Off the beaten path

[Airborne33]

I lived in North Carolina for some time while at Fort Bragg. The Smokies weren't exactly a stones throw away fromthe base but a friend of mine and I used to drive down, hike up the trails and go camping in an area that was pretty secluded. This was an area that you could expect not to see any children since it was a real pain in the butt to make that hike. It was really relaxing and I am looking to go camping by myself or in a small group where we can be kinda far away from loud kids and roads.

Does Anyone know of any places that might be what I am looking for? I like the wilderness and like the idea of biulding a simple shelter out of a poncho having a small fire and just kinda rough'n it for a day or two.

 

[patience0830]

State forest

I lived in North Carolina for some time while at Fort Bragg. The Smokies weren't exactly a stones throw away fromthe base but a friend of mine and I used to drive down, hike up the trails and go camping in an area that was pretty secluded. This was an area that you could expect not to see any children since it was a real pain in the butt to make that hike. It was really relaxing and I am looking to go camping by myself or in a small group where we can be kinda far away from loud kids and roads.

Does Anyone know of any places that might be what I am looking for? I like the wilderness and like the idea of biulding a simple shelter out of a poncho having a small fire and just kinda rough'n it for a day or two.

Morgan Monroe S/F south of Martinsville. get on the IDNR partion of IN.gov. There is a wealth of info on the different state forests.

 

[SideArmed]

If you are up for a little drive, I say make your way down to the Red River Gorge area in Kentucky. Tons of hiking trails and backcountry camping around there. Plus the area is beautiful.

 

[spearheadersarge]

I would definietly reccomend going to Red River Gorge! That place is fantastic. There are numerous hiking trails and you can pretty much camp anywhere. If you wanted real seclusion just make sure you are well off the roads and big attractions. Lots of great geography and even rock climbing in the area.

 

[westfork]

hoosier national forest is the old standard around here.

backpack in the deam wilderness: easy to get there, trails are decent, can be a lot of people on the trails on holiday weekends but keep in mind you can hike away from all that and stake out your own claim. lakeside camping (lake monroe) is a popular and enjoyable destination in the deam. pack out everything you pack in.

all other parts of the hoosier national forest: get a good topo map and you can seclude yourself very easily. be particularly careful not to wander onto private property as there is some dispersed throughout the HNF. you can target shoot in the non-wilderness designated part of the HNF as long as you do so safely. also pack out everything you pack in.

once you get your hands on a good map you will be excited to just go out and tromp around. we use one that is published by national geographic. i see these for sale at a lot of outdoor related stores.