- Catatron Prime
- Aug 23, 2010
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IT ME
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Toilet Rascal
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Just get back from a great trip and want to tell others about it? Looking for recommendations of great places to go in your state or surrounding area? Post your favorite multi-day trips here! Bonus points if you were able to snag a picture! OP will be updated with a state by state location list of favorite destinations. If you’re looking to find out more info, All Trails is a great resource to find hikes and mileages within your comfort zone.
Verman put together a great writeup on how to find new places to visit, please find it pasted below.
 Backpacking:
Arizona:
- Grand Canyon National Park
Colorado:
Kentucky:
- Red River Gorge - Natural arches like what you'd see in Utah, tons of trails, great views from the canyon
Ohio:
- Archers Fork
- Zaleski State Park
- Wildcat Hollow
- Mohican State Park
Pennsylvania:
- Bear Run Nature Preserve - Adjacent to Ohiopyle & FLW’s Falling Water
Tennessee:
- Cumberland Gap National Historical Park-Honestly surprised me with what a great location it was. Backpacked White Rocks area- spectacular views, sand cave was awesome
Utah:
Virginia:
- Grayson Highlands - Easily accessible trails and spectacular views, wild ponies, & Mt. Roger is the highest point in Virginia
- Three Ridges Wilderness
Considered one of the more difficult sections of the AT, but has spectacular views
West Virginia:
- Dolly Sods in Monangahela National Forest - Dolly Sods stands out to me because every couple of hundred feet is a completely different biome, from deciduous forest, bald mountains like you'd see out west, pine forest, swamp, just a really cool place. Basically it was clear cut way back when, but the weather is so extreme the trees never fully grew back and the ones that did are pretty stunted. Also used to be an artillery testing range, so watch out for unexploded ordinance and don't go too far off trail.
Car Camping
Ohio:
- Kelleys Island State Park
Kayak Camping
Florida:
Minnesota:
Michigan:
- Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
North Carolina:
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Updated July 2020
Catatron Prime fucked around with this message at 23:04 on Jul 23, 2020
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Apr 24, 2017 20:42
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Apr 28, 2024 10:44
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- Catatron Prime
- Aug 23, 2010
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IT ME
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Toilet Rascal
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Honestly out here in Washington, I usually go up to the mountains probably weekly. Sometimes my buddies and I just go to explore forest roads in a given area to get a feel for it and find cool places for the future.
You can usually see pull off spots where people have called before. Sometimes there isn't a pull in so you have to park in the side of the road. I get a little weary if I see too many shell casings meaning it's a place that gets frequent traffic especially by shooters, or something that's significantly improved because maybe it's private property but those are almost always signed or gated.
My ideal car camping is all about solitude. I want to be with my friends and that's it. No RV or generator noise. No rowdy college kids unless we brought them. If it means driving an extra hour, I'll do it. I will enjoy my trip significantly more.
Having a vehicle with high clearance and/or four wheel drive will open more things up to you and prevent 50% of everybody else from getting there.
When I look for new camping sites I have a few things I consider.
- proximity to town, the closer to town, the more likely it's a popular spot that might be taken when you want to use it. If it's easy to find and close to town, it probably gets used a lot
- proximity to trailheads and recreation areas like national parks etc, national parks are backcountry cities that attract large populations. Those people spread out and the surrounding areas get crowded. Lesser touristy places like state forests, national forests, wilderness areas, blm land are usually less densely populated than national parks and fun to explore. If you're near a popular trailhead, people might camp nearby before, during or after their trip.
- proximity to water, everybody wants a picturesque lake/riverside camp site that they can drive right up to. There's not a lot of those available. Water is fun so people tend to flock to it. Hiking even just a few hundred feet into a site can get you a lot of solitude that people don't want to work for. Humans are incredibly lazy and want to back up their vehicle right to the camp fire if at all possible.
- ease of getting there, the more difficult it is to get there (rough roads, likelihood of obstacles, long distance on dirt roads, complexity of directions) the less likely someone will be out there. If I have to put my 4 runner in 4wd, hop a downed tree, remove a fallen tree, or straddle a deep washout ... Those are all good signs for me. I keep an axe, recovery gear, shovel, tire chains etc in my vehicle at all times. This can easily cross into overlanding
- getting off the beaten trail, even in the woods, a certain forest road might be the Backcountry equivalent of the highway because it's the only road that loops back to the highway or to another point of interest. Look for some pull offs to see where they go. You can usually find good camping at dead ends in logging roads. Gps and a map are always a good idea. Forest roads can be a labyrinth and it's easy to get lost.
-views/scenery, if some place is attractive to you because of the scenery/surroundings, it's probably attracting others too. Rather than trying to camp near a popular overlook or natural feature, maybe look further out.
- if you've found a good spot, take a look around before setting up camp. Shotgun shells, broken glass or bullet casings? Trash? Dirtbike/quad/orv tracks running right through where you're thinking? Is there an existing fire pit? Hanging deadfall overhead from trees? A flat spot that looks ideal for a tent?
Always pay attention to the area you're in and carry the appropriate passes. In Washington, a discover pass ($30) covers state land and the America the beautiful ($80) covers federal land & national parks. I've never been anywhere that either of those passes don't cover. $130/year seems pricey but considering how much it gets used and how much it costs to get into a national park, they pay for themselves.
Most of the best dispersed car camping I've done hasn't been by recommendation of a book or website, but from exploring first hand. If I come across an interesting spot, I mark it on a Google map for future use. I describe the spot and save it. "Big site, multiple cars, existing fire pit, good views, very rough road, no water"
Also this is huge. Check gates for signage before driving through them. If you drive through a gate, it can get closed and locked behind you and there may not be a way out. They might have a sign on them, and if the gate is open the sign might be in the trees. Even if there's a number to call, chances are you won't have cell reception. Your only option of not spending the night in your car is driving for an unknown amount of time in the opposite direction hoping it leads out somewhere which it may not. Ask me how I know.
Once you've found a spot, enjoy it. Be respectful of the area and for the love of God clean up when you leave. Even if that's not your American flag Budweiser can, pick it up anyway. My goal is to always make the area better than when I left. Improve the fire pit if needed. Look for no trespassing signs. Check your app if you have it
If rangers or DNR contact you, be honest and respectful. They're usually just trying to stop people from being idiots by shooting off fireworks in dry conditions, poaching or shooting across roads etc. If they ask you to move or tell you that you're somewhere you shouldn't be, kindly pack up and move. The more you protest the less they'll try to help you. Most DNR/rangers I've encountered have been super cool and like talking with people who also love the outdoors once they establish you're not a child rapist poacher meth lab.
If someone else approaches you and tells you to leave, that is a more difficult decision. If you're not on their property, know you're good, and they aren't law enforcement, you should be fine but it may not be worth staying if this person is going to continue being a problem or they make you uncomfortable.
Wow, that turned into an effort post quickly. Hope that helps.
Catatron Prime fucked around with this message at 18:46 on Jul 23, 2020
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Apr 24, 2017 21:10
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Apr 24, 2017 20:42
