Camping in SW - is it safe?
 

I'll be going to the Four Corners for 10 days and camping for 4 of those nights - 2 at Chaco Canyon and 2 at Canyon de Chelly. My traveling companions and I were having a debate the other night on whether or not it will be safe to leave our tent set up during the day when we will be out hiking and exploring? We will lock up our belongings in the car, but it never occurred to me that our tent could potentially be stolen. None of us have camped in a good number of years and never out there (we're all from NE). So I'm just curious if we should be worried about it. I don't know if this is a dumb question, but considering that my car was stolen last week and I never would have thought that would happen (it's an old beater), I guess you just can't tell these days. Thanks!

It's not a dumb question. I've heard only a couple stories about tents being stolen - compared to many many people who haven't experienced that. I don't think it's a major problem at all, although it does happen very occasionally. I don't have any experience with either of your areas, but I've camped in southern AZ and felt totally comfortable setting up, and leaving my stuff sitting there unattended all day.

I wouldn't leave anything of high value in the tent - just the sleeping bags and pads, little stuff like flashlights, etc. You should be fine. The only thing I've ever had to to when I left was flatten my tent to prevent javelinas from ripping it apart looking for food. There was only one campground I stayed in with that recommendation (in Big Bend NP) - if your campgrounds have any recommendations they'll be posted or you can ask the host.

I've never known anyone to have any problems with large equipment like tents being stolen. I have heard of smaller things like camp chairs and stoves going missing though, and stolen firewood is pretty common.

We stow our equipment in our tent, the car, or bear boxes (depending on the equipment and conditions) so that people are not tempted by an easy steal. We also write our name on our equipment in indelible marker so it is easily identified - that seems to be a deterent as well.

Thanks, I will definitely ask the Park Service at both places what they recommend. I can't imagine, especially at Chaco, that someone would steal a tent! I feel better knowing that no one had a strong negative response to my post.

I've been to Chaco but never camped there. We've camped several times at Canyon de Chelly. There is a campground host at Canyon de Chelly and I do belive that Chaco has one too. If I had a tent, I wouldn't have any problems leaving it up during the day.

We put away everything excep an old chair and table cloth to mark our spot, but we do that EVERYWHERE we camp.

Utahtea

I've never camped at Cayyon de Chelly but we did for two nights at Chaco Canyon. There is indeed a campgroud host at the small campground there.

We left our tent up all day with our sleeping bags & pads in it and even left our stove & lantern stashed under the picnic table and all was well.

While anything is possible, Chaco Canyon requires a commitment just to go there and the type of person that would be interested in a visit probably wouldn't want to jeopardize their karma by engaging in petty theft.

For a preview of Chaco go here:

http://www.pbase.com/peterb/co_and_nm_05&page=43

The Chaco Canyon portion of our trip are on pages 21 through page 43 of the gallery the link will take you too.

I hope to return there someday...magical. Make sure to hike the loop trail on top of the mesa to the Jackson Stairs...well worth the little effort it took.

I've camped all over the west for about 20 years now, and I never see anyone put away their tent and gear when camping. It all stays up all day when we/they are hiking, etc. Now, we're not leaving valuables in the tent, but who ever does that anyway?

Something that DOES happen is car break-ins at trailheads. Never leave anything of value in your car while unattended.

"Something that DOES happen is car break-ins at trailheads. Never leave anything of value in your car while unattended."

That's probably my major frustration with camping and hiking. I can't leave anything of value in my tent unattended, and I can't leave it in my car. Which means I have to carry anything of value while hiking. That laptop gets pretty heavy in my backpack (don't scream, I use it to download my photos, not to surf the net in my tent :) ). I usually just leave my valuables in my trunk, because that's supposedly more safe (out of sight).

We have camped in many of the National Parks and left our tent and sleeping bags unattended and never had a thing "go missing". Have a great time!!!!!!

We camped at the campground near Canyon de Chelley, but that was almost 20 years ago. At that time the campground was completely fenced in, with a ranger checking IDs at the gate. There was talk of pilfering and roaming dogs, which is why the campground was so strictly controlled. The situation may have changed.

Chaco Canyon is far from any residential area or decent road, so the chances of someone going there to case the joint and take what might interest him is much smaller. Still, leave no valuables in the tent.

As to warnings by the park service: On our way to Chaco Canyon we camped in a very desolate area overlooking a badland. We pitched the tent and drove back 20 miles or so to Aztec Ruins. When we told the ranger where we were camping, he said that we would be lucky if our tent were still there upon our return to the campsite. But in fact, nothing happened. In all our years of camping all over the West and several times in the Southwest, we have never had any problems.

I don't think the trunk is safe, based on comversations with cops after my car had been broken in to. In fact, I'm pretty sure I've been told that's someplace they often look first since so many people are under the impression that the trunk is safe. If I had to carry around something as valuable as a laptop, I'd stay in a motel, where it would be relatively safe during the day.

We have camped a lot in the SW and never had any problems in the Nat'l Park campgrounds. As mentioned before, do not leave anything of value in your car when parking at trailheads. Have been incidents of break-ins and theft. One note for tent campers: Use long, heavy duty tent pegs as the ground can be either very hard or very sandy. The winds can come up and take your tent into the next State. Also, beware of waterflow indications. May be very dry when you set up but flash flooding is common so don't use the low spots or what may be a water course during heavy rain. Enjoy every minute. You can not take enough water so load it up when you can.

Just got back from our trip a couple of days ago and all went well with camping. Peterboy - you're right that Chaco requires a commitment to get there and that the type of person who would steal from someone's camp probably wouldn't make the effort. I loved the campground there though and would highly recommend it! We also did a ranger-guided night walk at Pueblo Bonito and that was the coolest thing ever! So magical and spritual to be in such a place and you could really get a sense of what it might have been like 900 years ago. We did not end up camping at Canyon de Chelly b/c the grounds there were ant-infested and we did not feel like dealing with it after long days of hiking so we found a room at the Best Western in Chinle - the jacuzzi and sauna were well worth it!

unsafe at Chelly...go with the Navajo guided over night tours or stay in town....terrable camp grouds, out house bathrooms....Chaco, excellent...working bathrooms but water not for drinking..one of the most pleasent areas to camp...would visit Monument Valley down the road from Chelly to camp also....excellent place with big bath house and soft sand for sleeping on...many Kodak moments..I am Dine or Navajo, I am sad to say that Chelly is such a bad area, lot of petty theft...but take the tours in the canyon with the native guides, you will be impressed...then ask them about the situation, they will be honest with you and you will be glad you played it safe...please ask me any questions you may feel you need to ask