What Rules Should Apply To Hammock Camping in State, Federal, Local Campground Sites?

[WalksInDark]

Why Ask For Forgiveness, When You Can Get Permission?


THIS DISCUSSION IS NOT ABOUT WILDERNESS HANGING/CAMPING & RELATES TO CAMPGROUNDS/CAMP SITES ONLY
I have the opportunity to “educate” a national park Superintendent on how hammock camping should be handled within normal “tent camping” spaces or sites. Rather than have to argue with park officials after they have developed a “We don’t want any hammock hangers here” attitude, I am grateful for the opportunity to be proactive and give the Superintendent a list of reason why hammocks should be allowed in the regular (not primitive) tent camping areas, and what are responsible rules that hammock hangers should have to follow.

Before I go to a lot of trouble to develop a “Information Fact Sheet With Frequently Asked Questions,” I need to ask: is there such a fact sheet, or “Hammock Hanging Best Practices” pamphlet already available; and if so, where can I get it.

In terms of content for an “Information Fact Sheet With Frequently Asked Questions,” I think we need to make recommendations for hammock camping rules/regulations that are both reasonable and scientifically defensible. The items that I thought ought to be included follow:

Hammock camping be restricted to regular tent camping areas (i.e. no RV or pull through spots) where appropriately sized and located live** trees can be found.

Requirement that live trees to be used for hammock camping cannot be modified or altered (no cutting off inconveniently located branches, limbs, etc.).

Minimum Live Tree Diameter (is a “by species” or “climate specific” requirement necessary)?

Maximum number of hammocks attached to the same live tree? (The more specificity we provide, the less time park rangers have to spend negotiating with some knucklehead who wants to festoon a tree with as many hammock straps/tree huggers as they can.)

Minimum Hammock strap/tree hugger width?

Prohibition of attaching a camping hammock to a tree without the use of some sort of weight distributing strap (for example, I have seen folks wrap their whoopee slings/cordage around a tree without using any sort of weight distributing strap)?

Prohibition of intentional damage to tree and/or tree bark.

{** I specify “live trees” because, almost without exception, dead trees are not suitable or appropriate for supporting camping hammocks}

(Is there anyone here who has or could measure the amount of force applied to tree bark when hammock straps/tree huggers of various widths and lengths are used and a hanger weight of 200 pounds is applied? ASIDE: According to the National Center for Health Statistics, the average weight for an adult male in the United States is: 189.8 pounds. I then allocated an additional approximate 10 pounds to cover the weight of the hammock, fly, bedding, etc.)

(Is there anyone here who knows of any scientific data available to document the amount of damage ---or lack thereof--- done to various tree barks when they have been subjected to torsion pressure or abrasion, such as would be experienced by the tree if a hammock strap/tree hugger attached to a normal weight occupied camping hammock were applied to it?)

For trees used routinely as hammock hanger posts, are their any recommendations regarding the use of shielding material on the tree bark? In some high usage areas where hammocks are routinely used within a designated camping area, I have seen trees which have had: half dowels, spacers, or metal shielding applied directly to the tree bark. (Is there anyone here who knows if these precautions are necessary and/or beneficial to the tree?)

How to affix top of fly to tree. (Given that so many campgrounds prohibit the tying of lines to trees ---say for clothes lines or to use to hang lanterns to trees, I suspect that we ought to specify that all top fly lines be attached to the hammock straps/tree huggers).

How to affix rest of fly. Use stakes driven in ground or attach to rocks. (Given that so many campgrounds prohibit the tying of lines to trees, there is no sense suggesting that any lines get hooked to any trees.)

Lastly, I think that we ought to highlight the facts that:

Hammock campers are a rapidly growing segment of the outdoor adventurers’ population.
Hammock camping is attractive to both young and old campers; many of whom have not or will not use other sorts of camping equipment.
Hammock campers require the least sort of environmental “improvements” in order to actually camp, thereby maximizing scarce park resources.

(Is there anyone here who could identify federal, state, or local campgrounds where hammock camping is allowed in regular campground…and where, despite intense/repeated usage, hammocks have caused no and/or limited damage to the trees used as hammock support posts?)

If there is anything I have left out, or you feel should be included, please make your thoughts or comments known.

[bamboo bob]

The first rule required of Hammock Campers in car camping area is that they pledge not to nag, cajole or otherwise pester the car campers to convert to Hammock Hanging.

[Camping Dave]

As long as you follow the same rules as tent campers, like not letting any of your gear touch the trees, everything should be fine.

[Wise Old Owl]

Bamboo Bob - are you dreaming? Never happened to me that way.... I pitch the thing in a park and on a sunny day folks walk by and are intrigued and want to know where I found it. It opens up a conversation and we talk about comfort - great night's sleep.... On morning around the smoldering campfire one of the boys was talking and "Mr. _________ has the coolest tent's!" - he had seen two different hammocks and a bivy, on different trips. - I thought so too..

[WalksInDark]

LOL, I am trying to come up with realistic rules here...I am not sure that one of the rules should be for all of the vehement...dogmatic, proselytizing hammock hangers to get frontal lobotomies. I can, however, endorse the phrase (to be used when talking to regular tent campers) "Would you like to know more about hammock camping?"

WHOOPS! Looks like I will need to do a little work on my own approach to the "Non-Converted."

Seriously Bob, I love your humor!

[WalksInDark]

Sorry Dave,

Unless you are being funny, in order to hammock camp, there has to be some connection between the trees and the end of the hammock.

What I would like to try to codify is how the hammock/tree interface should occur.

[rocketsocks]

It starts like this OK tree,listen up I'm gonna tie up and break you down,so I don't want any funny stuff,like dropin' branches during the night,swaying when there's no wind,and gett'in that sticky stuff on my gear.If that happens I'll have to fell ya see.

[rocketsocks]

wow,how'd I get here?It's like hyperspace.

[romany]

I recommend heading to the www.hammockforums.com site as many of the questions you have are discussed there and work has been started in getting more campgrounds to allow hammocks. Even here in Florida, I find most of the park rangers in favor of allowing them once they see how the trees are protected with straps. It's mainly the guys who haven't used them or imagine that you are going to screw lag screws into trees that are still clueless.

I thought you'd get more help from the guys here...doesn't seem like anyone was willing to answer your question, and instead just wanted to make smart a** comments. You'll get some answers at the other site.

[WalksInDark]

I had already done a similar posting over at the Hammock Forums. Unfortunately, there hasn't been much of a response over there either. I wonder if folks really care about this issue?

[Slo-go'en]

I wonder if this is an issue you need to care about? I just looked up the rules for camping at a National Forest campground and no where does it specifically prohibit the use of a Hammock.

The only rule which might be constructed to apply is "do not damage live trees" and this would have to be judged on an individual case. I could see where clueless car campers with cheap hammocks (which would be the most common case the campground would have to deal with), might indeed case damage to the trees.

[Rocket Jones]

I suspect it's a local thing. The nearest National Forest to me specifically prohibits anything attached to a tree, including hammocks. They don't even want you stringing up a clothesline or using a tree instead of a tent stake.

[JAK]

To go car camping with a hammock, you need two big trees, and a REALLY strong hammock.

[quilteresq]

[QUOTE=Slo-go'en;1228322]I wonder if this is an issue you need to care about? I just looked up the rules for camping at a National Forest campground and no where does it specifically prohibit the use of a Hammock.

The only rule which might be constructed to apply is "do not damage live trees" and this would have to be judged on an individual case. I could see where clueless car campers with cheap hammocks (which would be the most common case the campground would have to deal with), might indeed case damage to the trees.[/QUOTE

No, but I camped at a national forest camp ground in August in the White Mts, and you are required to pitch on a very hard packed site meant for car campers. Ouch! I could barely get stakes in the parking area for my tarp. NOT the best place for hammock hanger or tarp campers.

[Six-Six]

How 'bout 'Leave No Trace'? That covers all, doesn't it?

[Shutterbug]

I had already done a similar posting over at the Hammock Forums. Unfortunately, there hasn't been much of a response over there either. I wonder if folks really care about this issue?

I noticed your statement, "Why Ask For Forgiveness, When You Can Get Permission?" In most of the places I have camped, it simply isn't possible to get permission. I have never seen a place with a sign that says, "OK to use a hammock here."

If you are in a place where the rules require that you camp in specific camp locations, like the Grand Canyon or Wonderland Trail, it is best to have a backup plan. I have used my hammock at several camp sites on the Wonderland Trail and no one has stopped me. At other camp sites the trees are not suitable, so I use a bivy. In the Grand Canyon, I don't even carry a hammock. There are very few places to hang a hammock. The last time I was at the Bright Angel Campground I saw one person with a hammock. The ranger who checked the site didn't make him remove it.

[Camping Dave]

What I would like to try to codify is how the hammock/tree interface should occur.

Any want that doesn't leave a trace on the trees is fine. Not so much as a scratch on the bark from the hammock or tarp supports. I think it would be a good idea to allow hammock camping only if the hanger paints the tree where his straps will be ahead of time, then demonstrates that the straps did not scrape through the paint. Then you would know for sure the bark was not damaged.

[LDog]

I noticed your statement, "Why Ask For Forgiveness, When You Can Get Permission?" In most of the places I have camped, it simply isn't possible to get permission. I have never seen a place with a sign that says, "OK to use a hammock here."

There's a reason the expression is the opposite of that stated by the OP.

If I am an official charged with assuring compliance with rules, and you ask me if you can do something that lays in a grey area, I may be inclined to say no just to cover my six. However, If you just do it, I may be inclined to ignore it and leave you alone.

Unless you screw a lag bolt into one of my trees ...

If I am charged with writing policy, and you come to me looking to codify permission to hang into park rules, I may not be interested in granting permission to something that I believe might do harm to trees. In fact I may write rules prohibiting it, and thank you for bringing the matter to my attention.

There's another expression about sleeping dogs ...

[Wise Old Owl]

Please do not start the "LNT" thing - the straps prevent damage to the tree bark.


No trees were damaged in the making of this thread.......

[kayak karl]

i've had no problems in; Me, NH, NY, Pa, NJ, Md, Del, Tenn, Va, NC, SC, Ga, but i heard Florida is a problem. this includes state parks and the trail.