How do you pick a camping site?

[James.]

I know many of you are seasoned veterans and have favorite sites that you like to go to. Unfortunately I don't have that well of knowledge to dip from so I am trying to find some good spots. Developed camp sites seem to be easy enough. Just pull up the web site and look at the pictures and read the reviews. But for dispersed/wilderness camping how do you go about finding new places to camp?

[Irate Mormon]

Re: How do you pick a camping site?

Well, here in Mississippi there are only a couple of hiking trails, and the places you have to hike to are never occupied. So...

National forests are good - if you're a car camper (which I am mostly) you can usually drive around until you find something good. WMA's have maps with hunter's camps on them, which are often devoid of campers.

[ppine]

Re: How do you pick a camping site?

James,
There is no substitute for getting in the truck and getting out there and looking around. For wilderness areas, start walking. You will know it when you see it. Young people used to electronic inputs seem to get lost when they can't look at reviews, campground maps, and pictures of sites. Selecting a place to camp is an art. You need to practice it.

The best camp sites are remote, provide protection and a view. Water is often not too far away. I like a level place to camp and sleep. Some firewood is useful. In insect country a breeze helps. Some people are decisive when they select a site. Others take an hour to decide. You can see these people in a USFS campground going around the loops 5 times before they make a decision. There is no perfect place.

Except for maybe the large meadows we found once in the Absaroka Range of Wyoming 30 miles from the nearest dirt road. Giant meadows on the edge of a forest with views of snow covered mountains in all directions. No one else had been there in many years. That took a string of horses.

[MacGyver]

Re: How do you pick a camping site?

A lot of the decision depends on what kind of camping you want to do. So, rather than throwing out a long list to cover everything, I'll just add one thing that covers all of them - Before you settle on a spot, look up. You don't want parts of trees falling down on you. Dead or dying branches and a bit of wind can lead to some serious trouble.

[Mike]

Re: How do you pick a camping site?

Wow, cool advice, PPine.

[Mike]

Re: How do you pick a camping site?

Some spots that are thickly covered in tall grass can be made use-able by cutting some of the grass down with a sickle. For backpacking, you can bring an Asian hand sickle or just bring the blade of a sickle and cut a handle at camp from a branch.

[05Kingquad700]

Re: How do you pick a camping site?

Before you hope into your truck and go out, do a little research first. I assume since you are in Mesa, you will probably want to go to the Tonto NF. Your first stop would be the National Forest office, there in Mesa. Seems in some places you have to have a free permit to camp. While you are there, see what maps they have. You definitely need one of that area. A MVUM (Motor Vehicle Use Map) would be ideal, if not the USFS map issued for that area would suffice. I also like the national geographic topo maps. Regardless, you need a map of the area. The next thing is like MacGyver pointed out, figure out what you want in a campsite. Once you have a map and list of features, then take to the internet. Get onto the local county assessor website. Hopefully they have an online mapping system. Open goggle earth in one browser, assessor in another. Then cross reference the area of interest on your maps with goggle and the assessor website to make sure the land is public land and you are not trespassing.

Basically, I was looking for a large field, or near water. I went online and searched all the areas that looked to have a large field or near water. I found a couple of areas that fit the bill. I loaded those GPS coordinates and then I went out and looked at those areas. I think only one was a waste of time. I found like 4 other prime locations. I doubt people will tell you their "secret spots" you will have to find them yourself.

Let me know if you need more help, I have family down in Mesa who camp. Keep us posted on your hunt.

[ppine]

Re: How do you pick a camping site?

kingquad,
I agree about maps. That is how you can narrow your search before you get there. USFS maps are fine for car camping and driving thru new country. For backpacking, it is best to have USGS quads in either 7 1/2 or 15 minute series, depending on what is available.

A map and a compass are your best friends when you are out there. Map reading is a hobby of many river runners, elk hunters, and serious backpackers. It is one of the ways they spend time espeicially in the winter.

[James.]

Re: How do you pick a camping site?

James,
There is no substitute for getting in the truck and getting out there and looking around. For wilderness areas, start walking. You will know it when you see it. Young people used to electronic inputs seem to get lost when they can't look at reviews, campground maps, and pictures of sites. Selecting a place to camp is an art. You need to practice it.

The best camp sites are remote, provide protection and a view. Water is often not too far away. I like a level place to camp and sleep. Some firewood is useful. In insect country a breeze helps. Some people are decisive when they select a site. Others take an hour to decide. You can see these people in a USFS campground going around the loops 5 times before they make a decision. There is no perfect place.

Except for maybe the large meadows we found once in the Absaroka Range of Wyoming 30 miles from the nearest dirt road. Giant meadows on the edge of a forest with views of snow covered mountains in all directions. No one else had been there in many years. That took a string of horses.

That is what I figured but Arizona is a big state with lots of land. Looking online at maps helps to narrow things down. Good idea of things to look for. I know I want to be near water and in trees but oddly I had never considered a view. Something to look at and appreciate when you get up in the morning.

Well, here in Mississippi there are only a couple of hiking trails, and the places you have to hike to are never occupied. So...

National forests are good - if you're a car camper (which I am mostly) you can usually drive around until you find something good. WMA's have maps with hunter's camps on them, which are often devoid of campers.

What are WMA's

A lot of the decision depends on what kind of camping you want to do. So, rather than throwing out a long list to cover everything, I'll just add one thing that covers all of them - Before you settle on a spot, look up. You don't want parts of trees falling down on you. Dead or dying branches and a bit of wind can lead to some serious trouble.

Good advice

Before you hope into your truck and go out, do a little research first. I assume since you are in Mesa, you will probably want to go to the Tonto NF. Your first stop would be the National Forest office, there in Mesa. Seems in some places you have to have a free permit to camp. While you are there, see what maps they have. You definitely need one of that area. A MVUM (Motor Vehicle Use Map) would be ideal, if not the USFS map issued for that area would suffice. I also like the national geographic topo maps. Regardless, you need a map of the area. The next thing is like MacGyver pointed out, figure out what you want in a campsite. Once you have a map and list of features, then take to the internet. Get onto the local county assessor website. Hopefully they have an online mapping system. Open goggle earth in one browser, assessor in another. Then cross reference the area of interest on your maps with goggle and the assessor website to make sure the land is public land and you are not trespassing.

Basically, I was looking for a large field, or near water. I went online and searched all the areas that looked to have a large field or near water. I found a couple of areas that fit the bill. I loaded those GPS coordinates and then I went out and looked at those areas. I think only one was a waste of time. I found like 4 other prime locations. I doubt people will tell you their "secret spots" you will have to find them yourself.

Let me know if you need more help, I have family down in Mesa who camp. Keep us posted on your hunt.

I was actually looking at Apache Sitgreaves and Coronodo forests. I went to the Mesa Ranger Station the other day for some general information and maps....unfortunately they were out of maps....I just looked up the MVUM and they are fantastic...but unfortunately they do not have them for those two forests yet.

Basically I figure that the next time I go camping I will pick a general area and have a few potential sites that I have 'scouted' from home. And of course keep my eyes open for anything that might pop up.

I am shooting for 2 weeks from now.

[James.]

Re: How do you pick a camping site?

Are there any pros or cons to camping close to a river or stream? And I am talking about being within 100' or so.

[05Kingquad700]

Re: How do you pick a camping site?

To me water is peaceful. Plus I have quit taking water with me, I use a filter and use the lake water. I don't have to be around water, I just like it more.

[Mike]

Re: How do you pick a camping site?

To me water is peaceful. Plus I have quit taking water with me, I use a filter and use the lake water. I don't have to be around water, I just like it more.

AGREED! Camping without a nearby water source is a drag - most especially if you are backpacking.

Even for car camping, camping without an at-hand lake or river is a compromise. I used to camp on the hot dusty grasslands of Oklahoma as a kid. There was no water available for miles.

We didn't have a choice and we didn't know better. After moving to places where clean clear water is abundant, I would never want to camp in a place like that again.

[Irate Mormon]

Re: How do you pick a camping site?

Are there any pros or cons to camping close to a river or stream? And I am talking about being within 100' or so.

Well. One of my hobbies, in fact the one that drives most of my camping, is collecting native fishes. For aquariums and such. (For more info, visit www.nanfa.org or forum.nanfa.org) Therefore, I ALWAYS prefer a campsite near or on the water, which is typically where I am when I choose to call it a day. Sandbars work for me :-) The nice thing about car camping is that you can easily carry a guitar with you. The nice thing about dispersed camping is that nobody has to hear you playing said guitar :-)

[actad]

Re: How do you pick a camping site?

I am lucky to be near Ohio. It has a lot of dispersed camping (they refer to it as primitive camping) in Wayne National Forest as well as camping in the standard campgrounds http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_...rdb5068388.pdf

Also, AEP reclaimed strip mine lands http://www.aep.com/environment/conse...ctivities.aspx

and Woodbury Wildlife Area http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Portals/9/pdf/pub043.pdf

have primitive camping.

We can get to cell phone service near or at all these places - would love to get away from it all, but the reality is that we need to be in cell phone contact at least part of the day for job and health issue reasons. Once we determine that, fishing spots come second on the list, and kick scooting spots come third.

[farout]

Re: How do you pick a camping site?

We like to camp in the Missouri State trout camping parks. we have been to two parks and camped at both. Now we first go on line and check out the reserved sites, then view each site where we know is a good area and see it it's been reserved, if so, we check out the pictures on the no reservable sites and call the park as ask if it's pretty full or not. This has saved us three trips that we would have to turn back or finda different camp grounds outside the state ones. The State ones are clean have limits on noise after 10 pm and its well monotored. The best thing is the fishing! We have also gone just to fish as one park is 75 miles a short ride away too.