Originally Posted by
indyfabz
I stealth camped/trespassed once. Last year. Private nature center maybe 10 miles from my house. Wanted to get out of the city to try view a meteor shower in the middle of the night. I didn't care for the experience. I didn't like sneaking around and having to rush out early the next day to avoid the possibility of being discovered. The only thing redeeming about it was that shortly after I pitched my tent, a nearby fox started screaming.
FWIW, the game changer for stealth camping for me was the ability to carry my entire rig comfortably... like a 1/4 mile. Single quick release pannier with backpack straps, and bike across the top of my shoulders like carrying 2 water buckets with a pole. Then hike a trail 100-200 yards in, and then bushwhack off trail another 100 yards until out of sight of the trail. Climbing to higher ground can shorten the overall hike, but it's also nice to get far away from road noise. Doesn't even feel like sneaking around - public land that I'm allowed to be in... (well, at least until dark.... shhhh).
The farther you go in and further off trail, the lower the chance of detection, the less you worry, and the better the wilderness experience. You can go in early, sleep/leave late, and enjoy a near backpacking-quality wilderness experience with complete privacy/solitude. I actually love this aspect of it - civilized sightseeing, food, and people by day; followed by my favorite part of backpacking by night.
Tough to do with fully-loaded traditional rigs though...