Staking out a boondock "camper" campsite

[PopArch]

Hello WTW community! First time poster. Happy to be here.

Been boondocking for several years with our small trailer. Recently sold it and bought a FWC Hawk that we carry on our RAM 2500. Love being nimble again. We like to find primitive campsites in the mountains relatively close to off the beaten path hiking trailheads. With a trailer it was easy to unhook and leave for the day knowing our space would be respected. With the camper, we sometimes have to drive it several miles to the trailhead from our campsite, leaving a pretty sparse campsite. Looking for interesting ideas to stake out the site so someone doesn't move in, or encroach to close, while we're gone. Happened last month. Not fun. We usually leave stuff we don't mind losing but it can sometimes look like stuff that someone drove off and left - ha. Curious if anyone has any creative ideas on what's worked for them. Like pitching a tent, putting up hammocks, or green cones... Would prefer not to leave the FWC camper in camp. Thanks for the tips!

 

[PaulT]

Search for "site:www.wanderthewest.com campsite occupied"
You will find several discussions on this subject.

Paul

 

[dennis 221]

we use a old camping chair an we wrote "site occupied" on back of it , an then put rock, or some other weighted object in it ! worked so far!

 

[Sleddog]

Normally, we wait until the last minute to choose a campsite for the night so we don't have to worry about "claiming" one If for some reason we do need to claim a site,
we will go ahead and pitch a cheap, easy to set up tent and leave it with a couple of cheap camp chairs. Anything to make it look obvious.

 

[AWG_Pics]

We never try to 'stake out' a campsite we are not actually using at the moment. But that is just us. In my mind they are public lands and if you adhere to use restrictions set up by the land management agency, then there are no other limits except common sense and desire for privacy. We go out to the remote areas to be away from people... I sure don't want to get into some sort of conflict with someone over who's site it is or if they are too close.

 

[camper rich]

I really don't like leaving anything of value in a boondock site. If it's a site I have paid for in a campground I will leave a chair that is cable locked to a table.

What I hate are people who leave their trailers occupying dispersed campsites to save them and only show up on weekends.

 

[dennis 221]

camper rich you hit the nail on its head!! midsummer wy! 90% of sites in n.f , blm where occupy by empty campers! talked to dnr an they yes it was a loophole in their 14 day stay!! sure hope they changed the rule to 14 day occupied an in use!