Stealth Camping in Shenandoah National Park?

[mtbikexcski]

Hi,

I'd like to slack pack all of Shenandoah National Park. We have a van we can sleep in. I read you can't sleep in your vehicle at any of the trail heads or overlooks which is fine but are there any side roads or anything easily accessible through the park where you could stealth camp?

Specifically looking for any options near:

• Blackrock Gap Trailhead
• Pinefield Gap
• Lewis Mt Campground (we'll just stay at the campground)
• Skyland Service Rd North
• Jeremy’s Run
• US 522 Front Royal (outside the park but any suggestion on stealth camping nearby is appreciated)

If not, I guess only Big Meadows and Lewis Mt. Campgrounds are open so we'd have to do a lot of extra driving to go back and forth between one of those based on where we are.

Thanks,
Brad

[Slo-go'en]

There are no side roads, at least none that don't lead to service buildings. Stay at the campgrounds.

[moldy]

You can camp anywhere you want. Park then walk way back in the woods. Within a few hundred yards you are out of sight.

[Slo-go'en]

You can camp anywhere you want. Park then walk way back in the woods. Within a few hundred yards you are out of sight.

Technically you have to go 1/4 mile from the road/buildings/parking lots/huts. Some of the huts are a short walk from the road though.

Not sure what the rules are about overnight parking at the pull outs. Too lazy to pull up the web site and find out. I got the impression the OP wanted to stealth camp in the van by asking about side roads to pull off onto.

[Dogwood]

Set me straight if I have this wrong. You want the added added convenience of: 1) slack packing the AT through S NP, a notoriously easier and logistically convenient 105 mile AT stretch to begin with, 2) have a van you can sleep in, 3) are in a NP that is linear shaped with the main road paralleling your hike - the AT... and yet are concerned with driving distances inside the NP?



I'd contact S NP first to determine the legality of what you're anticipating if staying outside of the CG's. S NP Rangers are vigilant around roads, parking areas, access roads, AT TH's, NP entrances, and CG's. They will tell you to move if you're found illegally sleeping in your vehicle. If found multiple times attempting to bypass any laws they will cite you. And, vans especially invite LEO investigation.



My two bros attempted to sleep in their van, first at a TH(got chased by a NP Ranger) and then at Skylands Parking Lot when supporting me on a AT NOBO. They were accustomed to stealth sleeping in their van when traveling around the country. They were only planning on doing it temporarily awaiting me to contact them. I deeply appreciated their support. But, in all honesty, despite being financially well off, and saying they couldn't get a room at Skylands was the reason why they chose to do that, they did it because they were behaving as cheapskates and wanted the convenience of not staying at the CG further away. They were told they couldn't do that(I think they knew!) first by a Skylands employee and then receiving a thorough NP Ranger's chiding, including a DL/Registration/Insurance check, and search of their van for more than 30 mins by three NP Rangers. They were told they had to stay at CG's paying for a site if they weren't staying at Skylands. My bros asked if they could park somewhere else inside the NP. I think they already knew the answer. "NO", were the Ranger's answer. I contacted them shortly after I already had procured a room(cabin) reservation at Skylands. I had to show my room key to Rangers to allow my bros to park in the Parking Lot. Rangers said to us if we hadn't contacted them to let them know we had a reservation they would have towed and impounded the van.


True account!

[GoldenBear]

> you can't sleep in your vehicle at any of the trail heads or overlooks which is fine
> but are there any side roads or anything easily accessible through the park where you could stealth camp?

Like most national parks, you can NOT sleep in a vehicle ANYWHERE within the Park except at designated camping areas.
https://www.nps.gov/shen/faqs.htm

Is overnight parking or car camping allowed along the Skyline Drive or in the picnic grounds?
No, camping is not allowed along the road, in overlooks or in picnic grounds. Car camping is permitted only by registered campers in designated campgrounds only.

I seriously doubt you can even park a vehicle overnight, anywhere except at trail head parking areas along Skyline Drive, and then ONLY if you have obtained a (free) back-country permit.

[TNhiker]

Like most national parks, you can NOT sleep in a vehicle ANYWHERE within the Park except at designated camping areas.

same with Great Smoky MNP----cant sleep in car except in camping areas...

[Kaptainkriz]

There are lots of trail head lots. Pick one near a bend in the trail where it gets .25 from the road. Lots of spots. Many of the shelter areas are also close enough to facilitate slacking and yoyoing. I've yoyo'd the whole thing with overnights and there was always nearby parking.

[johnnybgood]

Blackrock Hut--0.9 mile from the parking lot off the Skyline Drive
Pinefield Hut --0.2 mile from the SD.
Skyland -- pitch a tent 1/4 mile down the trail from the lodges. You kind of see where I'm going here. Your "Stealth Camping" is overcomplicating things the way you described it .

When you enter the park at the entrance station ask for a backcountry permit. Fill it out for the week ,... they'll even help you if you ask , leave them a copy and camp in the woods less than a mile from the Skyline Drive and your van every night.
It's easy peasy Japanesey.

[Mugthumper]

Yep, what everyone else said.

When you enter the park by vehicle they give you paperwork with all of the rules that you are expected to follow. They pretty much want to know your entire schedule of where you will be while you are there if you are backcountry camping. They will ask you when you fill out the paperwork what trailhead your vehicle will be parked each night and where you expect to sleep if in the backcountry. The rangers at Big Meadows will gladly help you plan if you need help in planning.

[Dogwood]

> you can't sleep in your vehicle at any of the trail heads or overlooks which is fine
> but are there any side roads or anything easily accessible through the park where you could stealth camp?

Like most national parks, you can NOT sleep in a vehicle ANYWHERE within the Park except at designated camping areas.
https://www.nps.gov/shen/faqs.htm

I seriously doubt you can even park a vehicle overnight, anywhere except at trail head parking areas along Skyline Drive, and then ONLY if you have obtained a (free) back-country permit.

Yep, what everyone else said.

When you enter the park by vehicle they give you paperwork with all of the rules that you are expected to follow. They pretty much want to know your entire schedule of where you will be while you are there if you are backcountry camping. They will ask you when you fill out the paperwork what trailhead your vehicle will be parked each night and where you expect to sleep if in the backcountry. The rangers at Big Meadows will gladly help you plan if you need help in planning.

Yup.

From Golden Bear's link:
Is overnight parking or car camping allowed along the Skyline Drive or in the picnic grounds?

No, camping is not allowed along the road, in overlooks or in picnic grounds. Car camping is permitted only by registered campers in designated campgrounds only. If park campgrounds are full, there are a number of private campgrounds outside the park.


When presenting my Skylands Resort Cabin key to the NP Rangers so my bros could park their van in the Skyland Resort Parking Lot they threw this rule at us. I asked for an interpretation of what constitutes car camping. "If you're sleeping in your car(vehicle, van) that's car camping" they told us. My one bro tried weasling out of the law asked, "what if someone is just taking a nap?" That's when the NP Ranger who chased them off the first time when they parked at the TH arrived. Overhearing this BS he said "you're fortunate were not impounding your vehicle." Also, trying to excuse why they weren't car camping legally in a CG they threw at the NP Rangers, "well, all the CG's were full which is why we're sleeping in the car here." One of the NP Rangers accessed on a device CG usage in a matter of 10 seconds. He said, with a snide look, "there are spaces open in Big meadows and Lewis CG's and there have been openings the last 24 hrs." Nailed! I'm surprised they didn't get cited. Then, one NP Ranger said "even if the CG's were full you are legally required to find accommodation for car camping outside the NP." And, there was no need for it! The NP Rangers displayed intelligence and extreme patience seeing through the BS.

I've seen the same thing occur in later S NP visits at two other AT TH Parking areas where folks were trying to sleep in their vehicles: at Hawskbill Gap and, if I'm recalling the correct wayside, at the Elk Wallow Wayside.