Car vs. Zone Camping

[vbb]

What kind of camper are you—a car camper or a zone camper? What’s the difference, and why should you care? Let’s see a few pointers.

Fist off, car camping is when you drive to your base camp, set up you tent and campfire and whatnot, and then all your walks, hikes, and other activities are based from where you parked. Zone camping is a fancy way of saying backpacking. In other words, you camp for a couple of days or more, only taking with you what you can carry on your back.

http://www.visitbigbend.com/site09/en/news/big-bend-blog/498-car-vs-zone-camping.html

[Tars Tarkas]

car camping is when you drive to your base camp, set up you tent and campfire and whatnot, and then all your walks, hikes, and other activities are based from where you parked.

  I'm almost exclusively a car camper, but I disagree with that definition at least a little bit.  If I camp at Chisos, that doesn't mean I'm stuck at in the Basin.  Most likely my day will be spent at Santa Elena, Hot Springs, on the River Road, or even in Alpine.  And, while more than likely, I'll come back to Chisos for the night, there's nothing to keep me from picking up the tent in the morning and spending the night somewhere else, more than likely beyond walking distance of Chisos.  So my activities are less based on where I parked than  zone campers are based on where they slept.

[chisos muse]

What kind of camper are you—a car camper or a zone camper? What’s the difference, and why should you care? Let’s see a few pointers.

Fist off, car camping is when you drive to your base camp, set up you tent and campfire and whatnot, and then all your walks, hikes, and other activities are based from where you parked. Zone camping is a fancy way of saying backpacking. In other words, you camp for a couple of days or more, only taking with you what you can carry on your back.

http://www.visitbigbend.com/site09/en/news/big-bend-blog/498-car-vs-zone-camping.html

For all of the first timers here or anyone that may not already know, campfires/ground fires are not allowed in Big Bend National Park. It is so dry there right now I'm not even sure that you may use a charcoal grill in the Basin campground. Be prepared with fuel stoves if you will be cooking. Always check with the folks at the visitor center or camp host if you are unsure. Big Bend Ranch SP used to allow some ground fires but am not sure now. Always check before proceeding....

[jeffblaylock]

car camping is when you drive to your base camp, set up you tent and campfire and whatnot"....

Campfire? You must be referring to the State Park.

[Cookie]

Zone camping is a fancy way of saying backpacking. In other words, you camp for a couple of days or more, only taking with you what you can carry on your back.

When you are backpacking, say on the OML, you are zone camping, because you have a permit issued saying you will be spending the night in a certain "zone" so the rangers can keep track of you.

When you park your car on Glen Springs Rd and hike in 1/2 mile and set up a base camp you are zone camping with a permit also. But you would be leaving the camp to go do things, as Tars Tarkas said, and returning to your base camp at night, as you would with a back country site (or from a campground), you just don't have the convenience of having your car next to the sight. Zone car camping is definitely not my favorite way to camp. I will either backpack, leaving my car for X number of nights to go and hike, or car camp from a back country site.

After re-reading your post, are you comparing car camping to backpacking? If so, two completely different sets of gear. there are very few things I use for both. Maybe my sleeping pad........that may  be about it. It's like comparing snow skiing to ice climbing. both are done in the snow, not the same gear.
 

~Cookie