What does "car camping" mean, in your opinion?

[SteveR]

I'm posting this from my RV on the Markagunt Plateau, where I have solar power, Starlink internet, a queen sized bed, refrigerator, flushing toilet, gas stove and oven, ad nauseum.

That sounds like glamping to me

What's it called when you crash in the pit toilet?

I do know someone who actually spent most of a night sheltering in a pit toilet, after her bivy sack turned out to be rather porous in steady rain while on a cycle tour of the Icefields Parkway.
This is what we call "truck camping". Mobile base camp with queen size pull-out bed, fridge, stove, heater, solar power, and sink with hand pumped faucet. We do spend as much time outside as possible:

 

[Rockskipper]

The pit toilet comment was for a thru-hiker member here who did just that. I give him a hard time about it every chance I get.

 

[LarryBoy]

The pit toilet comment was for a thru-hiker member here who did just that. I give him a hard time about it every chance I get.

The privy bivy is still one step up from sleeping in the porta-john

 

[gnwatts]

I like to go with the car, but not very often. This is about as close I get to car camping.



When I am alone.......

 

[TheMountainRabbit]

I only ever use the phrase "car camping" when in the context of backpacking - when talking to "laypersons" it's just camping. I'll also use the terms "frontcountry camping" and "car camping" interchangeably.

If I'm sleeping in my truck, I just say "I'm sleeping in my truck".

 

[PaulMags]

I actively avoid formal campgrounds unless I'm going with someone who requires a spigot/pit toilet/the certainty of not having to hunt for a site among a maze of backroads.

We like to use established campground similar to you EXCEPT:

1. Road trips.

State Park campgrounds often have showers, which are less expensive than hotels (by far!), and our car camping setup makes it feel like a nice break between more remote trip stretches. Go during the week and the campground typically isn't crowded. Between backpacking trips, we stayed at Cave Lake SP in Nevada for three days in 2019. Ditto, this past December at a Texas state park. Lovely hikes right from the CG, a town on the way to do laundry and buy fresh groceries and a shower every day! Awesome.

2. Some places such as Chaco or Hovenweep make staying in the designated CG more than worth it due to the location.

 

[PaulMags]

Even within the same activity, there's definitely also a difference between "crashing at the trailhead" and going out there with intention of setting up a nice/comfortable/enjoyable camp.

We often do a hybrid - Make a nice camp for one night, and then go backpacking. Doing that tonight, as a matter of fact!

 

[Outdoor_Fool]

What's it called when you crash in the pit toilet?

Freshman year of College.

 

[Jackson]

We often do a hybrid - Make a nice camp for one night, and then go backpacking. Doing that tonight, as a matter of fact!

Did that last weekend, myself. Nice to have a comfortable evening in the woods with good food and drink, followed by some good wilderness time.

Have a great time!

 

[LarryBoy]

We like to use established campground similar to you EXCEPT:

1. Road trips.

State Park campgrounds often have showers, which are less expensive than hotels (by far!), and our car camping setup makes it feel like a nice break between more remote trip stretches. Go during the week and the campground typically isn't crowded. Between backpacking trips, we stayed at Cave Lake SP in Nevada for three days in 2019. Ditto, this past December at a Texas state park. Lovely hikes right from the CG, a town on the way to do laundry and buy fresh groceries and a shower every day! Awesome.

2. Some places such as Chaco or Hovenweep make staying in the designated CG more than worth it due to the location.

Fair point. Particularly important in states (Texas being a prime example) that lack abundant public land.

 

[Yvonne]

for me, it's any time I sleep in my car, in my tent boondocking, or in my tent in a developed campground or campsite.
So pretty much everything that is not backpacking.
I mostly car camp these days but I'm okay with that as long as I can get out for a night

 

[OwenM]

For me, "car camping" means camp is within a short walk of the car, my backpacking gear is in a tote, and I brought a daypack.

 

[Rockskipper]

Then there's @Udink, who goes cot camping.

 

[Udink]

Then there's @Udink, who goes cot camping.

Hey, gimme a break. I had to drive to Cedar City today to do laundry and buy a few groceries. And then I ended up with one bag of ice too many and had to drive a whole 200 yards to offer it to my neighboring campers. It's really rough out here.