overnighting en route

[nomad]

I have been trying to think of convenient and affordable ways to do weekend cycling trips but the best I can come up with is to find campgrounds and bring a pup tent to sleep in.  Has anyone ever heard of initiatives to allow free camping along bike routes or build lean-to structures, such as those found on the appalachian trail and elsewhere?

[FredHiltz]

Small towns in the western and mid-western U.S. let us use their parks, which usually offer a pavilion and tables. Often there's a rest room and occasionally a swimming pool. They are close to stores, free, and checked by the local cops.

That last point is important. From long, sad experience with trail shelters I know that any shelter within a mile of a road will be thoroughly trashed during its first season and probably burned to the ground by the end of its second.

Fred

[Westinghouse]

I don't know of any shelters, i.e., lean-tos and A-frames, set up for cyclists.

[Pat Lamb]

You might want to check out warmshowers (.org?) to see if there are people willing to host cyclists where you want to overnight.

[John Nelson]

There are a few communities/churches (e.g., Twin Bridges, MT and Booneville, KY) that have built small buildings for cyclists. Really cool. There are many other communities, too numerous to mention, that allow cyclists access to pavilions and/or buildings for sleeping.

[JayH]

if you're out west, I believe you are allowed to camp on BLM (bureau of Land Management) lands... I've done it while hiking in Colorado...

You can camp on the AT on the east but you aren't supposed to bike on the AT...

Jay

[staehpj1]

I have been trying to think of convenient and affordable ways to do weekend cycling trips but the best I can come up with is to find campgrounds and bring a pup tent to sleep in.  Has anyone ever heard of initiatives to allow free camping along bike routes or build lean-to structures, such as those found on the appalachian trail and elsewhere?

Shelters, no not really.  There are a few here and there, but not enough to rely on for much touring.

Some of this has been mentioned already, but..

What part of the country are you in?

In the plains and a lot of the west, staying for free in small town parks is usually no problem.  On the west coast, many state parks in Oregon and California have super cheap hiker/biker campsites.   In much of the east I suspect it is tougher, but along the C&O canal there are free sites every 5 miles or so.

Where ever you are check out warmshowers.org and couchsurfing.org

[nomad]

Good posts, everyone.  Warmshowers looks interesting though I'm not sure I would want strangers staying in my house - maybe they can camp in the yard.  That would actually be sufficient for me to do as well.  Camping in a public spot would be better though, I think, since you don't have to deal with interpersonal issues, which are usually fine but can cause problems.  I'm looking at the central and north Florida areas.  The suncoast trail has caught my interest lately and I'm wondering why a private road company couldn't allow free camping along its bike road.  Of course, wild animals and naughty people could be a problem if security was insufficient. 

[Kittery Rider]

I lived in so fl for 30 years and moved to Maine.  We kayaked, backpacked and rode there.  Not a very warm place  for crashing, stealth camping, or much else for that matter.  Lots of rules and private land.  It was always a problem.  Even paddling in remote areas, same thing.  Never find a cop when you need one till you settle in for a quiet evening in a remote place.