Definition of "Primitive" vs "Tent Only"
I recently got into quite a discussion with US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) personnel at Canyon Lake, TX, over what the word "primitive" means in describing a campground. I've always felt that "pri...
Forum Discussion
I have camped off the grid on both sides of the US and primitive means different things comparing these two general locations...
Here on the East side it is most often a Natl Forest service road and maybe get a 100 yards off the road somewhere nestled into some woods cover... Very few dispersed camping locations where we go...
One popular spot near a spot called FLAGPOLE KNOB you can find all kinds of campfire rocks situated here and there... I run up on a couple of 2x6's with a large hole cut out in the middle... This was obviously for siting on top of a 5-gallon bucket... I guess you bring your bucket here haha...
Out west it is totally different - We lived out that way in Arizona back in the early 60s-70s.. We would load our Jeep and utility trailer with tent camping supplies and usually a small group would head for the high country and stay out a good week or so... You could pretty much setup camp anywhere you want. Everything out that way always belonged to the BLM...
Now when I visit those areas now you see very few Tent campers and mostly OFF-ROAD campers much like mine, alot of TCs and some Class Bs... Then at the edge of off-road trails you will see bigger trailers and motorhomes... There are usually facilites somewhere in the mix where you can find a fresh water spigot and primitive toilet setup. Usually several miles from where you end up at...
Most often these places have a money donation drop box situated on a in/out trail location...
The Apache Trail NE of Scottsdale AZ was a favorite place for us. We had all kinds of Jeep trails back in the Superstitions... Everybody always looked out for everyone back then...
I never knew what we was suppose to call that kind of camping... It was really just called off-road camping actually... We had great times with our wives and friends that came with us...
Roy Ken
Here on the East side it is most often a Natl Forest service road and maybe get a 100 yards off the road somewhere nestled into some woods cover... Very few dispersed camping locations where we go...
One popular spot near a spot called FLAGPOLE KNOB you can find all kinds of campfire rocks situated here and there... I run up on a couple of 2x6's with a large hole cut out in the middle... This was obviously for siting on top of a 5-gallon bucket... I guess you bring your bucket here haha...
Out west it is totally different - We lived out that way in Arizona back in the early 60s-70s.. We would load our Jeep and utility trailer with tent camping supplies and usually a small group would head for the high country and stay out a good week or so... You could pretty much setup camp anywhere you want. Everything out that way always belonged to the BLM...
Now when I visit those areas now you see very few Tent campers and mostly OFF-ROAD campers much like mine, alot of TCs and some Class Bs... Then at the edge of off-road trails you will see bigger trailers and motorhomes... There are usually facilites somewhere in the mix where you can find a fresh water spigot and primitive toilet setup. Usually several miles from where you end up at...
Most often these places have a money donation drop box situated on a in/out trail location...
The Apache Trail NE of Scottsdale AZ was a favorite place for us. We had all kinds of Jeep trails back in the Superstitions... Everybody always looked out for everyone back then...
I never knew what we was suppose to call that kind of camping... It was really just called off-road camping actually... We had great times with our wives and friends that came with us...
Roy Ken
