Sleeping in Car = Camping?

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mtree
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Re: Sleeping in Car = Camping?

Post by mtree »

I think the point is being missed. There are alot of stupid people in the world. Alot of thoughtless, reckless, and moronic people. They'll take advantage of every situation if given the chance. The point is the establishment doesn't want you planting your butt in the space because you and your dumbass friends will eventually see no issue with frying up some dinner, popping a few brews, leaving trash, poop, and partying all night. Next you'll think there's no problem basting tunes and target shooting since its in the woods and you're an American and its your right and you're just sleeping in your car.
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Re: Sleeping in Car = Camping?

Post by Chicago Transplant »

Jon Frohlich wrote: Tue Jul 13, 2021 1:45 pm
Scott P wrote: Tue Jul 13, 2021 12:16 pm For the national parks at least, the reason the don't like people sleeping in their card in day use areas is because it causes overuse of the sanitary facilities. The don't see the vehicles as being a problem, it's people having to use the bathroom.
Slightly related but a few years we were coming back through Texas from Big Bend and stopped at Guadalupe National Park to do the obvious thing and hike the highpoint of Texas. There were no tent sites available and we weren't sure if it was fine to use an RV space since we were sleeping in the 4Runner. Went over to the camp host and she asked if we were sleeping in the car. We replied yes. With a completely straight face she replied back that we were an RV and to go ahead and pay the fee.

We were far and away the tiniest RV in the lot but we slept great.
Pure money grab (your 4Runner doesn't have RV electrical or water hookups), but that is the way of things because you are taking fee from them that an RV could be paying them.

We went to camp at Sleeping Bear Dunes on Lake Michigan when I lived in Chicago. The walk in sites are first come first serve and we missed them, so they directed us to an RV campground. We tent camped on an RV pad (we had a Jetta) between two large RVs with their generators buzzing all night. Full charge for us too.
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Skimo95
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Re: Sleeping in Car = Camping?

Post by Skimo95 »

mtree wrote: Tue Jul 13, 2021 1:59 pm I think the point is being missed. There are alot of stupid people in the world. Alot of thoughtless, reckless, and moronic people. They'll take advantage of every situation if given the chance. The point is the establishment doesn't want you planting your butt in the space because you and your dumbass friends will eventually see no issue with frying up some dinner, popping a few brews, leaving trash, poop, and partying all night. Next you'll think there's no problem basting tunes and target shooting since its in the woods and you're an American and its your right and you're just sleeping in your car.
LOL ‘merica
Sluglas
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Re: Sleeping in Car = Camping?

Post by Sluglas »

In a lot of places, its about the fee and not paying the camping fee.

I once defended a guy on Federal criminal charges for allegedly "camping" in his car when he was parked in the day-use area next to the USFS campground. He created his own problem by refusing to respond or come out of the car when the ranger knocked, escalating the situation to one where the sheriff was called and they eventually "extracted" him against his will. Interestingly, our defense was going to be that he was not "camping" because he was not intending to sleep overnight in that spot but was doing something else (use your imagination) in the back of his car covered with blankets in the middle of the night, and that that something was why he didn't respond to the ranger when they first showed up. This was actually the case as the guy lived in his car and, well, you have to do it someplace I guess (he actually had a spot in the campground but had moved because the trees were dripping on the car and distracting him). Anyway, got up to the day of trial and I was looking forward to seeing the look on the US Attorney's face when she realized what he was actually doing in the car, but then the case got dropped that morning on a hyper-technicality.

The real point is this: Yes, the Feds will prosecute this if they catch you. For most of us that would be a ticket and a fine, but your response probably has a big impact on how it goes.
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Re: Sleeping in Car = Camping?

Post by Chicago Transplant »

mtree wrote: Tue Jul 13, 2021 1:59 pm I think the point is being missed. There are alot of stupid people in the world. Alot of thoughtless, reckless, and moronic people. They'll take advantage of every situation if given the chance. The point is the establishment doesn't want you planting your butt in the space because you and your dumbass friends will eventually see no issue with frying up some dinner, popping a few brews, leaving trash, poop, and partying all night. Next you'll think there's no problem basting tunes and target shooting since its in the woods and you're an American and its your right and you're just sleeping in your car.
I've seen people do most of that when they day hike! They finish their hike, pull out the chairs, crack beers, play tunes, eat lunch, take a crap in the woods... that certainly looks more like camping than rolling in at 11pm, crashing for 6 hours in the trunk and walking up the trail in the morning.
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Re: Sleeping in Car = Camping?

Post by Jon Frohlich »

Chicago Transplant wrote: Tue Jul 13, 2021 2:03 pm Pure money grab (your 4Runner doesn't have RV electrical or water hookups), but that is the way of things because you are taking fee from them that an RV could be paying them.
For what it's worth RV sites at Guadalupe NP have no hookups. So we used the same facilities as anyone else.
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Re: Sleeping in Car = Camping?

Post by HikerGuy »

As much as I would like/want to believe sleeping in a vehicle does not equal camping, it does. I try to avoid vehicle sleeping in spots that are posted no camping. I also know that I may have to move, if I do sleep in a posted location. It usually obvious which sites will give you trouble. For example, it is extremely unlikely you would get rousted at the Rock of Ages TH which is marked as no camping. Try sleeping in a posted trailhead near Aspen or somewhere not far from a main road and you will probably have interaction with enforcement.
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Re: Sleeping in Car = Camping?

Post by Scott P »

Jon Frohlich wrote: Tue Jul 13, 2021 1:45 pm
Scott P wrote: Tue Jul 13, 2021 12:16 pm For the national parks at least, the reason the don't like people sleeping in their card in day use areas is because it causes overuse of the sanitary facilities. The don't see the vehicles as being a problem, it's people having to use the bathroom.
Slightly related but a few years we were coming back through Texas from Big Bend and stopped at Guadalupe National Park to do the obvious thing and hike the highpoint of Texas. There were no tent sites available and we weren't sure if it was fine to use an RV space since we were sleeping in the 4Runner. Went over to the camp host and she asked if we were sleeping in the car. We replied yes. With a completely straight face she replied back that we were an RV and to go ahead and pay the fee.

We were far and away the tiniest RV in the lot but we slept great.
The thing about Guadlaupe NP is that once the campground is full, the next closest place to sleep (legally) is in New Mexico! I would have taken the RV space too.
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nyker
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Re: Sleeping in Car = Camping?

Post by nyker »

benmangelsdorf wrote: Wed Jul 07, 2021 11:11 am Another question for the car campers among us. Do you guys do anything for food? I know that when I traveled in California there was lots of posted information saying to be wary of storing food in cars due to attracting animals. Same idea as not having food in your tent, I guess. Do you guys worry about that here, or is it fine?
This appears to be a bigger issue in the Sierra, especially Yosemite where Black bears patrol parking lots and campgrounds, but I am always worried elsewhere if I leave a wrapper or banana in the car and a bear rips into it like I've seen them do in CA.

love this video-

https://www.nps.gov/media/video/view.ht ... F9B356AA73
Omatt89
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Re: Sleeping in Car = Camping?

Post by Omatt89 »

Frisco town police will kick you out of the 24hr lot at night if your sleeping in your whip. They told me no camping and put up a fresh sign. Lame. Been parking there for years. My buddy got a warning sticker on his bus while we were out climbing that said move by tonight or get towed. So they watching.
Just park in a pullout with no signage. Worse that can happen is they make you move on.
LarryM
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Re: Sleeping in Car = Camping?

Post by LarryM »

Omatt89 wrote: Tue Jul 13, 2021 4:56 pm Frisco town police will kick you out of the 24hr lot at night if your sleeping in your whip. They told me no camping and put up a fresh sign. Lame. Been parking there for years. My buddy got a warning sticker on his bus while we were out climbing that said move by tonight or get towed. So they watching.
Just park in a pullout with no signage. Worse that can happen is they make you move on.
Timely / helpful information for me. What about the Meadow Creek trail head? Can I safely sleep in my car there?
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Re: Sleeping in Car = Camping?

Post by Wildernessjane »

Omatt89 wrote: Tue Jul 13, 2021 4:56 pm Frisco town police will kick you out of the 24hr lot at night if your sleeping in your whip. They told me no camping and put up a fresh sign. Lame. Been parking there for years. My buddy got a warning sticker on his bus while we were out climbing that said move by tonight or get towed. So they watching.
Just park in a pullout with no signage. Worse that can happen is they make you move on.
Frisco has enacted a local ordinance against sleeping in your vehicle. I have this on good authority (asked a local officer about it). A push back against vanlife culture, I suspect.
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