Going Dispersed Camping: the Planning Stage

We are planning out our first real, truly primitive camping experience! We wanted to try doing dispersed camping, which is a term basically meaning, "camping wherever I want out in the wild, and not having to pay a reservation fee."

Finding a Spot

Now, obviously, if you disperse camp on private property, you need to have permission; otherwise, owners/keepers of the land may chase you off-site with due diligence, and possibly a firearm. Finding a camping spot in a national forest or state park is, therefore, your safest bet.

WARNING! When you are dispersed camping, make sure you are not camping in game areas during hunting season!

We narrowed down our target to the Ocala National Forest: it's big, it's wild, and there are innumerable waterways and lakes from which to fill up our filtered bags. As a bonus, we might be able to do some kayak camping! Having decided on that forest, I did the research for a spot that fit our criteria, and ended up with this little area on the map.

Going Camping! Behold, the Mess

This is what our living room looks like the day before leaving on a camping trip. Randy has been adding modifications to the Lifetime Fishing Tandem (I'll do a separate post on those mods, later).