To Share or Not to Share (Dispersed Camping)

[Kyle & Kari Frink]

Here is an example from our experience related to this topic before posing the actual questions.

If you are not one for reading please just skip to the Underlined Questions.​

When we lived in state of Washington, we had found an absolutely epic dispersed campsite on a Plateau just a 10 minute walk from Sore Thumb Mountain in the Olympic National Forest. This Plateau had no name on any map that we could find, so I dubbed it Freedom Plateau. Before we had decided to camp there we had been exploring, and found this particular camp site during the day a couple weeks before.

It is pretty isolated from the main road, and takes close to a good hour to get there doing decent speeds on a fairly maintained forest service road. This plateau was at about 3,600 ft. in elevation, and had an incredible view of the Pacific ocean off in the distance to the west. To the east is the Olympic Mountain Range with Mount Olympus in view. The view is utterly breathtaking!

So in the following weeks a bunch of us decided to head up there, and make a weekend of it. From where we lived at the time it takes about 2 and half hours to reach the service road. Then another hour to get to the campsite. Things had not gone according to plan, so by the time we reached the campsite the sun had just set with some light still in the sky.

We finally reached Freedom Plateau!

Low and behold (this happens fairly often depending on when and where you are camping, so get to your campsite early! lol) someone was there camping out, no big deal right?

This particular plateau can easily fit 5 vehicles with plenty of area for tents and a fire pit. The guy comes out of his truckbed camper and asks "Can I help you all?" We say "yes!" and we ask him "Would it be cool for us to camp along with you?" Then we explained our situation as depicted above, to say the least he is not happy with us being there and made it clear he did not approve of our presence. He then asked us to leave.

Just to be respectful, and to not cause issues we departed. We knew that just at the base of Sore Thumb Mountain down the road not far away was another area to camp. Not as great as a view but still camping none the less, we camped there till he left the following morning. Soon as he left we moved camp to the plateau, and enjoyed the spoils of the newly found epic campsite!

SO!!……. lol

With all that being said and if you've made it this far, here are the questions:

1. 
   
   
   • If you are the person that has already set up camp (Primitive/Dispersed Camping), and along comes a similar situation as described above; Do you turn the person away or invite them to stay?

Here are a couple thoughts that we have had ourselves about this question.

To start off with, in most states if you have the proper pass for either a national park/forest and/or a state park/forest. You can go "Primitive/Dispersed camping" entirely for free! Most people either do not know or realize this.
So with that being said does someone really have the right to tell you that you can't be there to begin with?

To be honest, we believe you do. However (some may disagree with this, which is fine because we want everyone to share their opinion on this matter) only if you believe that you feel threatened/uncomfortable/not safe with the other party camping with you for whatever reason. But this reason should be a legitimate one, and not solely because you want to be there by yourself.
If that is the case! Just simply ask them to camp far enough away to give you some privacy. Most people will oblige, hopefully lol.

Also to add: YOU are on land that everyone has a right to, if and only if they are utilizing the proper channels i.e. a pass or a permit. Which you should have to primitive/disperse camp in these parks/forests.

You can usually feel someone out (what they are up to/their character/moral fiber) by just having a simple conversation with them. Then from there you can probably make an assumption (you know what they say about assumptions lol) about whether or not they could be a danger/threat to you or your family.

So please share your thoughts, and What you would do!?​

 

[john casson]

I would get a read on the person/people. If they seem like good folks why not. If not i would tell them I'm saving room for my friends or let them know my 2 60 pound dogs are not friendly.

Sent from my SM-G930T using OB Talk mobile app

 

[Steve]

Tough call. You didn't day how many, but you did say "a bunch of us." If It were me camped at this epic site with my family, and a bunch of vehicles came in to spoil my solitude. I'd be irked. I don't think I could tell them to leave, but if they asked if it would be okay, I'd say that I prefer they not stay.

By the way, for you and others who change the default text color, note that several of use use alternate forum themes. For me, your light green text and white text completely disappear using the forum's default white background theme. Please keep that in mind when choosing text colors. Thanks!

 

[Kyle & Kari Frink]

Tough call. You didn't day how many, but you did say "a bunch of us." If It were me camped at this epic site with my family, and a bunch of vehicles came in to spoil my solitude. I'd be irked. I don't think I could tell them to leave, but if they asked if it would be okay, I'd say that I prefer they not stay.

By the way, for you and others who change the default text color, note that several of use use alternate forum themes. For me, your light green text and white text completely disappear using the forum's default white background theme. Please keep that in mind when choosing text colors. Thanks!

@Steve

Thanks! Did not know that, I will change the coloring to make sure everyone can see it, and by a bunch of us I meant 3 vehicles total. Two of the rigs contained families of 4 each, and the 3rd rig was a couple that had just gotten married. It wasn't until the second day/night that another 2 vehicles showed up with their families.

We understood that we were "somewhat" intruding just thought it was worth a shot to ask. I wasn't going to not ask after having spent 3-4 hours just getting there, to include stops along the way.

 

[Kyle & Kari Frink]

@Steve

To add usually it is just my family and I out adventuring, and one other rig. The only reason there was so many of was because it was 4th of July weekend and wanted to be away from the hustle and bustle.​

 

[Kyle & Kari Frink]

@john casson

Thanks for the input! Another reason why I wished I had been able to take my German Shepherd with us. We have the wife's dog but she is a little dog lol, not scary.
I am in the military, and have moved a good bit so far in my career, and shipping a big dog like that everywhere just seems like undo stress on his life so we left him back home with my family.
To help remedy this, especially when we are way in the middle of nowhere I carry a firearm for just in case situations. Never know these days!

 

[john casson]

@john casson

Thanks for the input! Another reason why I wished I had been able to take my German Shepherd with us. We have the wife's dog but she is a little dog lol, not scary.
I am in the military, and have moved a good bit so far in my career, and shipping a big dog like that everywhere just seems like undo stress on his life so we left him back home with my family.
To help remedy this, especially when we are way in the middle of nowhere I carry a firearm for just in case situations. Never know these days!

I find my shepard/lab and my pit pull keep people at a distance.

Sent from my SM-G930T using OB Talk mobile app

 

[Ben Cleveland]

I've been on both sides of this coin. The first comer that had to deal with others cramming themselves into our space, and the second comer who was nicely invited to stay.

Honestly, I don't automatically trust people. I tend towards cynicism. Also, when my wife and I are out camping, the goal is solitude most often, not community. Not that community or new found friends are bad! They're great. We just camp primarily to get away a bit.

I grew up camping with Boy Scouts, I was taught from a very young age something called "campsite manners". Namely, you don't enter someone else's campsite or tent area without asking permission. Treat it the way you would someone's house. That's not about laws or land use rights. Its about respect.


My answer:
1) When camping, it is most respectful and kind to offer other campers respect for their site. If they ask you to leave or respect their solitude, then the correct response is politely agreeing. I would have done what you guys did and left when asked. However, especially in the position you laid out, I probably would have asked to stay like you did.
2) If I were the first comer, my inclination would be to ask someone showing up later to allow us private space. However, you get different vibes from different people. A bunch of college students with big bro trucks and beer coolers would DEFINITELY be asked to give us some increased space. A chill few people who looked like they're trying to do the same thing as us and seem to be respectful, sure, camp next to us!

 

[Kyle & Kari Frink]

I've been on both sides of this coin. The first comer that had to deal with others cramming themselves into our space, and the second comer who was nicely invited to stay.

Honestly, I don't automatically trust people. I tend towards cynicism. Also, when my wife and I are out camping, the goal is solitude most often, not community. Not that community or new found friends are bad! They're great. We just camp primarily to get away a bit.

I grew up camping with Boy Scouts, I was taught from a very young age something called "campsite manners". Namely, you don't enter someone else's campsite or tent area without asking permission. Treat it the way you would someone's house. That's not about laws or land use rights. Its about respect.


My answer:
1) When camping, it is most respectful and kind to offer other campers respect for their site. If they ask you to leave or respect their solitude, then the correct response is politely agreeing. I would have done what you guys did and left when asked. However, especially in the position you laid out, I probably would have asked to stay like you did.
2) If I were the first comer, my inclination would be to ask someone showing up later to allow us private space. However, you get different vibes from different people. A bunch of college students with big bro trucks and beer coolers would DEFINITELY be asked to give us some increased space. A chill few people who looked like they're trying to do the same thing as us and seem to be respectful, sure, camp next to us!

@f250ben

Hey! really appreciate your view and feed back, good stuff! I grew up in the a variation of boy scouts and have been "camping" my whole life so I totally get what your saying and agree.
Also to add lol my family and the families with us that night were and are not the college students with big bro trucks lol we all have little ones, we are laid back people and this guy was still not haven't it lol. He was treating us like "those college kids" which had made the whole situation slightly annoying but oh well, life isn't fair sometimes and anything of worth isn't easy lol.

 

[Billy "Poserlander" Badly]

It's definitely situational, but as a rule, if someone is already in a site (by "site" I mean a clearly defined dispersed camping spot), I'd leave them alone and I'd hope for the same. I wouldn't want to share my spot just because it's technically big enough to handle more than just my vehicle/family/friends.

It's like sitting down in an almost empty movie theater, directly next to the only other person in the place... Sure, you're allowed to do it, but why would you want to?

EDITED TO EXTEND THE METAPHOR: If the theater is full and the only seat left is next to me, sure, it's all yours, just try not to elbow me and/or spill your drink in my lap.

 

[Laud]

The movie theatre reference is GOLD.
I typically avoid an area that is occupied. If I happen to come into a site (secluded from my approach view) and then see it is occupied, I apologize and depart, and hope for the same.
Every scenario is different. This is why I always build options into my travels.

 

[Kyle & Kari Frink]

The movie theatre reference is GOLD.
I typically avoid an area that is occupied. If I happen to come into a site (secluded from my approach view) and then see it is occupied, I apologize and depart, and hope for the same.
Every scenario is different. This is why I always build options into my travels.

@Laud

This is true and good advice, have a back-up!
Which we did since we knew there was another campsite further down.

 

[Kyle & Kari Frink]

It's definitely situational, but as a rule, if someone is already in a site (by "site" I mean a clearly defined dispersed camping spot), I'd leave them alone and I'd hope for the same. I wouldn't want to share my spot just because it's technically big enough to handle more than just my vehicle/family/friends.

It's like sitting down in an almost empty movie theater, directly next to the only other person in the place... Sure, you're allowed to do it, but why would you want to?

EDITED TO EXTEND THE METAPHOR: If the theater is full and the only seat left is next to me, sure, it's all yours, just try not to elbow me and/or spill your drink in my lap.

@Billy "Poserlander" Badly

Definitely like the movie reference for sure.

 

[RedRob]

Great discussion! My first thought was that you shouldn’t have asked and this guy was a jerk. My second thought was that if I was this guy I’d be SOOOO ruined when someone else showed up. Case by case, I guess.

My brother- and sister-in-law got married at an overlook at sunrise on the solstice. They showed up pre-dawn, of course, and there was a guy camped there. They rousted him and told him to move on.

 

[Billy "Poserlander" Badly]

They showed up pre-dawn, of course, and there was a guy camped there. They rousted him and told him to move on.

Wait, what? They showed up there, guy was already camped in the spot they wanted, so they made him leave?? Am I missing something? That doesn't seem okay at all, "Solstice Wedding" or not...

 

[Kcharbs]

One big detail you didn't mention in your original post but addressed it later on, children. There are a lot of people out there that don't want to be camping around children. They're looking for peace and quiet. I'm assuming you came in with at least four children and then two more vehicles of family showed up later. For somebody that is camping by themselves or with one other person, that completely changes the entire atmosphere of the site. So that is a big consideration when you're trying to come into a spot that is already taken by somebody else. Happy camping everybody! Just keeping it real...

 

[JackA]

"Many people enjoy the solitude and primitive experience of camping away from developed campgrounds and other campers." This quote from a USDA Forest Service web-page (Deschutes) sums up the dispersed camping concept for me. If an area was large enough to allow 100 feet of separation with some visual obscuration I would probably not insist that another camper not set up. However, if I am in the area first, and there is no real separation available I think I would ask that another not set up. Exceptions are always a rule for me, so upon initial contact if the incoming camper seemed focused on the same idea of "primitive" "secluded" camping I might offer to share or even suggest that I camp alone today then move out to another place and let them in the next day.

 

[Tangofox]

Meh, I have always moved on if someone was already at the camp. We camp very quietly, no kids, and just hang out by our rig. That said, I don't want to impose on someone if they are camping there already. But sometimes it can be awfully hard when you drive around for a couple hours and can't find a site that you fit, or a site that isn't occupied.

On the flip side of that, I welcome anyone to camp with me, but it absolutely sucks when they arrive blaring music, or with people screaming, yelling the whole time. When I leave, feel free to go nuts yelling.

 

[MOAK]

When we come upon folks at a campsite, we wave politely and move on. I respect their privacy and we expect the same respect from others. 10 years ago we did the white rim trail. We saw the same fellow a couple of times, waved at one another politely and moved on. At the top of the switchbacks we stopped to air up. This fellow was there and then we struck up a conversation. After a half hour it was time to part ways, but each of us expressed our thanks for mutually respecting one another’s privacy while in the backcountry. We’ve had visitors on several occasions, they have all very politely stopped at the camp perimeter, said hello, and we’ve always invited them in for a drink and a visit, but not to camp with us. That’s how friends are made. Mutual respect

 

[Downs]

I wouldn't have even bothered the guy. Personally I get out there to get away from folks. I would have pulled in noticed he was there already and pushed on, especially if I knew there were other sites in the area.