It’s summertime, and you’ve decided to go camping with friends. But where should you camp? And how do you hang a hammock without trees?
There are many great places to camp, but not every place has trees. In fact, most campsites won’t even allow you to bring a tree. This means you’ll need to find different ways to hang a hammock.
In this article, I’m going to teach you how to make a DIY hammock from scratch using only materials you can find around you in the wilderness. Then we’ll talk about all the options we have to hang our hammocks if there are no trees around to attach them to.
So fasten your hammock straps and keep on reading, my friend.
How to Hang a Hammock Without Trees?
If you want to relax in your hammock and there are no trees around to attach it, you must look for other options to do so. Luckily there are enough options. You can, for example, build your own hammock hanging system, like a tripod.
Maybe you want to keep it simple and bring your foldable ready-made hammock stand.
Another possibility is using your car as an anchor point.
Imagine you are on a rocky beach or high up in the mountains. Now you can use the bigger rocks to hang your hammock.
And if you want to stay at home, there are plenty of options to hang your hammock. You see, there are many ways to hang your hammock without trees. Let’s discuss them one by one.
Build A Tripod Hammock Stand
The handy guys and girls will have a ball with this one. Building your tripod hammock stand takes skill and patience. However, it will give you a great feeling of satisfaction when you finish building one.
Let’s quickly walk through the steps to build one.
To start, choose suitable tree branches that are between three and four feet tall and then cut them into eight-foot lengths. You need three legs for each tripod and on top of the two tripods. That means you will need 7 eight-foot-long sticks or branches.
After you’ve gotten your wooden sticks/legs in order, tie them up using an anti-slip rope. After setting up the 2 tripods, place them 6-8 feet apart from each other to create the perfect distance between them.
To connect two tripod legs, place a connecting stick at the top between them. Now attach the 2 ends of your hammock rope to the top branch.
If the weather forecast predicts bad conditions, protect yourself from rain by putting up a tarp over the top of your 2 tripods.
Finally, test if your tripod creation is strong enough and enjoy. You’ve created your own hammock structure.
It may not be one of the best hammock ideas without trees, but by knowing this method, you’ve given yourself the freedom and knowledge to hang your hammock anywhere, anytime.
Use You Car, Truck, or SUV.
If you don’t have 2 trees available, then this would be an alternative. You can hang your hammock using a secondary anchor point and your car.
The roof rack on top of your car would provide an adequate anchor. If you don’t have a roof rack, you have to be more creative to find the right spot to hang your hammock from. For example, you can open your trunk and attach your hammock from one of the trunk arm lift supports.
Simply choose an anchor point on the body of your car that can support approximately half your total body weight. Now park your car so that the two anchors are far enough apart.
Finally, attach one end of the rope to the tree and the opposite end of the rope to an anchor point on your vehicle.
Use Nearby Rocks
Oftentimes, rocks can be found in some of the most spectacular places, such as high up in the mountains, where you can enjoy the best views, and on beaches.
Pitching your hammock off of rock faces is pretty easy. All you need to do is make sure that your rocks have a decent amount of space between them and that they’re big enough to hold your weight.
In case you can’t find 2 rocks from an adequate distance, just use another secondary anchor point to hang your hammock.
To do so, you’ll need to look for rocks that are about six to eight feet tall. Once you’ve found some suitable, huge rocks.
Find a place where you can put a big nail or peg. If not, use anchors or pitons to attach the ends securely. Once you’ve secured one end of your hammock to the rock, you’re ready to tie off the other end.
To ensure your safety, be sure the rock is large and stable enough. Also, don’t hang your hammock too high. The views might be better, but it could be quite dangerous. As you gain experience, you can become more ambitious.
Finally, you’ll want to keep an eye out for potential hazards. Some rocky sites are prone to avalanches, while others are home to bears and mountain lions. Therefore it’s smart to do some investigation about the area where you are going to hang your hammock.
Use A Hammock Stand
A hammock stand is one way to make setting up a hammock without trees much easier. There are many types of hammock stands. They come in different sizes and shapes, and some even fold down into a compact size for storage and transport.
Hammock stands aren’t always as portable as traditional hammocks and straps systems, and they can take up a lot of space. Some hammock stand designs may be up to five feet wide and ten or more feet long. There are some lightweight and heavy-weight options available.
These stands will be seen more on larger terraces and in gardens. You should definitely consider using your ready-made stand if you’re going camping. Go for a lightweight option, and make sure you pick one that fits easily into your vehicle.
Use (Tent) Posts or Stands
Wooden posts and stands can be found in many places where you want to set up your hammock camping without trees; keep in mind to pick sturdy posts that can carry your body weight easily. A minimum diameter of 5 inches should be enough depending on your material.
Using old tent poles as posts is another great option. You probably won’t need them anymore since you discovered the joy of sleeping in your hammock.
In case you have to place the hammock posts yourself, you want to do the following. Dig two holes at an adequate distance (12-15 feet apart) and make sure the poles are at least 6 feet high. That way, you can create the preferred height of your hammock.
If you’re not able to use fence post mix, you need to dig the holes by sticking the poles in 1 foot deeper than you normally would. Instead of 2 feet deep, secure it with fence post mix, and dig your holes at least 3-4 feet deep.
In case you didn’t know, fence post mix is a fast-drying cement.
When the poles are sturdy, just screw 2 J-hooks in them and secure your hammock. Check if everything is secure, and enjoy your hammock.
If you want to be sure that it’s solid, you might want to give the posts a firm shake. I found some hammock camping sites online where that offer already prepared poles to hang your hammock for free. Easy does it.
Build A Tripod Hammock Stand
The handy guys and girls will have a ball with this one. Building your tripod hammock stand takes skill and patience. However, for the real hammock lovers out there, it will give you a great feeling of satisfaction when you finish building one.
Let’s quickly walk through the steps to build one.
To start, choose suitable tree branches that are between three and four feet tall and then cut them into eight-foot lengths. You need three legs for each tripod and on top of the two tripods. That means you will need 7 eight-foot-long sticks or branches.
After you’ve gotten your wooden sticks/legs in order, tie them up using an anti-slip rope. After setting up the 2 tripods, place them 6-8 feet apart from each other to create the perfect distance between them.
To connect two tripod legs, place a connecting stick at the top between them. Now attach the 2 ends of your hammock rope to the top branch.
If the weather forecast predicts bad conditions, putting up a tarp over the top of your 2 tripods will function as a rain shelter.
Finally, test if your tripod creation is strong enough and enjoy.
It may not be the easiest way to hang your hammock without trees, but by knowing this method, you’ve given yourself the freedom and knowledge to hang your hammock anywhere, anytime.
Use Your Home And/Or Terrace
If you want to hang your hammock at home or on your balcony, there are also various options. You can create anchor points from ceilings, walls, terrace rails, overhanging beams, and so on…
We’ve discussed these options thoroughly in these articles.
FAQ’S CORNER
How deep do you have to anchor a post in the ground?
How to hang a hammock without tree straps?
Why is a hammock so relaxing?
Conclusion
As you see, there are many options to hang your hammock without having trees to attach them to.
We just need some patience and creativity. You are still reading this blog post. That means that by now, you are well equipped with enough knowledge to hang your hammock without using trees.
Meaning that you can hang your hammock anywhere and anytime you want. You can just find your perfect location, hang your hammock and relax.
“TOTAL HAMMOCK HANGING INDEPENDENCE”
Is there a hammock-hanging story or experience you want to share with us?
If yes, please do so in the comment section below.