Your own private camping spot

Do any of you have or plan to have your own private camping spot on private land? My new house in Kingsport has two acres with a steep hillside patch of woods in the back of a grassy gently sloped big yard. I am out of the city limits, and one neighbor has a big camper in his yard. (We are scheduled to close on the house before the end of this year.)

I am thinking of putting in a campsite down near the woods. Eventually I might even have water and electric down there, but not for a long time as the distance would make that part costly and hard. I could get a small generator cheaper, but it wouldn't run the AC unit or the electric heat. Still I would have shade, and the lights fans and propane furnace only need the 12 volt system. Another light duty solution would be a couple of heavy gauge outdoor power cords. This would be fine for everything short of the higher amp items.

This would give me a good place to store the camper, and to have a fire ring and a few benches, maybe even a metal roof shed to sit under if it rains. I will have to make a flat spot on that "gentle slope" and put down some gravel or something so it doesn't get muddy or messy. Any suggestions on those two issues are certainly welcome. I suspect that the dirt is shallow with lots of boulder underneath, as the property is on a high narrow ridge.

I was gifted with 33 privacy fence pannels and posts. These are 8 feet by 6 feet, well made and almost new. I plan to use them to make an enclosure for my dogs to have a bit of room to roam. I envision my campsite being between that enclosure and the steeply sloped woods. I will plant something along the fence on the camper side to make it feel less like camping in the back yard.

Of course this is all just planning and daydreaming until about mid year next year. Any suggestions, cautions, comments or photos of fine examples of this sort of thing?

I think that is a great idea. Where are you buying? Give me a "close to" idea.

Butch's nephew used to own a mobile home and it was on the hill below his parents house. He rented it out for a few years after he purchased a house, but then the trailer was getting pretty old. He sold the trailer and they moved it. Now he had a flat spot with some shrubbery around it.

He and his wife purchased a used 5'er and he stored it there. They didn't use it very often and it developed some roof leaks and he still hasn't fixed it but he did some improvements to the property. He has a fire pit, stores his firewood there, and he and friends get together every weekend or so and have a big fire. It works great for them.....but they haven't been camping in 3-4 years.

That might become a problem for you if you have it all right there or you could get you a nice little older camper and leave it in place and have the pup for going places.

It it 4541 Old Stage Rd in Kingsport. You can see it on google maps satellite view or street view.

From Kingsport go east on Hwy 126 toward Blountville/Indian Springs. Just past Kingsport city limits hang a left on old stage road. I will be at the top of the hill on the right.

I wonder what wire size I will need to put power to my campsite. It will be 180 to 200 feet from the house. I don't have to have 30 amp, but it would be nice.

Wow, I did a bit of research online. For 30 amps I would have to run 6 AWG wire at minimum and 4 AWG would be better. It would have to be buried 24 inches deep. That would be too expensive for me. Plus, I could never dig such a trench. My new place is on top of a ridge, which means shallow soil and granite. It is just not going to happen.

If I only want 15-20 amps, which equals a regular household circuit, I can do that with 10 AWG wire. Good old Harbor Freight sells 100 ft 10/3 outdoor cords for $99. The ends they use are a bit suspect, so I could replace those with heavy duty ends for another $25 or so. I will use an old hose reel for a cord caddy, and just run it out to the camping spot when I need it. I can also use this setup for other stuff in other directions, like electric power tools. No trench required, as it will be put away after each use.  

It won't power the AC unit or the electric heat, but would be plenty for everything else. I have been successfully using a 30 ft. piece of 12/3 Romex this way for years, and have even used it for the AC or electric heat. Still, there is a big difference between 30 feet and 200 ft. The new cord will be for a total of 15 amps or less, just to be safe.

Richard wrote:Wow, I did a bit of research online.  For 30 amps I would have to run 6 AWG wire at minimum and 4 AWG would be better.  It would have to be buried 24 inches deep.  That would be too expensive for me.  Plus, I could never dig such a trench.  My new place is on top of a ridge, which means shallow soil and granite.  It is just not going to happen.

If I only want 15-20 amps, which equals a regular household circuit, I can do that with 10 AWG wire.  Good old Harbor Freight sells 100 ft 10/3 outdoor cords for $99.  The ends they use are a bit suspect, so I could replace those with heavy duty ends for another $25 or so.  I will use an old hose reel for a cord caddy, and just run it out to the camping spot when I need it.  I can also use this setup for other stuff in other directions, like electric power tools.  No trench required, as it will be put away after each use.  

It won't power the AC unit or the electric heat, but would be plenty for everything else.  I have been successfully using a 30 ft. piece of 12/3 Romex this way for years, and have even used it for the AC or electric heat.  Still, there is a big difference between 30 feet and 200 ft.  The new cord will be for a total of 15 amps or less, just to be safe.

I am sure your could dig that trench Richard.

Not a chance Tim

I think you ought to get a solar setup and that way, you can "live off the grid". I read about the one from Northern Equipment being a good way to start cheaply, but I don't think it would run your AC or heater, but you never know.

Maybe I should just build a primitive cabin in the edge of the woods, and camp there, saving Miss Danger for road trips.

You know, you are probably right! The thing is, if you get the thing set up like you are wanting, you probably won't want to pull it out to camp anywhere else.

Here's an idea      

You could use some of your fencing, some 4X4s for beams and build you a pretty nice little cabin. You would have to buy some flooring because the fencing probably wouldn't be good for the floor. Ya'want me to design something for you using the fencing. Talk about re-purposing!

Naaa, I have the cabin all laid out in my mind. It will be overdone, not underdone.

Richard,

I have picked a spot that i am going to build a cabin in the future. as soon as i can get the money to get a 4 wheeler because it is way to far to walk and carry stuff. Any how i found some good articles about pepole using pallets they get for free to make nice cabins might want to check tbat out.

JB, that is my favorite price. That's for sure.

I like this small cabin, but a bit more rustic, and with a porch instead of the pergola, and old salvage windows, and a deck off the back.  A "Miss Danger Version of this one. Plywood instead of cedar. http://www.theclassicarchives.com/shedplans/ultimate-garden-shed-plans

The cabin is a great idea. I would like to do that in our forest area in our back yard. You put a lot of thought in this. Keep going!

Dave, I will find a way to do it cheaper, until I start in on my mods to the design.

Dave, if we both build little cabins, we can swap out weekends if we get bored with our own.

Here is another design I like. http://countryplans.com/nash.html
And a site I am lurking in for ideas. http://www.small-cabin.com/forum/index.html
  

Richard wrote:Dave, if we both build little cabins, we can swap out weekends if we get bored with our own.

We could use the trees that will need to be cut down to make the room. Which would make a nice log cabin.

Karen and I have talked about making a place in the woods for the camper. We are on 4 wooded acres and when we go camping it's kind of like moving back to the city for us. I would like a spot for the camper down in the woods but it will probably be a nice large gazebo with a fire pit and build a shelter over the spot where the camper is stored now. We were lucky and the previous owners had a 5er and there was already a spot with 50 amp hookup for us to park ours. Our profile picture is actually us walking up our driveway and the view behind us is what you see from any side of the house.

Darlene, logs are beyond my ability, and it takes a lot of them.

Wow, Ray, those look like nice woods for just such a project.

Richard wrote:Darlene, logs are beyond my ability, and it takes a lot of them.

Me too, but I sure can wish.