Your opinion on divulging campsites?

[beemerchef]

So we have been on the road full-time camping for almost ten years, we have a public Journal which is a mixture of thoughts, spaces we have been to, you name it. I have received throughout those years many comments and emails (some not so nice!) to the fact that I should not make most of those out of the way free and truly beautiful spaces public! None of my doing many have changed over the years. Gooseneck now charges (Utah). Muley Point (Utah) is now in the brochures. Recaptured Pocket (Utah) same. 
I enjoy sharing for others to get off their couch in front of their wide screen and BBQ hot dogs on Sundays. To me Nature is to be shared. So if suddenly you have a distant neighbor or two they could be alike and future Friends. 
What do you think? It won't hurt my feelings a bit if you disagree.

 

[phillipaaron]

I think it should be shared. Nature and hording don't go together in my eyes.

 

[jimindenver]

Personally we don't tend to reuse a site unless there is no new sites to be had. So sharing them isn't a big deal. Plus if no one shared, no one would know where to go except their own exploring.

 

[beemerchef]

I am glad from these two replies that I am not off base. I myself must say get quite a bit of information from others so yes, give and take as it should be. I do also get Thank You notes and myself send also. Might just be me but exploring and finding new spaces is becoming more and more difficult. As far as not going back to some already visited spaces we do at times. Valley of the Gods and Toroweap for example is as a must once a year! 
Thank you...

 

[gcal]

If you are not trespassing on private property and are not in any posted or otherwise restricted or protected area and are cleaning up after yourself, what's the difference?

 

[ViaVacavi]

I also agree it should be shared. Unfortunately, you'll get those that don't agree. Oh well, you can't please everybody

 

[FALCON]

I think they should generally be shared, and I would think that if you're making posts or blogs or things like that on the internet, sharing the exact location will be useful for those who are also actually out camping. It will make your content better. Probably most readers of blogs are just daydreaming and aren't going to go there anyways.

Sometimes I may personally decide to just tell someone a general area rather than an exact camping spot. I think there is something rewarding about scouting out an area and finding what you think is the best site for you to use. It seems more fun to me than "Go down County rd 35, right on FSR 4738, 1.3 miles to the site on the right side of the road at GPS Coordinates XYZ." Then you're just following in someone else's footprints. I do at times ask people (generally on Instagram) for the GPS coordinates of a site. I'll capture those and if I do make it out to that area, I'll just use those coordinates to get me in the vicinity and will find an actual site myself (unless there was something really special about the site they were at and the others are not nearly as good)

 

[Txjaybird]

WHAT THOSE GUYS/GALS SAID      I don't have a problem with you sharing camp sites. 

 My niece made a comment recently that cracked me up.  It was about someone who did not agree with her,  "I told him if you're not part of my 3 F plan it's not your business".  Of course I had to ask...so 3 F plan is  feeding, financing, &  oh well I bet you can guess the other F word.  And I thought at my age I'd heard some thins' .

Personally if I am ever again financially and physically able to spend even a few months at a time "on the road" knowing in advance of sites in  the general area where I am heading to for boondocking sites or using  my federal Access pass for reduced camping rates will mean a lot to me. 

 I know there is a lot of info. on the internet, to me "been there and done thats'" by others sharing their experiences mean a lot more.

Being a female "of a certain age" I intend to not let my specific location be known unless I am with friends, family,  or others I think I can trust.  Even then I think it's important to stay aware of my surroundings and others not of my group who are near by.
                                                                          Texas Jbird

 

[blars]

The only spots I don't share publicly are where there is already overuse. (like many public hot springs) Authorities sometimes find it easier to close an area rather than manage it. I do share them, but only in a one-on-one context. (in person or email)

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

I hate generalities.  Some beautiful sites may be so ecologically sensitive that posting info leading to it's overuse could be, well, I'm not sure how to describe it.  Criminal?  Morally Wrong?  Bad Karma?  Well, you get my drift . . .

Otherwise, sure, go ahead and share the other sites.

 

[DannyB1954]

The people that matter, don't mind. The people that mind, don't matter.
No good deed goes unpunished.

I once talked to a lady who said it was futile to get your self esteem from others.
5% will like you for whatever reason, 5% will dislike you for whatever reason and 90% couldn't care less about you either way.
If you run into someone that likes you are you a good person that day? Next day a person that dislikes you, are you a bad person that day?

I would say do what you feel is good and just and don't worry about what other's opinion is. In the end you will be answering to your conscious, not theirs.

 

[WriterMs]

When I can hit the road again, I am for sure going to many of the spots Bob identifies for us in his blog travel posts. Same for some of RVSue's boondocks (she only posts specifics of where she is after she's left as in the past she has gotten too many visits from readers wanting to meet her).

I'm very grateful to all who share, because it is comforting to have some specifics for a travel route. And, hey, it has environmental benefits of saving some of us from burning excess gas trying to find legal and beautiful spots! LOL

By the way, I am impressed and touched by your websites, writing and photos.

 

[highdesertranger]

I on the other hand generally disagree. if someone wants to hang out with me then they will see my places if not then they won't. there are a few exceptions when I will tell someone. I have had a bad personal experience with telling people about a great place. I told a person, then they told someone else, well the third party went out there and trashed the place even graffitied the boulders. fortunately they got caught. however this eventually led to this area being shut down. so I am tainted, got a bad taste in my mouth. highdesertranger

 

[masterplumber]

I've had a similar experience as HDR, though not as dramatic. I just couldn't use "my" campsite as it was full. Still, I think sharing a quality area is good, as it inspires and provides a list of great places I might not otherwise know of. But I do think people maybe shouldn't post the exact GPS coordinates. In this day and age there as so many people that rely on technology to "bag" experiences, instead of actually having them. As another poster said, part of the experience is finding the best spot for you.
As far as safety, especially concerning to single women traveling, I know at least one blogger who waits until she moves on to another area to post a particular place.

 

[bullfrog]

I think the lesson to be learned here is that these special places need to be used without being ruined and all aspects considered when sharing locations make sure to include where trash can be taken, when or where waste can be dumped or buried, and if gray water or ground fires are allowed. General areas instead of GPS locations tend to spread the use and lead to better camps sometimes so camping area borders of larger areas keep your personal favorite site from being occupied, after all we all have different ideas about what makes a good camp site and mainly just want to know we can camp without being bothered.

 

[beemerchef]

I agree with that. Even myself while I always use a SPOT I make sure I turn it off or send an OK message a few miles before I arrive to where roughly we will set up camp. I have had some surprises. Not bad ones but "weird" to have someone pull right in front of you and call me by my first name only to find out they have been following us! Yet, later I will, yes, again roughly describe where we were. A space perfect in many ways for me might not be for others and as one reply wrote it takes the "adventure" and "searching spice" away from the experience. Quite often the photos says it all.

I appreciate your replies... Thanks.