Primitive camping spots

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Exspiravit

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Any reccomendations for primitive camping?
I usually hit Doughton Park every year and hike the loop, but I thought I would try somewhere new this year.

I'm not terribly interested in spots like Stone Mtn. Really looking for something you have to work for with a nice secluded spot not likely to be full of folks with thier kids.
 
Hike in? Or car camping?
 
charliesgrave said:
Hike in.
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Then pick a national forest area, hike until you're alone and find a nice spot. That's what I love about NF, you're (generally) not restricted to a campground or reserved spots.
 
JT said:
Kilmer / Slickrock
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There’s not much more primitive in NC. It’s a rugged area. Linville Gorge is more difficult but Slickrock is just remote for NC.

Some of the less popular areas of Pisgah would work too. Just stay far enough out to avoid dayhikers and popular spots.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I have camped on the top of the falls at upper creek. only one spot on top and another at the bottom. but its grand central during the day ...
 
For y'all saying Uwharrie, what I've seen of it is scrubby and looks like a snake pit. Granted, what I've seen of it is the horse camp and shooting range area.
Is there an area in particular that's good for bushwacking?Preferably with access to a moving stream or creek so I don't have to hike in all my drinking water.

The mountains seem more appealing to me honestly, even though the hikes are usually more strenuous up and down. Cooler temps, good access to water, and better views.

jdgiii said:
Grayson Highlands State Park in VA
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Haven't, but I'd like to stay in state.

JT said:
Kilmer / Slickrock
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This looks promising, thanks.
 
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I like Uwharrie as well but it doesn’t have much to offer as far as great views.
 
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Fontana Lake and the northern shore/southern boundary of the GSMNP is pretty good. No easy access, so the only people there are those who boat/kayak or hoof it in. It's excellent to throw a cooler in a kayak/canoe and paddle across to backcountry camping. Makes it easy to bring beer, steak, etc. and make the hikers' mouths water as they stumble in all work out!
 
charliesgrave said:
For y'all saying Uwharrie, what I've seen of it is scrubby and looks like a snake pit. Granted, what I've seen of it is the horse camp and shooting range area.
Is there an area in particular that's good for bushwacking?Preferably with access to a moving stream or creek so I don't have to hike in all my drinking water.
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Birkhead wilderness in Uwharrie is a cool place. Mature hardwoods and plenty of room to roam. Several nice sized creeks run through it as well.
 
Google maps
Deep Water Trl
Troy NC

That’ll get you right to the river then bushwhack as far out as you want.
 
9outof10mms said:
Fontana Lake and the northern shore/southern boundary of the GSMNP is pretty good. No easy access, so the only people there are those who boat/kayak or hoof it in. It's excellent to throw a cooler in a kayak/canoe and paddle across to backcountry camping. Makes it easy to bring beer, steak, etc. and make the hikers' mouths water as they stumble in all work out!
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To be legal in the National PARK, you need to stay in a designated campsite and usually require a reservation/permit for these spots. Just mentioning for clarity vs National FOREST where permit and designated sites are not (usually) required.
 
Tim said:
To be legal in the National PARK, you need to stay in a designated campsite and usually require a reservation/permit for these spots. Just mentioning for clarity vs National FOREST where permit and designated sites are not (usually) required.
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This. This is why I prefer Nantahala over the parks for wilderness camping: I can go wherever my compass and feet can take me.
 
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Tim said:
To be legal in the National PARK, you need to stay in a designated campsite and usually require a reservation/permit for these spots. Just mentioning for clarity vs National FOREST where permit and designated sites are not (usually) required.
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Absolutely correct. The good thing about the sites along Fontana is the relatively less foot traffic than other places. I've never been put off from trash or human presence in those sites (as I have been along the AT or other popular routes in the GSMNP).

Yes--I'm stretching the word "primitive," but I'd argue that those backcountry sites fall within the definition.

Someone mentioned Colorado wilderness...
I was up in the Teddy Roosevelt NF a few years ago ad camped right near the Continental Divide at 10k feet. Incredible scenery, but they are damn strict about rules there. No fires is a big damper on the fun. And to be honest, there was more human presence there than I notice at the Fontana Lake sites. Not to pit one place against the other, because they both have great qualities. Just saying the full essence of "primitive" is limited to areas that get little to no foot traffic like Alaska or someplace.
 
Jerzsubbie said:
I like Uwharrie as well but it doesn’t have much to offer as far as great views.
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I have done Uwharrie and it is certainly less of a hike [PI] than Kilmer/Slickrock, but for NC primitive you can't beat K/S. There are literally thousands of acres of the least-trammeled scenic deep woods you will find pretty much anywhere in these parts. And it's compass and topo all the way - with just enough fire trail to get you back far enough that you will be alone. Yes, I'm a huge fanboie! :D
 
9outof10mms said:
Absolutely correct. The good thing about the sites along Fontana is the relatively less foot traffic than other places. I've never been put off from trash or human presence in those sites (as I have been along the AT or other popular routes in the GSMNP).

Yes--I'm stretching the word "primitive," but I'd argue that those backcountry sites fall within the definition.

Someone mentioned Colorado wilderness...
I was up in the Teddy Roosevelt NF a few years ago ad camped right near the Continental Divide at 10k feet. Incredible scenery, but they are damn strict about rules there. No fires is a big damper on the fun. And to be honest, there was more human presence there than I notice at the Fontana Lake sites. Not to pit one place against the other, because they both have great qualities. Just saying the full essence of "primitive" is limited to areas that get little to no foot traffic like Alaska or someplace.
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The state of a lot of the AT is depressing. Not exactly a place to get away from people during hiking season. And often trashy.

I have not been to Colorado, but for a place to really, really get away from the world, the Bob Marshall in Montana.
 
Chuckman said:
The state of a lot of the AT is depressing. Not exactly a place to get away from people during hiking season. And often trashy.

I have not been to Colorado, but for a place to really, really get away from the world, the Bob Marshall in Montana.
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The last memories I have of the AT through the GSMNP was littered with trash and human shit. And mice and gnats/flies in case the other stuff wasn't bad enough.

Montana has a gigantic hype to live up to when I finally get out there one day!!!
 
9outof10mms said:
Montana has a gigantic hype to live up to when I finally get out there one day!!!
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The cities are increasingly liberal, but get out west into the mountains and up north toward Canada and you are good to go.

There was a stat I saw that in North Carolina if you walk 12 hours in any one direction, you will come across some existence of man: trash, campfire, tire tracks, foot prints, whatever. There are areas out west where you could walk for weeks and not see proof that man exists.
 
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I'll let you guys know how White River NF and the Flat Tops wilderness in CO is this summer. We're gonna start there and work our way down thru Zion to the Grand Canyon with several overnight trips in a 2 week span. I can't wait!
 
I dont know where you can and cant camp anymore but my faves were Shining Rock Wilderness area, Mt. Rogers,Roan Mtn., anywhere on the AT where you can put in and hike a while and set up camp. Most tourist hikers will only hike 1 to 3 miles before turning around. Not that it helps you but I cant help but think about this. There is a rough ass trail near Blowing Rock that goes straight down into a gorge, past some old abandoned water works. Trail head is in a park. We've been up and down it a bunch of times and it kicks my ass everytime. We were coming back up one time and were almost to the trail head and there was an older (than us) couple in their Sunday best heading down the trail and the woman was carrying her patent leather pocket book and she had on low heels. We stopped and asked if they knew what they were getting into and they did not. We advised them to turn around. They were standing there arguing about it when we pushed on. Dont know if they ever found their bones or not. You can't make this s#it up. Truth is always stranger than fiction.
 
jimmyjames8 said:
I dont know where you can and cant camp anymore but my faves were Shining Rock Wilderness area, Mt. Rogers,Roan Mtn., anywhere on the AT where you can put in and hike a while and set up camp. Most tourist hikers will only hike 1 to 3 miles before turning around. Not that it helps you but I cant help but think about this. There is a rough ass trail near Blowing Rock that goes straight down into a gorge, past some old abandoned water works. Trail head is in a park. We've been up and down it a bunch of times and it kicks my ass everytime. We were coming back up one time and were almost to the trail head and there was an older (than us) couple in their Sunday best heading down the trail and the woman was carrying her patent leather pocket book and she had on low heels. We stopped and asked if they knew what they were getting into and they did not. We advised them to turn around. They were standing there arguing about it when we pushed on. Dont know if they ever found their bones or not. You can't make this s#it up. Truth is always stranger than fiction.
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That's like one of my favorite stories I've heard from the trail--not mine; I read it somewhere years ago.

A through-hiker was making the crawl through the GSMNP, dreading the upcoming influx of tourist hikers around the crossing with US441/Newfound Gap Road. They stopped for a water break within a short distance of the infamous tourist point and a batch of idiots came wobbling along the trail in flip-flops and a single bottle of water. They asked "hey man, where does this trail go?" To which he curtly replied "Maine."
 
charliesgrave said:
For y'all saying Uwharrie, what I've seen of it is scrubby and looks like a snake pit. Granted, what I've seen of it is the horse camp and shooting range area.
Is there an area in particular that's good for bushwacking?Preferably with access to a moving stream or creek so I don't have to hike in all my drinking water.

The mountains seem more appealing to me honestly, even though the hikes are usually more strenuous up and down. Cooler temps, good access to water, and better views.


Haven't, but I'd like to stay in state.


This looks promising, thanks.
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Pick JT's brain about K/SR if you go. It's beautiful but it's no joke. I've only been in there twice but I have as much respect for that area as I do Linville Gorge. Got caught one night by a lot of rain that ran the creek up. At first light I caught a bear circling our site too. AT the first creek crossing I had to set up a rope for stability to get my wife across. I shuttled all the gear over. I made probably 7-8 crossings in high cold water to do it all. She went across, fell, got soaked, and got hypothermic fast. My dog tried to cross and got swept down stream about 50 yards. It was an exciting morning. There are trials, but they are rough and unmaintained. And my understanding is that the TN side is even rougher than the NC side.

End of April I'm headed to the Big Creek area of the Smokies. Taking a few folks up there and doing a loop of the drainage, up big creek, up to the AT, out to Mt Sterling. Going to be fun. Hoping that side of the park is less crowded than others. Never been there myself other than Mt Sterling Tr.
 
/pause thread

Seems like the property in the "Really Hate My Neighbor" thread might fit the bill.

You may now resume your regularly scheduled thread. :rolleyes: @ self
 
9outof10mms said:
That's like one of my favorite stories I've heard from the trail--not mine; I read it somewhere years ago.

A through-hiker was making the crawl through the GSMNP, dreading the upcoming influx of tourist hikers around the crossing with US441/Newfound Gap Road. They stopped for a water break within a short distance of the infamous tourist point and a batch of idiots came wobbling along the trail in flip-flops and a single bottle of water. They asked "hey man, where does this trail go?" To which he curtly replied "Maine."
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I have a friend, retired now, was a park ranger at the Grand Canyon. He has stories, many of them like that: tourists in flip-flops and a bottle of water who meander off the rim to the canyon, end up needing rescue. Years ago he was at Rainier, a couple hikers in sneakers decided to see how hi they could go; one died from exposure, the other was dehydrated with rhabdo and some other problems.
 
Chuckman said:
I have a friend, retired now, was a park ranger at the Grand Canyon. He has stories, many of them like that: tourists in flip-flops and a bottle of water who meander off the rim to the canyon, end up needing rescue. Years ago he was at Rainier, a couple hikers in sneakers decided to see how hi they could go; one died from exposure, the other was dehydrated with rhabdo and some other problems.
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Reminds me of the story of the "Death Valley Germans".
http://www.otherhand.org/home-page/search-and-rescue/the-hunt-for-the-death-valley-germans/
 
9outof10mms said:
That's like one of my favorite stories I've heard from the trail--not mine; I read it somewhere years ago.

A through-hiker was making the crawl through the GSMNP, dreading the upcoming influx of tourist hikers around the crossing with US441/Newfound Gap Road. They stopped for a water break within a short distance of the infamous tourist point and a batch of idiots came wobbling along the trail in flip-flops and a single bottle of water. They asked "hey man, where does this trail go?" To which he curtly replied "Maine."
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We've encountered people on that same trail in flip flops and Chuck Taylors. We had on Vasque hiking boots and were slipping and sliding. My wife busted her ass on that trail near the trail head one time. We never found the end of this trail. It goes down in elevation so much so rapidly that we knew it would be murder going back up. We always turn around before the end.
 
jimmyjames8 said:
We've encountered people on that same trail in flip flops and Chuck Taylors. We had on Vasque hiking boots and were slipping and sliding. My wife busted her ass on that trail near the trail head one time. We never found the end of this trail. It goes down in elevation so much so rapidly that we knew it would be murder going back up. We always turn around before the end.
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Headed to the Smokies end of April for 3 nights/4days. I'll be in tennis shoes. It's about the hiker as much, or more so, than the trail in the east. Out west, yeah I would want boots a lot of places. Around here, I have not hiked in boots for over 15 years. And the couple backpacking trips I have taken have been in shoes too. Did a there and back on the Art Loeb trail area, over 60 miles in 4 days IIRC, in tennis shoes. It's not for the weak of ankle or poor of balance though.
 
chiefjason said:
Headed to the Smokies end of April for 3 nights/4days. I'll be in tennis shoes. It's about the hiker as much, or more so, than the trail in the east. Out west, yeah I would want boots a lot of places. Around here, I have not hiked in boots for over 15 years. And the couple backpacking trips I have taken have been in shoes too. Did a there and back on the Art Loeb trail area, over 60 miles in 4 days IIRC, in tennis shoes. It's not for the weak of ankle or poor of balance though.
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DOn't mean to preach at someone who may likely already know this...

The Smokies are infamous for being brutal in elevation change. I've experienced this firsthand. 2,000' gain over 1 mile in many places. Don't underestimate the Smokies...
 
9outof10mms said:
DOn't mean to preach at someone who may likely already know this...

The Smokies are infamous for being brutal in elevation change. I've experienced this firsthand. 2,000' gain over 1 mile in many places. Don't underestimate the Smokies...
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Anywhere in WNC can be that way. Ever hiked the Art Loeb from either end? IIRC from CDB where I worked it was 3000' elevation change to Shining Rock Gap. Nerd fact, there is a better way to figure distance called "energy miles." Paul Petzold pioneered it and the program I graduated from at WCU proved his theory a couple years ago. For every +1000 feet gained it is +1 mile in energy added to the trip. Downhill I usually run 1500-2000' for an extra mile. So our trip looks like this.

Day one 5 miles, 5.5 EM.
Day two 10.9 miles, 12 EM.
Day 3 11.6 miles, 12 EM
Day 4 6.2 miles, 7.5 EM.

I used to laugh at the kids from Florida that had been "training" for one of our Treks. They were usually puking on the side of the trail the first day until I got them to understand they needed to pace and we had all day. CDB was notoriously more difficult trekking than Philemont. They just start at high elevation and stay there mostly. All our trails have PUDs, Pointless Ups and Downs. And those things will wear you out.

And going to edit to add I'm going to double check those EM numbers, they seem a bit low for day 2 when we climb out of Big Creek. But most of the day is on the ridge and all of day 3, so might be right but you get the point.
 
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