes, flush toilets are awesome, as are showers and fire pits with barbecue grates. But, the drone of generators, barking of dogs, crying of kids, and blasting of music are just so offensive that I cannot wrap my head around actually accepting those conditions.
This video was helpful in showing the perceived negatives and positives of campgrounds vs. dispersed camping from the perspective of someone who grew up completely different from me. And it was done with the usual excellent and honest commentary!
I'm with you Trey! Give me only the noises of nature! Give me the tasks of establishing my own camp and gathering my supplies!
In the winters, I like to take it even one step further. Hot-tent camping. Establishing you're own personal bubble of a hospitable environment in an inhospitable wilderness, assuring you have processed an ample supply of firewood for cooking and heating. It only gets more thrilling, if it's in the middle of a snowstorm, that keeps you pinned down for a few days! There's nothing like, after being out foraging for firewood, to come back to the sight of smoke rising from the stovepipe, and knowing a nice warm tent awaits you!
I usually stay in the mountains in my general area--North Central Idaho.
According to Idaho Fish and Game, grizzlies are in north Idaho, so I camp in Shoshone, Clearwater, and Idaho counties. Black bears but grizzlies very rare.
I've done tons of both campground and dispersed camping. One of the "pros" of campgrounds is the social aspect. Even when camping solo, most of the time in campgrounds I end up striking up a conversation with one of my fellow campers, and 99 times out of a hundred it's a positive thing - we get to share a bit of our life stories and swap camping anecdotes, and sometimes learn something new.
If I even hear another voice I picked a bad spot. All about perspective.
@@CrunchyTire I agree.
Maté don’t forget a disadvantage in a camp ground! Is when all your got is a freeze dried meal and the other blokes in the camp ground are cooking up a storm 😮
Makes you feel like you’ve got a Roo missing in the top paddock lol
have experienced this so many times... love my meal but the smells wafting over to me make me more hungry...
Aside from the obvious health risks, if you choose to smoke anyhow, seeing your friend with a pipe put a smile on my face. You don’t see enough smokers choosing a classic pipe anymore. Brought back a lot of warm feelings of nostalgia for me. I could smell it, the nostalgia was soo strong. 😊
My grandpa was a pipe smoker. He died of lung cancer.
Awesome video, as usual! One additional consideration, widowmakers or dead standing trees. Unlikely scenario but worth note. Campgrounds tend to be well maintained and dead trees are safely cut. If you are dispersed camping in the woods, this is not necessarily the case. I have twice witnessed trees fall while camping, once just outside the boundary of a campground and once a bit too close for comfort while dispersed camping in national forest. I have had to move my tent a few times after realizing I pitched it under a dead looking tree at a funny angle haha.
one additional consideration; meteors, lightning strikes, tornadoes, flash floods ...
@@Revy8 Don't forget alien abductions ;)
@Revy Too funny! Let's not forget swarms of locusts and zombie hordes!
@yooper I was going to make this same comment. First thing we do is look at widow makers before we look for a flat spot to pitch our tent.
Some may think is funny but widow makers are no joke in a windy day. I actually live in the mountains and know 2 different people that died this way.
Admittedly, I have some anxiety with both campgrounds and dispersed camping. Thanks for mentioning some of these thoughts and making me feel like I'm not the only one with these issues.
I usually avoid private campgrounds. Generally, the forest service campgrounds have a lot more room for each site, and often you can find sites somewhat separated by the slope of the land or by trees. Also, they are often cheaper.
Just some advice for anybody in the TVA district of the Southeast: TVA maintains mildly developed to undeveloped wild lands that allow camping for up to 7 consecutive days in one location. There is usually a trail leading in and that is about it. If you google TVA undeveloped land they have an app that shows on an interactive map all the locations in your area and most are located near a creek or river.
14 days at a time in Tennessee. I'm from east TN and that's usually the time limit . Then your technically supposed to move atleast 15 miles to another campsite . TVA in Tennessee stands for Tennessee valley authority
You’re absolutely right when you mentioned people don’t disclose their favorite dry camping spots. I don’t do motorcycles but I off road and tent camp. I certainly wouldn’t disclose my “secret” spots to anyone that’s not camping with me but since I mostly camp solo I guess the “secret” will die with me. Lol.
Great video, I've done a ton of camping all over the US & to me a giant thing is having a campfire every night. Most dispersed camping areas don't want it or it's flat out illegal, esp in the drought west. Fire rings & tables are awesome
Wild areas are getting more and more crowded every year, and it's even getting difficult to find decent dispersed camping areas that aren't trashed and overrun with people anymore. Camping when I was a kid in the 50s and 60s was so very much nicer than now, in so many ways. I like people, but there are just too damned many of us on the planet now.
Not too many, perhaps too many who don’t do it well. I wouldn’t mind camping near to folks in the backcountry if they kept quiet, cleaned up after themselves and just basically acted right
Agreed, too many inconsiderate people, along with just too many people.@@D0praise
Winter wild camping tends to be pretty quiet at least. It is all dependent on location of course
This summer, I'll be shocked if I see any more than a couple people if that. Might need to watch for bears but I have bear spray and a little pop-gun. I'm alone and am 79-years old, camping in a tent.
The trash and literal sh*t is so stupid.
We all approach camping differently. I hate established campgrounds. I'd rather stay home. I camp in the woods, as far away from people as possible, as ultralight as possible, with a small stove for cooking and no campfire. I use a Hennessy lay flat hammock with integral rain fly and mosquito netting so there is no need to find a flat spot for a tent. Also, you didn't mention the third option of stealth camping. 🙂
Great info. When you spoke of chopping off a finger, in a dispersed camping scenario, I immediately thought of the Garmin InReach. If you frequently travel solo in remote parts of the country, get an InReach or other satellite-type device! It could literally save your life, or someone else's!
We totally agree! Ours is set up so family can track us online. We are in our 60s and have been dispersed camping for decades and the Garmin InReach is peace of mind for not only us but also for our adult kids too.
Once upon a time there was no IN REACH. Gee...how did people then?
They were tough, self sufficient. Not like pussies today.
If you need IN REACH as your baby sitter, then DON'T GO.
Great video. Biggest source of confusion among newbies is how different the different camping styles are. In the US I’d divide it into 3 categories based on amenities:
Dispersed camping: hike or drive in carrying all your gear, pick your own spot to set up camp, zero amenities guaranteed but may be a pit toilet nearby. Usually free, usually on federal land, especially BLM-managed areas.
“Backcountry” car camping: camp at an established site in a campground with limited amenities. May be free or ~$20/night. Amenities usually include a pit toilet, fire ring and picnic table, and might also include trash service or a potable water source. Big advantage over dispersed is the ability to make reservations.
Commercialized car camping/RV camping: usually in a privately owned campground or state park. Indoor plumbing/showers and full RV hookups are the *bare minimum* of amenities, and they also likely have a general store and possibly even a limited-service restaurant on site. Nightly fees are similar to a cheap hotel, ranging from $40 at small independently owned parks up to $80 or more at e.g. a KOA in a premium locale. In some parts of the US (particularly the eastern half) this might be the only type of camping available.
I’m Japan…I have 10-12 spots that are free camping.. within 3-4 hours from my house. Motorcycle camping is awesome. Google is your friend to find water source on the mountain…. Always have tools and items for bike and med kits… camp grounds are last resort… if exploring a new spot.. we find a camp ground … and then explore for a good spot if possible..
As long as you have stuff to fix the bike and a med kit… just camp out wherever!
Good on you for picking up and hauling out trash from dispersed campsites on your motorcycle. Much respect! 👍🏼
Great video! You did a great job of quickly covering all the points. As a motorcycle camper myself, I will usually stay at the designated campgrounds the first time I explore an area. I use the first trip to scout the best dispersed sites for return visits as... the neighbors (sometimes)and the insects attracted by pit toilets are often annoying at designated campgrounds.
I've done a lot of both kinds of camping. If I'm alone I sleep better in campgrounds with other people nearby. Out in the sticks I seem to have an outweighted fear of animals, so I wake up a lot. But at least there are no generators and bad "music".
Idk about now, but when I was traveling in my truck camper in 2019, the big issue I had in Oregon and Washington dispersed camping was the oddly frequent discovery of human feces in the campsites. It was almost 100% of the places we camper in western Oregon that had poop in the fire pit, or under a rock, or in a pile with toilet paper over it. Became a real problem, if we didn’t find it first, our dog would….
I don't think I have ever found poop in the fire rings, trash etc. yes, poop no. I think surface sh**ers are a problem everywhere people go without toilets.
I dig a trench then bury after fertilizing .
The problem I see is so many not fully putting their fires out
Had the same problem in Oregon
if you can even find a spot. so many people just post up in these spots and you drive by and it looks like they've been there for months or years and no one can kick them out
Great video!! I am OBSESSED with Motocamping, and I vastly prefer dispersed camping. Easier to smoke the fun herbs without people nearby!
Thank you for your Motocamping content!
Here in Texas there is not a whole lot of public land to take advantage of. Really surprised me when I started looking up state land areas.
And one of those areas is super close to Houston, so tends to get crowded for accessible spots.
All good points. I prefer dispersed camping, but sometimes the amenities of a campground are warranted.
Other issue with dispersed is other people as well, you are kind of an easy target out in the middle of nowhere by yourself. While you should always be prepaired to defend yourself, avoiding such situations is the best. Have to kind of find a balance between camping close enough to main trails / roads that someone would be worried about getting caught while messing with you, or being far enough away that people wouldn't come out that far to mess with you.
Excellent video! I think you covered all the stages that everybody goes through as we become more comfortable with camping. I've had my BEST nights camping at each type of campspot, for all the reasons that you mentioned. Winter is the best time to use established campgrounds, especially at the coast, when they're empty!
As a kid I was always at camp grounds. Now, much older, I will go stealth camping if I am alone. I hated the noise of other people drunk at night, shooting guns off randomly while drunk, the sirens that would ensue, people walking through my camp or even peeing right next to my tent because they didn't even bother to look. Basically people suck and unless I need a place I can reserve for a group, I am off somewhere in the woods. I also do the camp triangle (aka Bear Triangle), if you don't know what that is google it as it WILL save your life and gear. At camp sites, people do not do this as its pretty hard to due to space restrictions. This leads to a ton of pests coming into camp due to the camp next to you being negligent. As soon as I was old enough, I did solo/wild camping. The cons are there but the pros are way better if you don't have to have a rally point with a decently large/inexperienced group where a reservation and amenities really help. Be safe, ride safe, and leave no trace.
Dispersed camping tip: folding shovel and tp. You don't smell it all night if it's underground. I don't care how the wind shifts.
Another downside of wild camping is the bugs. In the wild, there's usually a lot more. Can be fun when there's a lack of outhouses 😂
I camp in cooler weather when bugs aren't much of a factor.
Use 99% deet bug repellent.
Dispersed always, I go to the woods to get away from people and their bullsh*t . It is hard to get centered and in sinc with nature in a campground. That is like bringing with you the crap you rode to get away from.
Here I am. Loved camping years ago, but bones hurt too bad now. Thinking of car camping.
Thank you for the Video. I subscribed!
70 yrs old here, did car camping b4 I got my teardrop camper last yr.. loved car camping, had 4 inch milliard foam mattress and was very comfy and felt secure with doors locked...
@@bikingal4283
Ohhhhh. Nice. Have fun. I'm sad. I think I missed Whippoorwill season this year . 😢
man I love how it all combos together -
take the 4x4 out for offroading and scout for campsites at the same time
go car camping in the 4x4 (yea I know I'm glamping, sue me) and use that as a base to extend the 4x4 adventure and allow scouting for even more secret campsites
"the people who know about them don't talk about them," that's right
the only thing that truly scares me is for other people to find out about my favorite secret spots XD
Thanks for no midroll ads, I ran out of
time for viewing but advanced to eov
to make sure the closing ads ran.
Amen on the picnic table. Also nice to spread out your stuff to repack...which on a long trip, your stuff that was on top, ends up on the bottom. Idaho state land, as far as i have come across, is free campgrounds.
You made me chuckle over the picnic table as we sometimes camp in National parks here in Queensland. Whilst we have a camper trailer with everything known to man, my wife is far more interested in picnic table than anything else
Dispersed camping takes a bit more planning and self-confidence to survive solo in the wilderness, but I think it is a much more rewarding and enjoyable experience. I liken it to a sport in many ways, it feels like you "hunt" for the best camping locations on GPS and plan out your best possible camping options. Then once you have set up your campsite, you get the satisfaction of cost savings, self-sufficiency, solitude, and at peace in nature.
I have also accidentally made the mistake of being the loud asshole at a public campsite in the past, and the judging from other campers made it so unenjoyable... so I found my own remote sites.
This past year I have dispersed camped in over 35 separate sites and it has allowed me to see some memorable and picturesque places across all of America. Colorado backcountry, Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, North Pacific Coast, Redwoods, Oregon, Montana, Yellowstone, Badlands S.D., Utah, Northern Michigan, Upper Peninsula Michigan, West Virginia... to name a few. Best hobby /lifestyle change ever!
Campgrounds are fun for socializing, but I’m like you, I like the challenge of surviving on my own. I don’t mind foraging, and processing wood. I want to get better at knot tying and hunting.
Campground vs Dispersed, all depends on the type of neighbors you want. I prefer the Dispersed.
Most dispersed camping is not close to a road. Usually you have some walking to do.
Another positive about dispersed camping is the variety. If you want to be closer to people and potential help, you can camp right off a main forest road in a lot of places and there will almost always be others driving by or camped a short distance away. If you want ultimate solitude, you can find that too. I know this is about motorcycle camping, but I personally camp out of an SUV and find the advantages of a campground are easy to replicate with that storage space. Bring a folding table, and you don't need a picnic table. Bring a bucket toilet and you can live without the bathrooms. Strap a trasheroo or an old backpack to your rig for garbage.
We have a converted minivan (Toyota Sienna) and we mostly stay in campgrounds because -- showers. But we have also stayed on public land and been completely self-contained. One thing that offers some of the best of both, is camping in state park campgrounds in winter! Usually the water is on meaning toilets and showers and often there are very few other people there especially in the nonelectric sites. Downside is you might end up next to a generator but often the place is empty. Usually you still. have to pay but sometimes there is no one in the kiosk and no way to pay. There is never anyone with loud music or parties. I am speaking of places where it is cold in winter, of course. Not Southern California or Arizona.
As a solo female tent camper I don’t feel safe even armed disperse camping. Feel like a target: I’ll stick to somewhat safer campsites. Just how I feel with the state of the world
I have a favorite established campground that i have been going back to since i was a kid (50+years) but i also loved being out in the true wilderness i went backpacking in 2009 on the Pacific Crest Trail the sense of solitude is unmatched there were numerous days that i didn't see or hear signs of civilization for days on end no people,towns,roads,planes no nothing for 2 and 3 days at a time it was amazing as i told a friend later "the silence was deafening "
I love riding around looking for places to camp. Last year I found a little cedar grove with a creek running through it in the middle of a forest entirely full of ponderosa pines. It was so oddly out of place. Made a great camping spot.
I just started motorcycle camping last year. I was totally unsure of packing my bike up with too much gear. So i took my truck to the dispersed camping spot with a few friends. I know that defeats the purpose of bike camping but was an eyopener. That way i could fine tune the stuff i really needed and leave the things i didn't. Next time was all good, except, didn't have space for enough beer!!!
There is always room for beer...you have two pant legs, the whole front ofyour jacket, etc. get creative!
It takes a few trips to get your load out figured. I've been doing it for a few years now and almost have a set load. Biggest thing I learned was don't pack food and stop by a local store right before setting camp.
One of the main REASONS I go camping is to be ALONE. For me, camping is not camping if so many other people are "in the woods" with you. Most of the conveniences of having people around can be remedied by making a list of ALL the things you need when camping. You can do that by envisioning yourself doing various activities... like making a campfire (do you need a lighter?) cooking, (do you need a can opener? utensils? cup? coffeepot? food? etc. drinking, (do you need a filtering straw/system for water?) clearing a site for the tent (do you need a shovel?) gathering firewood (do you need a chainsaw or ax?), safety (do you need bear spray, air horn, firearm?) You get the idea. You are not always going to remember everything but when you camp a few times, you'll add things to your list until you can successfully camp all by yourself. This is much better than simply going to what I call a little town (campsite).
Your safer in dispersed camp the only
Danger in the forest is the 2 legged animals.
Been camping for years in Northern California. Mostly no problems but someone tried to steal my trailer once .
Only time I’ve camped without a campfire is on bicycle tour. When riding 80 miles a day you’re too tired to make a fire! When I rode across the USA I barely made any campfires. Mostly just used my MSR stove.
I encourage all long-distance riders to camp. I personally prefer dispersed, but for those who like cg's... cool!
Solid advice here.
I grew up backwoods camping with my friends and also spent every summer in the campground wherever my dad happened to be working.
Today, I still enjoy both. There is something peaceful about wilderness camping on undeveloped public land and a pride from self-sufficiency. At the same time, there is a comraderie among people at a campground. You are all temporary neighbors and most everybody is friendly. The showers are an amazing plus too.
This man looks like a irl wild thorn berry character. That’s a compliment by the way. Smashing job m8
Thank you? ;)
The most valuable commodity when camping is any flat space for cooking, eating etc. Where I live in Africa you camp in secure campgrounds for safety and convenience unless it is a really remote wilderness area where you still camp in a designated camping spot.
In all of CZcams I'm not sure anyone has ever compiled & created such an awesome on-point list. Good on ya! Great vid.
Dispersed camping: carry a sidearm and extra ammo
Campground camping: still carry but maybe not as much ammo
Lots of time when camping, someone would have their radio on all day, then turn it down for the night. But people will ask them to keep it up, just not loud. It's something to listen to, and it's better than hearing the loud cars zooming on the highway that usually wraps around the campground All Night Long.
i could not agree more!
You learn to love dispersed camping with time! I live in the very north west Washington. My back door is the Olympics, there are a plethora of amazing national campgrounds( those are TINY, maybe 10-15 sites) plus the added dispersed spots.
Easily 3 dispersed sites I adore and keep secret 😂
Good analysis. I grew up dispersed camping, before anyone knew that's what it would be called. I just found a place and camped. Only later, when I had a wife and kids did I do much campground camping. To me there's nothing like being miles away from anyone in a wilderness area, sleeping under the stars.
I've been motocamping for a while and this is encouraging me to try wild camping, thanks!. Just never came to mind because it's prohibited in my country (Belgium) and also neighbor countries like the Netherlands and Germany.. I have to ride to at least France or Switzerland and they also have restrictions so not really free to do what you like here unfortunately..
Would northwards in Scandinavia be a better bet for wild camping? The summers would be nice up there, I would think.
sometimes a pit latrine is even grosser than going in a hole in the woods, depending on how well its maintained and the amount of bugs.
Bill, thank you for a very informative post. I now camp in a trailer due to about 10 years ago I had my bike taken from me at gun point. That was enough of solo camping for me. I look forward to watching your other posts. Best regards, Bob
I have lived and traveled thousands of miles off grid on my sailboat but recently I have been craving the woods and hiking so I have just begun to learn how to go camping by myself. I’ve only stayed in National Park Campgrounds in the mountains next to a river and I loved it. Being alone and new to building wilderness skills I just feel more secure in a campground for now but I think I will prefer the silence and privacy of dispersed camping once I get comfortable with it because my favorite place to be on my boat is empty anchorage or a deserted island.
Regarding dispersed camping and a health emergency? There are Personal Locator Beacons for that. Some will allow you to communicate directly with family and emergency services, some just send out an SOS and location. If you are considering being several miles from the nearest Starbucks, convenience store, or people, getting a PLB is a great idea. Some brands are SpotX, Garmin InReach or Garmin eTrex, ACR ResQLink, Ocean Signal RESCUEME, and Motorola Defy Satellite link.
this is an awesome video. i spent a few months in 2016-2017 traveling around the southeastern US on my bike, camping my way around. i havent been out much since then (life got rough for awhile) but now im looking to get back out. I will *always* prefer dispersed camping, but for my first few times back out i'm going to be hitting some local campgrounds in Ohio. but man do i miss being *out*. this is a great rundown of the differences, and a great reminder of why i prefer the woods.
too bad its getting harder and harder to find dispersed and quiet woodlands and wild areas anywhere.
I did a lot of dispersed camping while on a trip in USA a little while ago and I so surprise on how much dispersed spot there is. It basically don't exist in my province so I was happy to be alone and not with 20 RV and has much generators. One downsides of dispersed is cell services is virtually non-existent very often.
Great video and thanks for sharing! I did my 3rd dispersed camping this fall somewhere in south Tahoe a week ago that has an amazing view like you show in this video and what I like the most is I setup my campfire (with permit) along with my tobacco pipe (like your buddy) and a bottle of beer, watching sunset, alone. Then hiking up to one of the mountain peaks nearby next day. It's one of the best things in life.
I loved that you low-key demonstrate the fact that campground firewood is ALWAYS horribly unseasoned.
Blasting music when out in the wilderness makes absolutely zero sense to me. Last summer, I was canoe tripping Allegheny Reservoir on the PA/NY border. The sweet, sweet world of no cellular service in reach! Upon reaching the furthest north boat/hike-in campsites on the lake, apparently this was the one the NY city slickers liked to go to. Blasting music, dogs endlessly barking, setting off fireworks. What's the point of going out into nature, if all one is going to do is wash out everything natural?
I don't mind primitive camping. To me, the scariest thing in the woods, is another human being. The animals I can predict. I don't need noise, I don't need to talk to someone. I happily enjoy the silence and solitude. Actually, there's actually a lot more going on around you to enjoy, if one can simply cut out all racket and hubbub.
Solid topic. I also appreciate the adventure grom and mclovin footage.
“Still in tree form” lol I’m so using that.
Be excellent to each other - Bill & Ted
I actually have that as a decal on my truck. 😂
I car camped about 2 years ago but this August will be the first time I solo dispersed camp at Allegheny National forest. I'm a bit intimidated to do it by myself out of the confines of my truck. I have a few friends meeting me at Cherry Springs State Park for the perseids meteor shower but afterwards my plan is to stay a night or two or maybe more hopefully at Allegheny solo. I've camped all my life. That was the go to vacation for my family. I love it. I'm not the most skilled Craftsmen by any means. But I've watched a thousand CZcams videos and I'm interested to see if I could stand the precarious nature of being out in the dark by myself in the middle of the woods for the entire night
I have been a subscriber for 4 years and this is the first time that I have seen Mrs. Dork.
I did a five week tour around New Zealand and other than a couple times we paid for our campgrounds... I'm 74 years old, we did this before covid, I was 9 years US Army, did a combat tour (2/502 Inf, 101st Airborne) Vietnam, 330 days in the Jungle, sleeping ground sheets, as an air mattress squeaks if you move on it...LURPs (dehydrated food packets), leaches, mud..nasty... I move to Australia in 1979 as an artist and also an art teacher. Sold my Pan chopper and my two pre-unit Triumphs then bought a new dresser plus brought my Ness styled bar bike...where do you do go on a cut down Harley-Davidson Sportster tank...LOL ... my son and I traveled Australia... so my cousin and his wife flew in to Sydney and we did NZ. Great place to ride, from mountains to shorelines ... very nice people and they sell deer meat (fantastic venison), just like Michigan where i grew up... the odd thing was some camp grounds did charge $2 extra for a shower... you put a $2 coin, twist the knob and go for it. Always carry an extra coin in case you run short (it's my private part and I'll scrub it as long as I want). I saw tons of bikers there, especially in the mountains... a lot of BMW's. Also many over 50 year old types nice gear, full leathers...
You're lucky to live in the PNW with the abundance of National Forests. Hwy 20 in WA is a good option in the summer for those looking for dispersed camping spots.
If you cut down a tree in a Michigan state park you pay a fine and the replacement cost of the tree. A friend paid $10k for his firewood some time back, a dead standing 30' tree.
Excitebike.....I can remember it as a kid in the arcades in BC.Wish there was still arcades with pinball in every town, hard to find now.Thx for the video....
"I come with a mute button". Best line ever!😀
I’m 71 born and raised in Albany, have been camping all my life, was hiking and camping on the PCT when they landed on the moon, packed into the wilderness and camped weeks at a time with burros, now my wife and I are camping off of our CanAm spyders and planning on riding to Alaska camping the entire time,would love to talk camping with you.
Tent sites in Iowa tend to be bad and on top of each other in a wide open field. There are a few exceptions, but most suck.
Hello Sir Dork, I like your content. I have seen almost every video. Keep it going.
I''ve been camping and hiking in the Western US for 25 years and I can tell its quite possible to leave no trace dispersed camping and camping in a campground although dispersed campers tend to do a better job than the clueless city folk who leave messes in campgrounds. Recently hotels have gotten so expensive and un-reliable that I've had to dispersed camp most of the time when I go on road trips. I have a matress, ice chest and lithium phosphate battery in the back of my SUV and I can fold down the seats have a comftorable bed cook something on my small gas stove and watch a movie before bed in my car. Many tourists in the West have some idea how to leave no trace but the tourists from the plains are completly clueless last time I visited Yellowstone I saw plains tourists make every mistake possible, going half the speed limit to enjoy the view/creating a huge traffic jam, stopping their car next to a bear cub to take a picture, stopping in the middle of the road/not bothering to pull over to take a picture, walking up to the bison heard, having a bunch of food out in their tent/campsite, leaving piles of trash in the fire pit. I think alittle bit of wilderness ethics needs to be taught in school are some of these plains folk are going to start winning darwin awards.
One correction. In national parks you can only set up a camp fire in designated areas. The biggest drawback is you have to hike a long way to get to one and they are usually hard to find.
I have been bike camping for years but due to the size of my bike, no dirt roads, which means finding a spot in the woods is very difficult. So usually in end up paying the fees. Once I rode ro this place and they gave me a spot at the end away from everything else. It was great!
Definitely prefer wild camping in Ontario Canada we have lots of campgrounds but good luck getting one. You have to book 5 months in advance and you can’t till 7am by 7:00.01 every good site that was available is now gone might find a crap sit right beside the outhouse at 7:00.02 5 months before you go
Dispersed camping a great opportunity to cut down live trees and throw trash in the woods while crapping in the bushes and leave toilet paper on the ground. Not all do this of course but I have seen it too many times to say it does happen
buying wood sucks big time, as going on up/down the road and see a pullout and tree uprooted or such is my source for wood. Had a good hand saw but this last trip 3 of use over the week long trip decided next trip get a battery powered chain saw - that uses same battery as drill and so on. Only for trees that have fallen as you said no need for cutting one down. Easier for us as drive SUV's so can haul much more. Fun video thanks for letting us sort of tag along-
Something that has helped me getting into solo dispersed camping. Striking my camp near the trailhead or not too far. That way its a short hike out. Helps to build confidence.
Enjoyed the GOGO boots look.😅😅😊
The easiest way to get good firewood in the woods is with a rope pull-down dead branches. They are dry easy to access and usually break pretty easily
In Glacier the campground I went to allowed harvesting of fallen dead wood.
Wild-motor-camping allows you the best opportunities to find solitude.
Leave the saw and axe behind and break the deadwood branches between two trees, you don’t need “firewood.”
Bring a shovel and bury your 2”s please.🙏
I have a campground in red river gorge in Kentucky I frequent because it’s only 10 bucks a night, the only thing he offers is a porta potty and firewood, it’s very primitive, no rvs and his spots are pretty dispersed so you can have people around but not too close.
Thanks for the info, heading out for my first moto camping trip in two weeks to Caddo Lake State park here in Texas. Only $28 for two nights!
Great video! For us, the key is finding the right campground which isn’t easy.
Tim might wan to pick up a portable jumper pack for all those times his bike won’t start in the morning and he needs a jump. It’ll save you the long push up the hill to bump it. After suffering a similar fate on a solo trip a hand full of years ago I bought one and never travel without it. It’s saved my butt a few times since then.
I live in a tourist trap so I go wild camping. Campgrounds have hundreds of people and cost hundreds for a couple nights
I also love processing firewood
I'm building an e-bike so I can get into remote areas. I am so so so looking forward to this.
I prefer disperse camping because I'd rather not be around the unprepared masses.