Do you follow the first rule of Fight Club?

[James.]

I have a question for you all. Please be honest...Are you hesitant to give up your favorite camping locations?

I can tell you honestly that I am. While I talk without thinking I don't like to tell people of my favorite places because I want to keep them to myself. I go camping to get away from everyone and worry that if I tell 2 people and they tell 2 people and they each tell 2 people....you get the idea. There are some pretty cool places here in Arizona that I just won't go because of the crowds.

That being said I usually can't wait to tell people about my camping trips.....but I have hesitated putting locations online where everybody can see it.

[05Kingquad700]

Re: Do you follow the first rule of Fight Club?

Yeah, we usually give them a mountain town about 20 minutes away. When you think of the Rocky Mountains, you think of wilderness. When in fact, it's pretty freaking busy. You pretty much have to go either to the Wyoming border or the Western slope to get away from people. Plus you factor all the places still closed from the flood of 2013, there is not much solitude here.

[Malamute]

Re: Do you follow the first rule of Fight Club?

I have a question for you all. Please be honest...Are you hesitant to give up your favorite camping locations?

I can tell you honestly that I am. While I talk without thinking I don't like to tell people of my favorite places because I want to keep them to myself. I go camping to get away from everyone and worry that if I tell 2 people and they tell 2 people and they each tell 2 people....you get the idea. There are some pretty cool places here in Arizona that I just won't go because of the crowds.

That being said I usually can't wait to tell people about my camping trips.....but I have hesitated putting locations online where everybody can see it.

Hesitant to share locations, yes, definitely. In person yes, only vague generalities at times, online, I tend to not even mention which state or even mountain ranges I like best.


I also go to find solitude and quiet. If I go into some of my favorite places and anyone is there, I turn around and find somewhere else. I assume people go to the same sort of places for the same reasons. I think the last time I stayed at a developed campground was in about 2003. It was past the main season, so I stayed at a nice campground. There was one other person camping there at the time. I don't mind visiting some, but in general, I go for solitude, seclusion, and silence.

[toedtoes]

Re: Do you follow the first rule of Fight Club?

I stay at developed campgrounds, but am very hesitant to share them. I share with a very select few who I know value the same qualities that I value. I don't post my favorite places online - just too chancy that someone I wouldn't want to camp near will see my recommendation and start camping there. Also, since a lot of my favorite campgrounds are only open during high season, I worry that if too many new folks start going, I won't be able to get in at all.

[bluestar99]

Re: Do you follow the first rule of Fight Club?

You guys surprise me. I guess I am different. I will share a favorite CG, recipe, photography place, whatever. I'm a Jeep guy. I will help share trail info, modifications to your rig, whatever . Think about it, how many times are you going/doing something because someone recommended it. If someone does not want to share the whole banana don't offer me half, it does no good. It also makes me suspect of their answer at all. I have never looked at camping and the great outdoors as competitive. While I appreciate your honesty in answering, it makes me wonder why you are here. Is it just to find helpful information without sharing what you know?

[toedtoes]

Re: Do you follow the first rule of Fight Club?

I'm sure you don't mean it that way, but that seems awful harsh. I think most people on this board are very giving of their expertise, knowledge, etc. Look at the threads about tents - there is so much helpful information being shared. Look at the macgyvering threads - people sharing their tricks and mods, etc.

But, this question is specifically about camping sites. And folks are responding a lot in terms of posting favorite sites on the internet.

I have my favorite campgrounds. Just today, I met up with a fellow clipper owner and we talked about some of our favorite campsites (boondock and developed). We share that info with each other happily. Why? Because we both know the other won't start camping at that campground with loud generators, drunken parties, etc. We know that if we both show up at the same place at the same time, that our own enjoyment won't be undermined by the other.

If I were to post my favorite places on the internet, I lose any sense of control. I post on other forums, and many of the folks there don't have the same love of the "undiluted" outdoors that folks here seem to have. If someone here were coming to Northern California to do some camping, I would happily pm them and offer suggestions. But I wouldn't just post it so anyone could google and find it.

Ask me what I've done to my clipper, what camera gear I shoot with, where I took that photo, etc., and I'll happily answer online. But I treasure my favorite campgrounds and want them to continue in their current form.

[toedtoes]

Re: Do you follow the first rule of Fight Club?

P.S. I rarely do anything or go anywhere on a recommendation. I ALWAYS do my own homework and research for myself. I find that by doing so, I am rarely if ever disappointed.

[bluestar99]

Re: Do you follow the first rule of Fight Club?

My comments were mostly aimed at camp grounds since that was the main question in the thread. My surprise was that people would not share the places they prefer to camp at. Tips, and equipment help does not interfere with someone encroaching on a private spot. Nothing to protect there. So nothing lost in sharing that info. It's sort of the same as saying, what are your favorite bars or restaurants. Would you share that info? I find it the same as a favorite camping spot. If you share then it gets busier and harder to get in when you want a table.
Most places are not undiscovered. We find them because someone shared them with us. Years ago, I went on a fly in fishing trip into Canada. We flew out of Winnapeg and flew north 45 minutes past the last roads. Landed on a gravel runway. The lodge was the only building on a huge lake. Each guy got a day at a fly in very remote lake. A 4 seat pontoon plane flies you in and drops you off. At the end of the day they come back and pick you up, weather permitting. The group the day before ours was not able to be picked up and spent the night in the woods. No gear at all. This place was so remote I could not imagine any man ever set foot there before. But during a hike to a fishing spot I came upon a an old camp fire with badly rusted cans left in it. So there are no secret places left, just those we have yet to discover. This can be done on our own or by the help of others.
If anyone wants a truly awesome Northern Canadian fishing experience the place is Molson Lake Lodge .

[05Kingquad700]

Re: Do you follow the first rule of Fight Club?

I will share campgrounds, but not my dispersed sites, and here is my deal. A few years ago, on July 4th, I was up at my favorite spot. There was one other group of campers up there, probably a quarter a mile away. So this idiot pulls up at 2am and starts setting up camp within 200' of me. There was over 10,000 acres to camp on, and he is within a couple of hundred feet of me. When they pulled in they came within 50' of my son's tent. I was super pissed, so I went over and had a chat. I told them there was over 10 other spots that were unoccupied, they could go to one of those. They replied that they thought they could just camp any where, since it was USFS land. I told them they could, but if they chose to camp right there, we were going to have issues. They got the point and moved.
If I know you, and we get along, I might invite you up to the spot. But if I don't know you, or you do something I don't approve of, I am not going to tell you my spot. I will tell you other locations, but not near my spots.

[Malamute]

Re: Do you follow the first rule of Fight Club?

You guys surprise me. I guess I am different. I will share a favorite CG, recipe, photography place, whatever.... I have never looked at camping and the great outdoors as competitive. While I appreciate your honesty in answering, it makes me wonder why you are here. Is it just to find helpful information without sharing what you know?

I've seen changes in places I've camped in and loved being at. More people, more garbage, more noise, some areas being closed because of it. Its part of the reason I moved from Az, it was getting harder and harder to find spots that didn't have people camping there already, and to find quiet spots. Where I am now, even though it is in fact a vast area, the really good camp spots are limited. There aren't many roads, nor really all that many really good camp sites for the size of the country. One site I've camped many times, I've left firewood there for 8 about years and nobody has touched it. I wonder if that would be the case if I shared that spot online?


If someone is travelling through an area I'm familiar with, I've often sent PM's and suggested places and areas, though rarely some of the very favorite spots, with the condition that they don't mention online where they got the info, or give details about where they were on open forums. If they have the time and adventurous spirit to find some of them, more power to them, I don't own them. I do, however somewhat jealously guard some of the things I've found the hard way, with time and effort, over years of time. I'm also very private about where I live, for several reasons. Posting info about locations narrows things down far more than one would realise.


YMMV, just my perspective.

[James.]

Re: Do you follow the first rule of Fight Club?

Thanks everyone for your honesty and feel like most people on here (I definitely do) mirror toedtoes' comment of pm'ing locations to regular members of this forum. Favorite sites are, in my opinion, something that is/are hard to find and therefore something to be protected. Dumping location out on the internet just seems wasteful and reckless.

[terasec]

Re: Do you follow the first rule of Fight Club?

If it comes up i have no oroblem sharing online or offline

Seen this topic come up on fishing forums but first i have seen on a camping forum and have to say am dissappointed
We all learn somehow
And dont come complaining when they close off access to your spot because your the only one using it

[Malamute]

Re: Do you follow the first rule of Fight Club?

...And dont come complaining when they close off access to your spot because your the only one using it

I find that far less likely than if I share favorite spots, there will be people in them when I want to use them. I found them the hard way. If others are there when I go, I go somewhere else, as do most around here.

It isnt just the people in the thread that may go. Once something is thrown out on the net, hundreds or even thousands could read it, and for years afterwards.

Remote spots being closed off from non-use is far less likely than spots being closed bcause of overuse and abuse. As I said before, I've seen a number of places ruined with parties, trash, loud music, people leaving human waste all over the area, old appliances dumped, trees spray painted, chopped on or shot up etc.

You are welcome to share your spots on open forums. I'm not going to.

[bluestar99]

Re: Do you follow the first rule of Fight Club?

It seems most people are one way or the other, no middle ground. This summer I will be going out to Wyoming with a small group of Jeep people who own Teardrop trailers. In doing research for the restoration I will be doing on my 1951 Trailer I found myself on the Air Stream forum. There is a thread about fishing and free camping places in Wyoming. There are 4 pages of conversation, with very specific boondocking places for both camping and fishing. Maybe it's my own prejudices that expected people in large silver Twinkies, to be more protective of favorite spots then the tent campers. Not making any judgement, just reminded me of the conversation over here. To be fair, there is another interesting thread there that talks about roughing it in an Air Stream. Some think you can, and others thought it was an oxymoron. Still no middle ground!

[Gearspoke]

Re: Do you follow the first rule of Fight Club?

Always hesitant to tell about my favorite backpacking locations, I hate having to hike with people around. Takes the fun out of getting to be in tuned with your surroundings, especially when you get to that perfect camping spot, you don't want others around, being loud and obnoxious.

Now when it comes to campsites, no matter what there will always be people. So I have no care about telling others about campgrounds that I have enjoyed. BUT if a person has an RV, I will never suggest any grounds I have been to, last thing I want to sleep to is a generator! gahhh