Quick Tips Series: This post is part of a new series inspired by excepts from (shameless plug incoming) the Bikepacker’s Companion eBook, 140 pages of downloadable on-the-go guidance for solving common bikepacking issues in the middle of nowhere.
As bikepackers we often find ourselves camping in semi-wild, but not completely remote, places. Maybe we’re dispersed camping beside a gravel forest road, or stealth camping in an open field on the outskirts of a small town.
A comfortable night’s sleep in these places often requires two sets of skills: smart campsite selection based on natural factors, like you would consider in a wilderness setting (shelter, drainage, etc) AND ideally the savvy to avoid being detected. The following quick tips cover both.
Choosing a Great Wild Campsite
No need to confine your wild soul to crowded established campgrounds. Where legal, you can choose your own private and peaceful “wild campsite” on public land. Here’s what to look for.
Look For:
- A previously used site
- Durable surface like dirt or rock
- Flat!
- Sheltered from wind, if applicable
- Surface drains well and won’t become a mud puddle if raining (pine needles or leaves are good)
- Nice views, morning sunlight, pleasant vibes
- Out of sight from roads (see next section)
Avoid:
- Delicate surfaces like alpine plants or cryptobiotic soil
- Within 200 feet of a water source (to avoid polluting water and scaring animals)
- Dead trees or branches overhead
- Dry desert washes, if any chance of rain anywhere nearby (flash flood risk)
- Close to streams or lakes (increases condensation risk)
- Bottoms of ravines or canyons (cold air sinks) or windy ridges
Where is wild camping legal?
Rules and norms vary by country. In the United States:
- DO wild camp on National Forest and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land. This is called “dispersed camping.”
- DON’T wild camp on private land, or on public land that disallows camping outside established sites.
Tips for Undisturbed Stealth Camping
Do you find yourself in a camping situation where you’d rather not be seen or disturbed? Been there! These tips will help you sleep soundly and without disturbance.
- A small hill or ravine is often enough to hide you, even in a relatively flat landscape.
- Arrive late and leave early.
- Minimize light from headlamp, stove, and electronic screens.
- Lay your bike down and cover reflectors on your bike and gear.
- Near roads, avoid the outside of curves (where headlights sweep).
- If you must be visible, uphill is usually less noticeable than downhill.
- Need to keep a low profile? Use your tent without poles as a bivy.
- Feeling extra paranoid? Carry your bike off the road / trail or cover your tracks where they exit the road.
- If someone passes by, stay still. Motion is often what catches the eye.
- If someone does discover your camp and you don’t feel comfortable with them, pack up and move, even if it’s late.
Staying Warm At Camp
Cold night ahead? The first step is to bring good cold-weather gear and clothing. If you’re already out on the road, here’s how to stay as warm as possible with whatever gear you have.
- Eat a warm high-calorie meal before bed.
- Avoid camping at the bottom of ravines and valleys that collect cold air.
- Remove any wet clothes as soon as you finish riding.
- Sleep in all your (dry) clothes, including rain gear.
- Fill empty space in your sleeping bag with extra clothes or stuff sacks.
- Cover your head with something warm and/or a vapor barrier. If you don’t have a hat use a hood, buff, stuff sack, or even helmet.
- Plastic bags or stuff sacks can help warm cold feet.
- Cuddling a Nalgene filled with hot water = pure luxury. Make sure it’s heavy-duty plastic and absolutely cannot leak in your sleeping bag.
- Have an emergency blanket? Layer it inside your sleeping bag.
- Get blood flowing as needed with sleeping bag crunches or glute bridges.
- Sleep with hollow fiber water filters and electronics to protect them from damage and battery drain, respectively.
Quick Tips Downloads
Right click to download these PDFs of the original eBook pages, provided here as a free excerpt:
About the Quick Tips Series
Over the years I’ve written hundreds of long-form posts about bikepacking on this website! You can find them all here. But who has time to read such long posts anymore, right? :) Fewer people than before, apparently.
This new series delivers bite size “cheat sheet” style tips about a particular issue bikepackers often face. Each post contains an excerpt from the Bikepacker’s Companion eBook that you can download for free and save on your phone as a reference during your next trip.
Here are some sample pages from the rest of the 140-page eBook, which you can learn more about here:
Your eBook purchase helps support this website so I can keep it running despite significant headwinds in the current online publishing landscape.
About the Author
Hi there, I’m Alissa, founder of Exploring Wild. I’ve traveled over 20,000 miles by bike and still can’t stop planning my next ride (and helping you plan yours). Pavement and panniers or singletrack and seat bag, I love it all. On my bike I feel free. Learn more about me here.
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To keep my head warm, I tie the arms of a wool shirt over my head and wear it like a bonnet. These are great tips, Alyssa.
I love this, so resourceful! I’ve been using a quilt + down hood for years so I just wear the hood (while sleeping or around camp) but otherwise this totally sounds like something I would do. Though if it’s a short trip with no town clothes I might already be wearing all my shirts.