What is Stealth Camping and is it Legal?

When I was in college, my friends would refer to me as “Sneaky Spencer” because of my penchant for slipping in and out of rooms unnoticed. It’s a habit that’s infiltrated every other aspect of my life, and I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m quite good at flying under the radar.

Perhaps it’s because of this trait that I enjoy stealth camping so much, whether I’m going out by myself or with people that I know. But what exactly is stealth camping? And if you know anything about it, you might also be wondering: is it legal? You can find answers to these questions and plenty of others in the article below.

So… What Exactly is Stealth Camping?

You’ve probably heard of dispersed camping (also known as dry camping or boondocking), but have you ever heard the term stealth camping before? It’s not the same as dispersed camping, though you can do both at the same time, and in fact, that’s probably what you’ll end up doing most often.

At its core, stealth camping is camping while staying hidden. This could be in an urban or rural setting, you could be in a tent or an RV, it could be at a campground or somewhere along the street… Your options are almost endless when it comes to stealth camping.

That being said, “stealth camping” is a term primarily used to describe RVers who want a safe, comfortable place to spend the night without spending an arm and a leg to get it. A large, Class A RV isn’t a great choice for stealth camping because of how massive it is, but Class B vans are perfect for the job. Since they look like a normal delivery van, Class B campers have a much easier time flying under the radar.

Is Stealth Camping Legal?

Stealth camping can be done legally, but there are plenty of people who decide to take a less than lawful approach (which we don’t recommend). For RVers, signs that say “No Overnight Parking” are worth paying attention to. If you see any signage that indicates you can’t park in a certain place, it’s best to respect the law, unless you want an unwelcome knock on your window at 2am.

Otherwise, there are plenty of places where you can legally park an RV overnight. I’ve done it in a number of places, including a church parking lot, shopping centers, and city parks to name a few. You just have to do your research beforehand to make sure there aren’t any restrictions in whatever city or municipality you find yourself in, since these differences can vary widely.

When it comes to tent camping, my best piece of advice is to familiarize yourself with BLM land and other dispersed options. Assuming you don’t stay for too long (more than 14 days, generally speaking), you can legally camp anywhere on public land. Of course, you can stealth camp at a regular campground as well, but one of the only benefits to doing that is keeping other campers from interacting with you. That is, unless you enter more of a “gray zone” that pushes the boundaries of legality.

A couple years ago, my friend and I were camping in Colorado. We were hopping around to different campsites almost every day, and somewhere along the way, I contracted a pretty crippling illness. I didn’t have the energy to make it our campsite that first day I was sick, so we found a closer campground, waited until nighttime, and made camp in an open lot. We didn’t make a reservation; instead, we slipped in after most people were already asleep, and left early the following morning before the sun came up.

At the end of the day, I consider that experience to be a true example of stealth camping. While I wouldn’t necessarily recommend camping that way, it can come in handy during emergencies.

How Stealth Camping Varies by Country

You’ll hear the term stealth camping in both the US and the UK (and possibly other countries as well). For the most part, both countries are referring to the same practice when they use this verbiage, though there are some minor differences that are worth noting.

For example, in the UK, stealth camping is also used to describe a form of wild camping that focuses on survival and bushcraft. Since people aren’t allowed to practice this skillset in the front country, they’ve started referring to it as stealth camping, out of a desire to not draw attention to their actions.

How to Go Stealth Camping

Any camping trip can be turned into a stealthy experience, but there are a few tricks that you can follow if you want to pull it off successfully. Since your goal is to stay as low key as possible, I’d recommend following most, if not all, of these tips the next time you want to go stealth camping.

Don’t Get Too Comfortable

The more you settle in, the more conspicuous you become. Trust me when I say that people will notice your outdoor table, chairs, generator, string lights, and other larger camping items. If you’re in an RV, the locals might start to worry that you’re a squatter moving in; if you’re in a tent, you’ll be getting a lot of unwanted attention.

Make it a point to keep most of your gear packed up, aside from the essentials. It’s best if you maintain the mentality that you won’t be at that location for very long, because in all likelihood, you won’t be. As we’ll mention in the next point, successful stealth campers rarely stay in one place for more than a night or two, which doesn’t leave much time to get the grill going and the TV set up.

Don’t Stay in One Place for Too Long

The longer you stay in one place, the more likely you are to be noticed. When it comes to stealth camping, your ideal scenario is arriving at your campsite late in the day and leaving early the next morning. Depending on where you are and how you work out the timing, it’s possible that no one will ever know you were there.

Assuming that system doesn’t fit with your schedule, you certainly can spend more than one night in the same place. Just do your best to keep a low profile, and avoid attracting any attention to yourself. However, as a rule of thumb, I would avoid spending more than one night parked in a residential area (assuming you’re in an RV). Even if it’s legal, the locals might get nervous seeing an unfamiliar van or RV parked outside their windows, and as a stealth camper, that sense of angst is the last thing that you want to create. When possible, I would suggest avoiding these residential neighborhoods altogether, just to give everyone peace of mind.

Don’t Do Anything to Draw Attention to Yourself

Avoiding notice should be your primary goal, and to do that, you’ll need to take some preventative measures. If you have dogs with you, make sure they don’t bark. Do your best to stay quiet in other ways as well, which means you should keep from shouting instructions, playing music too loud, or clanking your cooking equipment. Any loud, obnoxious noise that might draw attention is going to be your worst enemy as a stealth camper.

At the same time, you don’t want to be skulking around, trying to hide as soon as someone starts walking or driving by. Lowering the suspicions of those around you is also part of your goal as a stealth camper, so do your best to blend in and act natural.

Benefits of Stealth Camping

Stealth camping is for people who value privacy, security, and a closer connection to nature. Since your primary goal is to fly under the radar, you’ll be working hard to minimize any contact with other people, and you’ll be following Leave No Trace principles to the best of your ability. After all, the smaller your environmental footprint, the less likely anyone will notice you were ever there. However, aside from those general benefits, there are a few specific things that make stealth camping more attractive:

Spend the night close to nearby attractions. Is there somewhere in particular that you want to visit? Instead of sleeping in some faraway campground, it can be a lot more convenient to hole up on a nearby street for the night (if you’re in an RV).

Save money. Campground reservations can cost a shocking amount of money, especially if you’re an RV in need of hookups. Assuming you can make it without water, electricity, or sewage, stealth camping can play a significant role in keeping your wallet happy.

It’s convenient. Once you’ve found a legal place to spend the night, there’s nothing more convenient, efficient, and hassle-free than stealth camping. By nature, the entire process should be simple and tactical, giving you the minimal number of hurdles to jump through in order to avoid raising suspicion.

It gives you new experiences. Stealth camping lets you spend time in locations that the average camper will never experience. It’s a fun way to explore your surroundings, hang out close to local attractions, and provide that thrill that comes from “sneaking around.”

Concerns with Stealth Camping

As you might expect, stealth camping still has its flaws and safety concerns, despite all of the benefits. In an effort to stay discreet, you’ll lose some of the protection you get from setting up at a campground with other campers. When you’re in an RV, anyone can come knocking on your door or window during the night, whether it’s a cop or someone more unsavory. When you’re in a tent, they can just unzip your door.

Needless to say, it’s incredibly important to choose your campsite wisely, especially when you’re in the city. Try to stay in well-lit areas, and keep pepper (or bear) spray on hand to deter any unwelcome visitors.

If you’re driving an RV, consider backing into a parking space so that you can quickly pull out if necessary. Do everything you can to set yourself up for a quick escape or a solid fight, in the event that you run into trouble during the night.

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