Have a question? Please give us a call at 970-249-3444

Terms of Use  |  Privacy Policy

I much prefer this type of camping over the “hitch toilet” although it is not very “stealthy.” (Submitted photo/Mark Rackay)

I much prefer this type of camping over the “hitch toilet” although it is not very “stealthy.” (Submitted photo/Mark Rackay)

Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in.

A receipt was sent to your email.

My wife and I were walking through an RV and outdoor show in Colorado Springs on a weekend I should have been doing something else, anything else. I am not one for looking at million-dollar motorhomes that I never will be able to afford anyway.

As I staggered through the show, doing my best to look interested, something caught my attention. In front of me was a toilet seat attached to the receiver hitch of a pickup truck. I stared at this in disbelief, and before I could even open my mouth, my wife blurted out, “No. No way and don’t even think about that one.”

I talked with the salesman, and he called it the Hitch Toilet. He explained that no longer will you have to search for a smelly old outhouse or squat behind a bush when you need to take a No. 2. You just plug in the toilet seat and you are good to go. It can be used with plastic bags or a 5-gallon bucket. It is an absolute necessity whenever you go stealth camping.

I thought about this thing and turning my truck into a rolling outhouse. When we went to Denver to visit my wife’s sister and her family, this thing could have really come in handy. Her sister has a small house and only 1 bathroom. No more waiting in line, I could just head out to the driveway and take care of business.

As my wife dragged me away from this ingenious piece of outdoor equipment that I must have, the words “stealth camping” kept clanging around between my ears. Stealth camping has become quite the rage lately and I thought we should explore it some.

Stealth camping can be done with a tent, sleeping bags and a ground cloth, in your vehicle, and even with an RV under the right conditions. The idea is to slide under the radar for an overnight campout in a public or private area without drawing attention to yourself.

During the summer months, public campgrounds can become overcrowded, to say the least. I have seen some campgrounds that look like an overflow from Woodstock, with humanity flowing everywhere. The only fun thing to do in a campground like that is to go to the camp office and watch the park rangers climb the walls.

With crowded conditions in many of the public camping areas, this method of dry camping is really catching on. It can be an inexpensive way to camp since you are not paying for water, electric, or other hook ups like you would at a commercial campground.

Stealth camping has become more and more necessary for some travelers as road trips increase in popularity. When you have to travel through cities and towns that may not be so camping/RV friendly, keeping a low profile makes sense.

Let’s say you want to get away from town for the weekend, but the funds in the bank are limiting the distance you can go. You want to slink into the woods and find a spot that does not attract attention and get away from the noise, hustle and bustle, and people of the city. Head up to some BLM land and stealth camping can be ideal. By staying out of sight and out of mind of other travelers, it can be your own little oasis in the woods for peace and quiet for a couple days.

Make sure you pick a location that is legal. You don’t want to get towed away in the middle of the night or have someone pounding on your camper door at 3 a.m. telling you to move. Be sure to adopt the principles of “Leave No Trace” and leave your camp cleaner than when you found it.

For starters, make sure camp is well out of sight of the road. Don’t put up a tent that is blaze orange in color unless you want to tell everyone where you are. Look for more camouflage and natural colors that blend in with the landscape.

Be as quiet as you can. Don’t set up a loud radio playing rap music to signal everyone where you are. Remember that the noise is one of the reasons you wanted a quiet and peaceful weekend.

My favorite campsites involve water. I like to be right near a river for fishing. Unfortunately, that is the same place every other angler is going to want to be. Better to camp somewhere else and head to the river for fishing and leave when finished.

For those of you that use an RV, the term for this is boondocking or dry camping, meaning no hook-ups. This is my favorite way to camp. I can get by without electricity and cable TV when I am in the woods. I like to take the camper into the back country, far away from campgrounds and people.

Stealth camping can be illegal. There are certain areas which allow people to camp in the woods, at unmarked locations. However, many places have trespassing laws which limit where you can overnight camp. Be sure of the laws before you go.

My wife is not much for the stealth camping. She thinks it is similar to what all those campers at Walmart are doing. She prefers to have more than a sleeping bag between her and the hard ground, like a few floors of a luxury hotel. I think the real reason she is against it is the Hitch Toilet. I would not just use it out camping, but it can come in handy at home too.

Mark Rackay is a columnist for the Montrose Daily Press and avid hunter who travels around the world in search of adventure and serves as a director for the Montrose County Sheriff’s Posse. For information about the posse call 970-252-4033 (leave a message) or email info@mcspi.org

For outdoors or survival related questions or comments, feel free to contact him directly at his email elkhunter77@icloud.com

We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

Copyright © 1998- • Montrose Daily Press • 3684 N Townsend Ave, Montrose, CO 81401 | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Contact Us | The MONTROSE PRESS is owned by Wick Communications.

Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device.

Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in.

Check your email for details.

Invalid password or account does not exist

Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password.

An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account.

Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in.

A receipt was sent to your email.