Hammock friendly campsites

[JackieK]

Thanks for the information. I have a light 2 person tent I have shared with my grandaughter but my 6 ft. teenage grandson may not be comfortable sharing such close quarters with his granny. His choice may be that or sleeping out on the ground though.

[Ingo]

re Feldtmann Lake, I would not hang a hammock across any path from the campsite to the lake--the moose use them--a lot from what I saw.

[huntertim214]

Watch out for hammocks on birch trees - birch trees, especially when old, are very brittle and a hammock has been enough to cause them to snap off - I think I recall a person was badly injured by a falling tree at one of the backcountry campgrounds within the last couple years. Hatchet Lake is pretty much all birch trees......

This is true, we just talked about it last week with someone that lives on the island. It was a group of young girls I believe and they were hanging a hammock and one of the birch trees fell on them and at least one had to be airlifted off the island with a potential broken back. Crazy story... that might be what drove some if the newer regulations.

[paulbates]

Thanks for the information. I have a light 2 person tent I have shared with my grandaughter but my 6 ft. teenage grandson may not be comfortable sharing such close quarters with his granny. His choice may be that or sleeping out on the ground though.

I just got a kelty tent that will just do for me at 6'5" and my daughter near 6'. I'm hoping for some nights in the hammock, but be ready when I can't legitimately use it.

The thing is having a dry place for your grandson to go if it gets bad at night, worst case scenario.

[ruthwj]

Just returned from my trip to the island an can provide a bit more detail on hammock hangable sites along the Greenstone. Unfortunately due to weather my first two campsites were spent in shelters (Rock Harbor and Daisy Farm). Both appeared to have hangable sites if you can get them. They are busy campgrounds. I also stayed at:

West Chickenbone Lake - used the first site #6 which had at least two perfect hangs with views of the lake.
South Dessor - I would say not hangable at all. The entire campground is birch trees. I was able to find two closely spaced aspen in one of the group sites, but someone wanting to hang should not plan on it here.
Washington Creek - There are several sites here that are hangable. One should just know that this campground is used heavily by moose so be prepared that you could wake up to a visitor or two.

I had also planned on staying at Hatchet Lake and Island Mine, but was more ambitious than I'd expected and bypassed both so I can't report on hanging in either of those.

[hooky]

South Desor site #2 is hangable.

[paulbates]

Hi, I've poked around here as well as youtube videos gathering suggestions for hammock friendly campsites for where we're going. I've found pointers to site numbers at our destination campgrounds, except:
- Little Todd
- Hugginin

Any good known hammock friendly site # suggestions for these 2 campgrounds, that someone that's been could suggest? Thanks!

Paul

[paulbates]

Hi, I've poked around here as well as youtube videos gathering suggestions for hammock friendly campsites for where we're going. I've found pointers to site numbers at our destination campgrounds, except:
- Little Todd
- Hugginin

Any good known hammock friendly site # suggestions for these 2 campgrounds, that someone that's been could suggest? Thanks!

Paul

Here's what we found:

Little Todd: Site #3 is very generous and 2 can easily hang there and set up a decent size tent.. includes its own very nice site fire ring setup with log seating.

Hugginin Cove: Site #2 - we didn't hang here because of the weather when we arrived. While it's a little cozy, it can accommodate 2 hanging and set up a 2 - 3 person tent. It includes a smaller site community seating area... fires not allowed, but you can hang out - cook, eat, filter etc there

Paul


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[swmoore]

Just got back from a trip last Friday and here's what I found that can add to the discussion:

Hanging hammocks along the trail for breaks is still permitted according to the ranger that did our orientation. The new policy is very clear that hammocks cannot be hung outside of shelters, although I did see it happening a few time by people who clearly weren't sleeping in them. Although now that this season is almost over who knows what will happen by next year.

One thing to make sure you do before you go is learn how to differentiate between aspen and birch if you don't already know. Aspen are fine for hanging, birch notsomuch. I'm a big guy so I'm not testing my luck on a birch tree, everyone takes different risks though.

Here are the campgrounds I stayed at and how each fared in the hammock area:

3-Mile: Site 7 had a good hang and a long hang. Did the good hang as it was right on the water. The other individual sites didn't have any readily evident hangs at all. Trees too close for the most part.
Lane Cove: Campsite 4 is PERFECT for a solo hang. Amazing site. One or two other hangs at that site. #2 has some potential long hangs. #3 was occupied so I didn't poke around. 1 and 5 could work if you wanted but 4 was so good I only glanced at them.
McCargo Cove: Sites 1 and 2 both have 2 or 3 hangs. Downside is that the tent sites are so far up that damn hill. Lost some of my garbage to a squirrel that chewed through my 2nd food bag though. It tried and failed to get into my ursack (the rodent and bear proof one) though. Glad I took that along. I'll definitely be buying one of their "rodent but not bear proof" sacks for next year's trip to the island.
Moskey: Individual sites looked to have 1 or 2 good hangs in each. Spent the night in a shelter.
Daisy Farm: Site 15 has 2 good hangs although the better of the 2 would involve blocking the route through the site from a game trail so I took the one that was more of a challenge in terms of setting up my rain fly. Site 16 has a good hang although the trees looked a little thin from the perspective of my 290# body. A young woman hung there one of the nights I was there though. Site 19 looked like it had a good hang between 2 spruce until I realized one of them was only green way up on top so I didn't chance it. Site 2 had people hanging in it one night but it's a horrible site in my opinion right on the Daisy Farm trail and next to that picnic shelter. Sites 3 and 18 didn't look hangable at all.
Rock Harbor: Got lazy again and took a shelter. Looks like many of the tent sites would be good though.
Chippewa Harbor: As previously mentioned, you have to hang at the entrance to the individual sites. I spent the first night there in the group site which has at least 2 good hangs and when a group showed up on my 2nd night there I moved to an individual site and it was fine. After getting woken up to a moose grazing through the site on its way to and from the lake for a drink on my 1st night I was fine with moving!

Was going to stay at W Chickenbone and Lake Richie but with algae blooms in each I pressed on those days. W Chickenbone does look pretty hammock friendly from what I saw hiking through it. The sites at Richie are off the trail so I have no idea what hanging potential was like.

[paulbates]

Just got back from a trip last Friday and here's what I found that can add to the discussion:

We stayed at McCargoe too. We had our pick of the 3 sites and ended up following the previous advice of site #2. The trail to the central fire ring / dock is a a little long, a little rocky and changed my mind to definitely bringing sturdier water shoes for camp next trip.

The advantage of the distance to the tent sites is that it gives some space from the shelters and privy... its better than being right next to those.

Thanks for providing the details about the various options at the sites you visited, definitely helpful for future trips.

Paul

[markcw4747]

Hi All,
just wondering if their are any new thoughts on Hammock camping on the island. I read thru the posts all valuable info. I'm planning my first trip for early June 21 and just looking for any updated info.
Mark

[Base654]

If you follow the rules, nothing has really changed. I carried a hammock for a couple years and was only able to hang it a few times while following all the rules. I see many people hanging at shelters and off the pad at camp sites, both outside of the rules.

[IncaRoads]

Hammocks: In campgrounds, hammocks may only be used within the existing impacted area of designated tent sites and not in the surrounding trees. Hammocks may not be hung at shelter sites or inside shelters. Permissible hammock locations may not be available; plan on bringing a tent. Choose trees with care; many cannot support a hammock. Hammock use must not damage trees.

[TopCarrot]

Hi All,
just wondering if their are any new thoughts on Hammock camping on the island. I read thru the posts all valuable info. I'm planning my first trip for early June 21 and just looking for any updated info.
Mark

The last couple years one or two of our group have mocked. It takes a little planning and site selection but they have never had an issue with finding an approvable spot. If you get last pick on campsite it might not work out.

[backwoods doc]

Is mocking allowed on this forum?