jamawani 

Howdy -
I'm working on getting my journal & photos on line from this summer's bike tour and I couldn't help but notice that camping in national parks this year was often a hassle. I've done big tours every summer, so I thought back to other trips. Seems to be a pattern.
Here are my preferences for camping:
1. Random camping on national forest land
2. Random camping on BLM land
3. Backcountry camping in national parks
4. State parks with hiker/biker sites
5. National forest campgrounds
6. National park campgrounds
7. State park campgrounds
8. Private campgrounds
(Generally I don't stealth camp - there is always plenty of public land)
I'm aware that we all do things differently, but when I cycle I don't want to have a fixed schedule with reservations. Might as well just stay in the office. Oregon, California, and Washington have the best hiker/biker programs - although California is cutting back with budget issues. The national parks usually don't have hiker/biker sites - even though the park service is always moaning and groaning about too many cars. When they do, they are often in a nasty spot - like by the dumpsters. If you are biking into a park there's always the worry you won't find a campsite.
The nice thing about national forests is that you can head down a dirt road and find a perfect spot. The biggest difference between national forests and the BLM is that you have water and trees in the former and arid land in the latter. The water is nice, but with either you don't have to have a fixed itinerary and can ride without worrying.
As for campgrounds - I don't have to have a picnic table - a tree or rock to lean the bike against will work fine. Campgrounds today are a case in point about Americans' level of consumption. RVs just keep getting bigger and bigger. Radios blaring, drinking and partying. I like the peace and quiet which you sure won't find in a campground.
Yes, the national parks are spectacular, but it seems that nearby public lands are just nicer for bike touring.

mtnroads

Great pic, and great topic. I'm with you completely on your ranking, except I prefer State Park campgrounds over National Park campgrounds - mainly due to the excessive crowds, amenities and price to camp in NP. I think Oregon State Parks are awesome (have you tried a yurt?), and many of Calif State Parks aren't bad either, especially the first-come first-served and biker-hiker. I do not care for the reservation system, although I understand the need. Even here in Cali, once you're out of the summer season it's usually not hard to find a spot at night in most areas, at least in Northern Calif.

The RV thing is distressing, sometimes they fill a valid need or desire but the concept and execution has grown beyond any possible rationale. I had a Volkswagen Westfalia once, and really enjoyed it - drove it all the way to Denali and the Arctic Circle with my g/f and chocolate lab one summer. It was an awesome trip. Then a couple of years ago I got to live and work out of a vintage Airstream for six months up in the Northwest, something I had always wanted to do. It was interesting for awhile, but eventually validated for me most of the stereotypes I associated with the RV lifestyle - the excessive size, consumption, preoccupation with gadgets, noise level, maintenance hassles, and isolation from the very environment you seek to enjoy.

Bikepacker67

And us poor slobs in the East have shytty hiker/biker programs - hence I thrive on Stealth Camping.

jharte

I'm with Bikepacker67. I usually travel solo and stealth camping is my choice. However, about every few days, a shower sure sounds good! Baby wipes only go so far!

Per Kuhlwein

Hi Jamawani,

You mention 8 different levels of camping in US. Can I ask you, when Iīm coming over from Europe with a Camping Card International covering the organisations: AIT, FICC and FIA. Are your 8 different campgrounds included? and do they give a discount to holders of the card?

How is it organized in US and how do I find out something about the price level?

jamawani 

Per -

I'm afraid you have no experience with remote camping - being from Europe. I've camped in Europe and in the West and you really can't use the same word because they are so different. Camping in Europe is like being with a Gypsy caravan - people all packed in, cars, camper vehicles, kids, pets. Camping in the backcountry is just you, your tent, and nature. There are no picnic tables, no showers, no toilets, not even outhouses if you camp randomly. Private campgrounds may take the card you are talking about, but none of the public agencies do.

There are four main public land agencies in the West - the National Park Service, the National Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and lands managed by the various states. On public lands maps the sections are almost always colored purple or brown (NPS), green (NFS), yellow or tan (BLM) and blue (State). National Parks usually do not allow random camping. Camping in designated campgrounds costs between $12 and $17 per night. A few parks have hiker/biker campsites which run about $5. On NFS and BLM lands you can random camp for free anywhere - unless otherwise restricted - if you are more than 1 mile from developed campgrounds. Developed campgrounds usually cost between $8 and $12. State Parks usually hav camping at the $10 to $15 range. California, Oregon, and Washington have hiker/biker programs with $5 campsites. Other state lands have more restrictions and are usually leased to ranchers for grazing. Most states (but not all) allow random camping if you have a permit - but these have to be bought in sporting stores in nearby towns and can cost anywhere from $5 to $20. If you are invisible and don't have a fire, you can usually stealth camp.

(Two other agencies should be mentioned - the Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation have built dams all over the West. Most of the time, local, state, or federal land agencies operate the campgrounds. There places tend to be busy with motor-boaters in the summer - plus the reservoirs have flooded the valley - which means lots of up and down riding to get to the campground. Thus, I tend to avoid them.)

For water you either fill up somewhere beforehand or get it out of the creek - most people use a filtration system - I don't all the time. To cook you use your camp stove. I would be very, very careful about fires in the West. If there is already a fire ring nearby, use it. Unfortunately, hunters and other backcountry users have made fires all over the place and they leave fire rings everywhere. Use only dry, down wood, And keep the fire as small as possible. And like all the other animals (humans are, after all, animals - - lest we forget) you just pee and **** in the woods. For the latter, dig a cathole 6 inches deep. Some people bury the paper. If the fire danger isn't too bad, take along some matches and your water bottle. After doing your business, toss the paper in the cathole, burn it, and have the water bottle ready just in case.

There are many websites on "No Trace" camping. I'd suggest you look them over.
https://www.lnt.org/programs/lnt7/index.html

If you gain familiarity with these camping practices, you will have add greatly to your tour. I would strongly suggest planning to remote camp. In fact, you will probably have to do so in the Yukon and Alaska.

Best - J
Best - J

Per Kuhlwein

Jamawani,

OK - itīs definitely different to the European system. Thank you for great information. Iīm a little surprised but anyway itīs good to be prepared to avoid disappointments. I will follow your suggestion and look for more about the subject on the net.

Regards
Per

valygrl

John, you are a wealth of great information. Would you write something about how to select wild camping sites, and what you do to plan/prepare for using them? What kind of resources (maps, guidebooks) do you use? How do you deal with a waterless camp?

I have been hesitant to camp that way because I really like to have a water source and, being female and most often solo, I am concerned with safety issues.

Thanks, and welcome back from your tour.

Anna

P.S. I guess my camping preferences are:
Free camping by a river (BLM, National Forest) but only if it feels really safe (people)
NFS Campgrounds
National Park / State Park campgrounds
RV Parks

I usually do a more developed campground (RV park or the like) every two or three days, for the shower.

MLoferski

I'm kind of jelous, valygrl. For years I've wanted to do a bike-camp thing but I can't get anyone to go with me and I don't want to go alone. I used to have a group of friends that rode every week but one by one they fell off and stopped riding. Does'nt it bother you to have to camp alone? or Do you get use to it? I have to ride alone and it bothers me every time. I love riding too much to stop.

Camel

I haven't had trouble "free" or "stealth" camping in the European countries I've toured in. Obviously it will depend upon how densely populated the particular area is, and how ingenious, versus picky one is. Similar to the US, you can usually find spots outside of cities, depending upon how far the "urban sprawl" is.

I've also lucked out with the pay campgrounds I've stayed at in Europe. I've had equal or more space compared with a US campground. The ones I stayed at were less "***** tonkish"-quieter/less rowdy/more family oriented. Prices ranged wildly depending upon the country, and how touristy the area in general was.

valygrl

MLoferski,

I hesitated about soloing for a long time, but my desire to tour over-rode my aprehensions, and I am glad I tried it. I actually don't mind riding alone at all. The benefits are that you pick your own pace, stop when/where you want, pick your own routes... and most of all, it is much easier to meet people if you are solo. Everyone wants to talk to you, and ask you the same set of questions (this gets old). Camping alone can sometimes be a drag, I just make sure I'm carrying a good book. If you are even a little friendly, though, you can meet as many people as you want. There are plenty of people to talk to. For me, the hard part is that every interaction is a first meeting, you rarely get to have a deeper level of conversation with anyone. And, since you are doing something so unusual, people want to hear about it, so I end up talking about myself too much, and boring myself.

I like touring by myself better than touring with someone I don't get along with.

New Zealand was particularly wonderful for meeting people - the way the camping is set up there, you always have folks from all over the world to hang out with. You can even meet other cycle tourists.

It's worth trying... you might find that it's not what you expect.

coconut in IA

This may sounds like a retarted question and I probaly do it all the time, but explain stealth camping.

Camel

Stealth camping is finding a spot and camping without being seen.

I sometimes find the hardest part is not finding the spot, rather not being seen leaving a roadway can be tricky at times. By not being seen leaving the roadway, and then setting up out of sight, there are near zero worries of being "bothered" by curious folks. I personally find not being seen leaving the roadway critical when solo camping (unless at a public/pay campground)-from a personal safety point of view. Then, leave no trace.

For more social interaction, facilities and cost savings, a combination of "free" or "stealth" camping, camping at public and/or commercial campgrounds and hostel stays is handy on tour.

"Free" camping is also handy when other accomidations aren't available at the time. For example, if you misjudge riding time due to headwinds, climbs or mechanical failure. You wouldn't have to push on late into the evening to find a place to stay. I find riding too long, or too hard one day, can make the next several rather difficult.