Good dispersed camping etiquette

[MrNoodly]

I found a spot this afternoon in a very large, open patch of public land. At least a mile square. There are about a dozen rigs, most of them clustered on one side. They seem to be a group camping together. I'm over on the opposite side, as far away as I can get without trying to cross a deep, sandy arroyo. Excellent. I get my privacy and the others get their social contact.

A couple of hours later a large rig drove slowly past, as if looking for a spot. Aw crap, I thought, I hope they don't set up within earshot and run a generator, or have yapping dogs.

They kept going and ended up about in the middle of the area, equidistant between me and the group, giving everyone as much space as possible. Excellent.

Compare this to a few years ago when I was the only one in a large dispersed area next to a lake. But some guy came and set up just on the other side of a bush. Dude, why so close? There's like a quarter mile of empty shoreline to choose from.

 

[crofter]

 set up just on the other side of a bush. Dude, why so close? 

People always want to camp with me too. Emphasis on the WITH.   ~crofter

 

[ckelly78z]

We were once in a private campground that the trailers were so close, my awning tension lines were within a foot of the next camper. This trip, my was wife was having morning sickness, and it was hot. All of a sudden, I heard a loud hissing sound, and had to run over and shut off a compromised propane tank on the neighbor's rig....they didn't show up until late that night...never again, even State parks with their big sites are too many people for me.

 

[ZoNiE]

I've had to tell an adjacent camper about a blatant propane leak. Not even a thank you. What a dick.
Then there was the time at Nascar on the hill (AZ ISM raceway) away from everyone. Kids setup a tent 1 foot from my bedroom window. Their friends next to my genny exhaust. You wanna camp next to someone else? go to the reserve area.

 

[travelaround]

The last few nights I've been parking roadside. Nobody seems to care and I don't see others doing it here this time of year. Most seem to be nestled into RV parks. I can't seem to want to stay stationary. I need to reevaluate everything and how I feel about vandwelling. I mean, I've been unhappy with the situation lately. I need to be more content with my lot in life. I need a comfortable routine. One that includes parking roadside or even with others. I stayed in a rip off RV park last month and am still recovering from the experience and don't want to repeat it. Maybe I need to live without my electric heat this winter. Feel the cold and do it anyway.

 

[crofter]

Feel the cold and do it anyway.

How cold does it get there? Here in OR is forecast a cold snowy winter. G Hardblast is doing ok with a buddy heater running on pilot. And says it is 24 degrees there, way colder than here. 
My first season out I had some adjustments to make. Some things people think are a hassle are things I enjoy, like doing a bath the old fashioned way with a basin in the woods. And I had the dog then, so a lot less space for me.  -crofter

 

[hugemoth]

Camping all alone near where the RTR has been held in Quartzsite a big 5th wheel pulled up less than 20 feet away. They unloaded a large construction generator and ran it until I packed up and moved at midnight. Nice people!

 

[Qxxx]

TA, maybe you need to leave the great northern woods behind, and get a change of scenery. Head to the deserts of Arizona and SoCal like all the snowbirds. Boondocking is a lot more fun than living in RV parks. Join a caravan and meet like-minded people. North in the summer, south in the winter. Move every 2 weeks, see all the cool places. Even though part-time, I've spent 16,000 miles doing that the past 2 years. Seen a lot of nice places from Arizona to Montana, and everywhere in between. You've only just begun the adventure, .

 

[Qxxx]

Moth, have you tried Roadrunner south of LaPosa on Hwy 95? The big rigs tend to stay towards the entrance but you can go way into the back (north) a mile and a half. Also, out Plomosa Rd towards Bouse. Again, most people stay over towards 95, but you can go east through the little hills and closer to Bouse. Scaddan Wash tends to be super popular, being so close to Quartzsite. Plus the road is horrible.

 

[Qxxx]

People always want to camp with me too. Emphasis on the WITH.   ~crofter

Hmmm, that's very interesting. They must figure you're a very knowledgeable person.

 

[WanderingRose]

I think that some folks are so used to traditional campgrounds that being in proximity to someone else feels normal, and/or they want to be by someone else for safety.

The generator thing I just don’t get, which is why I seldom use mine.

How can people with them feel they have the right to inflict the noise and fumes on others?

Running them for hours, or even all night where they are not prohibited. WTH?

Years ago, a big Class A backed their behind up to our rear sleeper Class B, then proceeded to run two generators.

We left about midnight.

 

[Qxxx]

Years ago, a big Class A backed their behind up to our rear sleeper Class B, then proceeded to run two generators. 

We left about midnight.

I wonder that a lot of people find it a way to get a choice campsite by being so obnoxious. "And another one gone, another one gone, and another one bites the dust". Eg, next to the water, or some nice spot by the trees, or on the edge of an open area.

Maybe better to park in the least favorable spots, and they'll stay away. I can think of a way to get back at them when you leave at midnight. (nothing serious, involves a kitty litter bag).

 

[SheketEchad]

I don't have accumulated experiences, but I can say that my current dispersed camping experience has been joyful. No one any where near me for the most part. A couple of people have pulled up past me to stay in a little Hobbit place, but only one overnighter. Most people have come up to let their dogs run, or are hikers.

In fact, from where I am parked I cannot see a single other camper in any direction. I'll return here often while in AZ, as it's beautiful and secluded, and has live water nearby. At a little over 5k feet, the solar gathering is awesome. Internet a bit sketchy, but texts and phone calls are good, and with patience I can listen to music and post here as well as my blog.

 

[Qxxx]

Two little towns you might like if you've not been there, Payson to the east and Prescott (old town, Billy Jack town square) to the west. Watch out for Sedona, people tend to go there and get caught in the vortex. Most people also migrate to lower elevations as it cools down in the winter.

 

[ZoNiE]

Put a contractor genny out where it can be seen. May keep others out... But then again, may attract an asshole who runs one all night.

 

[Qxxx]

Or might just attract *ALL* the people with generators. If you've ever been to La Posa South LTVA during Big Tent time, there are rows and rows of Class-As lined up like big dominos.

 

[highdesertranger]

yeah at last years RTR 2 trailers pulled up right next to me about 10 feet and proceeded to run a construction generator for hours on end. we even said something to them and they still ran it. thank god for my buddy JiminDenver, he leant them his quite inverter generator, hats off to Jim. some people don't care about others. highdesertranger

 

[IGBT]

The thing I don't like when camping is dogs.   Barking, some never shut up, people let them walk all over and assume that you don't mind them coming up to lick you.   Like if I just came up and licked your arm it would be ok though?

 

[MrNoodly]

So, a few hours after beginning this thread, a toy hauler chose to camp about 50 yards from me. They weren't right on top of me, but considering all the empty acreage, it was a lot closer than necessary. Fortunately, they weren't a noisy bunch. When they fired up their OHV they rode it away from me. And if they were running a generator, I wasn't aware of it. Nonetheless, when I returned from a supply run to town this afternoon I picked a new spot.

 

[Tony's Dream]

Mr. Noodly, I feel your pain. I have found that I seem to be a few steps behind everyone else. Life has been kind to us and this year we bought a small camper and looked forward to the countless nights camping. We took off one weekend in August and traveled to a lake about 60 miles from our home. When we got there, much to our horror, it was 99% full! The only places left open were left open for a reason, like being down wind of the waste dump or smelly bog. We ended up traveling to a less popular lake and found a nice spot. Not crowded, but there wasn't much to see or do there. That was our first night in the camper. We traveled up there several more times without the camper to find it totally full too. Then I started looking into traveling and the BLM lands and it sounded great. Now I am hearing that some of them are being shut down because of misuse by so many people. The remaining ones are filling up quicker and becoming more crowded. I think I will find that once I actually get out on the road I will run into overcrowded sites and I will be greatly disappointed. I have never really liked crowds and I want to camp in somewhat remote areas. I know they are out there and I will be looking hard for them. I do feel a little more relaxed when I see others in a camp site, but I don't want to hear their conversations or drinking parties.