Ideal Backcountry Campsites

[jacobemerick]

Howdy! Backpacker here who enjoys remote, wild areas, and am dipping his toe into trail maintenance in wilderness areas.

One thing that always brings me joy at the end of a long day of bushwhacking through AZ flora is a decent campsite. Flat area for setting up a tent / pad, lil' campfire ring for dinner prep, etc. While I want to avoid National-Park style amenities (we are talking about wilderness areas), what are some things that would make you smile through the sweat, dirt, and blood of a long day? Some ideas that my son and I have include building benches around the fire pit (plenty of deadfall to use lol), a "hanging rack" (again, deadfall with "knobs") for backpacks & gravity water sources, and an obvious bear-hang for foods. Any other ideas that other peeps have seen while out exploring?

[chumley]

@jacobemerick I have a love-hate relationship with backcountry campsites.

On one hand, it often is nice to find a site with some cleared ground, ready to set up a tent and a fire ring ready for a match, plus a barrier-free path to a source of water.

On the other hand, too many times I find that these locations have been inordinately impacted. Fire rings are loaded with knee-deep ash. And often littered with bits of trash (or more than bits). Nearby trees have had living limbs sawed off, tent stakes hammered into trunks, critical habitat along creeks worn and eroded, and every nearby rock concealing a poorly-buried surprise.

Arizona often provides sites that beg for a camp: near a remote water source or an island of shady trees right along the trail or near a junction. In these cases, it's almost intuitive, if not mandatory, that this is where backpackers would set up camp. There's not much that can be done to minimize the impact of these desirable camp spots other than ask people to treat them better.

If ever I camp somewhere that hasn't been previously established, I make sure that it looks similarly unused when I leave the next morning. I personally wouldn't build/establish a NEW campsite and leave it for the next group. But I'd be lying to say I don't appreciate ending a day by finding one that's been established, ready to go.

Things I like in a camp? Flat ground. Shade. Shelter from wind. Trees for hanging food/gear. Boulders/rocks to use for sitting, cooking, and organizing. Access to water. Negatives: poison ivy, prickly flora, bees.

[xsproutx]

What Chums is saying, is you need to make like one of those youtube channels from indonesia or malaysia and dig a 20x10 foot hole, fill it with beer, and install a hatch you've made from clay from the local stream to put on top.

Here's a fun controversial one: I know of a few different locations that have a grill grate (think, normal weber circular grate) near the site. Off the trail, can't stumble on it unless you're looking for it. Is it LNT? Absolutely not. Is it awesome when you have a group and want to prep/cook stuff over the fire? Yes.

If it's already an impacted site, maybe take a little time to make spots flatter. Sliding down your sleeping pad sucks at night. Obviously, this isn't something you would want to do with a site that isn't already pretty impacted and, again, people might even disagree with this sort of extra impact.

There are two spots that I go to multiple times a year for reasons. Both of them, I'll usually cut extra firewood and I'll stash it a little away from the firepit. If someone finds it and uses it, great. Otherwise, it's super nice to come to a site and see wood just ready to go. All dead limbs, though, Chums.

Admittedly, these three things are all iffy by some people's standards and I get that.

[RedRoxx44]

My ideal campsite is one that is not seen any traffic and that I can have some seclusion and protection. I do love overhangs, don't have to be deep. I love sitting and watching a storm just outside of my shelter area sweep thru and the lovely clouds and clean air after. Favorites-- a couple of overhangs in Utah and one in the Gila, a mine in Death Valley, a couple of spots in and around the Galiuros.

[xsproutx]

@RedRoxx44
Oh boy. A good overhang is the best. I can think of a couple in the Gila, specifically, that are just *chefs kiss*. Even when it isn't raining, there's just something about them. Probably speaks to the lizard brain where our ancestors sought them out for easy shelter

[Jim]

@RedRoxx44
Oh boy. A good overhang is the best.

I'm glad I know this thread is about campsites and rock shelters, and not libations.

[Nighthiker]

Not a campsite but a large overhang. Located on the road down to Horse Mesa Dam. If a monsoon storm looked promising I would go out and park and enjoy the rainfall from the overhang.

[00blackout]

what are some things that would make you smile through the sweat, dirt, and blood of a long day?

Had to remind myself we are talking about backpacking here.