Originally Posted by
SweetLou
Stealth camping is not trespassing. Trespassing is trespassing. I don't know of any state that doesn't allow you to camp on unimproved private property unless there is a sign stating so or if the owner or agent tells you that you are not allowed. Many state and federal parks allow you to camp, some have restrictions of where in the park you are allowed and for how long, but you can camp. Stealth camping just means you try to be hidden, not trespassing.
"Stealth camping" - Found this in the dictionary, did you? I think the term may mean different things to different people. To me the word stealth implies that you are doing something for which stealth is advisable, such as trespassing. I guess to some people it also means keeping a low profile so you won't be hassled by the type of person who might hassle an innocent camper for no reason.
In any event, I don't like trespassing. I don't think it's the right thing to do, and then there are all those possibilities that cyccommute listed. I did it a few times when I was younger and poor, and avoiding paying camping fees was a big deal. I felt guilty doing it. I got rousted out of bed a couple of times and it wasn't fun.
I do like camping in random places that aren't campgrounds - like just about anywhere in national forests - as long as I feel like I'm not trespassing. It's free, and there are no noisy neighbors. It's more of a "wilderness experience." On the down side, there's usually no reliable water source, so I either have to have a filter and a river, stream, or lake, or bring lots of water with me and use it carefully; there's no table, and no bathrooms (certainly no shower.)