Hanging a hammock when you are camping or simply relaxing in the sunshine can be a great way to kick back, watch nature around you and swing all your stresses away as you fall asleep under the sky.
They’re great for keeping bugs out and are sometimes even used to replace your tent in the woods or if you want an extra special experience of camping under the stars.
However, when you find the perfect spot and figure there are no suitable trees, you might be wondering what you could do instead.
You’ll be pleased to know there are ways to hang up your hammock without a tree, and this is what we’re going to cover in this article.
Setting Up
Before you try any of these alternative methods of setting up your hammock when you can’t find any suitable trees, it’s important you know some safety and set up rules.
You need to ensure you are using practical, string straps that are adjustable. The more loops in your hammock the more adjustable it will be.
If you want something extendable, you can also look at a friction-based system that allows you to adjust your hammock to your precise dimensions.
You need to ensure you pick a location with soft ground. This is because you do not want to fall on a bed of rocks if your hammock becomes loose.
You also need to ensure you are hanging your hammock high enough off the ground that your butt is hitting it, yet it’s not so high that if you fall, you would seriously injure yourself.
Finally, every hammock has distance requirements between poles, ranging from around 10-18 feet.
Hanging in this sweet spot allows you to swing safely, rather than constantly be on the edge of collapsing.
Ways Of Hanging A Hammock Without Trees
Hammock Structures
Hammock structures are perfect for hanging your hammock up in a variety of environments.
They are usually constructed of several beams or pipes in a geometrically stable pattern. This allows them to hold a lot of weight, even in a small space.
As a result of this, they can also handle multiple hammocks at a time in one location. This makes them popular in campsites, parks, and sometimes on college campuses.
You can also buy them and pop one in your backyard so you can relax in comfort at any time you please.
Hammock Stands
Hammock stands are a great way to hang your hammock when there is no tree insight and they are purposefully built with an adjustable and reliable structure to make hanging your hammock a whole lot easier.
They are also built to handle heavyweight and therefore safe to use.
You can also choose from a variety of different hammock stand designs, from lightweight and portable to bulkier permanent stands.
Most stands need to sit on flat ground and are built from wooden or metal poles. However, you can buy stands for uneven grounds if you’re heading up rocky terrain or to the beach.
You should always test your hammock stand before taking it camping. Assemble it in your backyard to ensure you know how to set it up first.
Vehicles
Make use of your car or truck!
Both types of vehicles are perfect for hanging your hammock and if you find at least one good tree, a building, or a pole, you can use your car or your truck as a second anchor.
If you do not have access to any of these options, you can use your vehicle and a friend’s vehicle and tie them to each trunk.
If you do end up using vehicles as hammock stands, you need to ensure they can withstand the weight where you are attaching the hammock.
We suggest you start by hooking the hammock to the ball attachment or the bed of your truck, instead of trying more fragile locations such as handles, objects, or doors.
Posts Or Poles
If you can find a pole or a post nearby, they make perfect alternatives to trees.
Since they are so handy and popular with hammock users, they have also been added to a lot of campsites and national parks for visitors to use at their pleasure.
You could even add a pole or post to your backyard and as long as you have the equipment to dig a hole, some concrete, and you have your chosen post ready, the process should be quick and easy.
You need to remember to always use a pole that is big enough to hold your body weight.
You also need to check the construction and make sure it is strong enough to handle the swinging motions of your hammock.
Buildings
If you find yourself camping at a location with suitable building structures, or you are hanging near your house, attaching one, or both ends of your hammock to a building could also work as an alternative to trees.
In a lot of campsites, some pavilions have been installed and designed to specifically allow you to hang a hammock.
Depending on where you are staying, you might also be able to hang your hammock from the side of a cabin or rain shelter.
If you are at home or another suitable location to do so, you might consider using both a pole and a building to hang your hammock.
Alternatively, you might hang your hammock between a building and a vehicle. This gives you even more flexibility.
If you choose to use a building, you need to ensure you are at a suitable location. Ensure there is a strong enough hook or enough wooden supports that can hold a hook.
Boulders
Although this is usually the least popular option, if you ever find yourself camping in a desert or on a mountain, you might be able to tie your hammock between boulders.
To do this, you need to ensure your strap system can maintain friction. You also need to ensure the rocks are tall enough and far enough apart to hang your hammock.
If this is not the case, you might end up hitting the ground when morning comes around.
Boulders tend to be stronger than trees, yet if it starts to rain or you fail to set it up properly, it could be a recipe for disaster. Always test your setup before settling for the night.
Final Thoughts
We hope by reading this article you are more familiar with some alternate ways of hanging your hammock if you ever find yourself in a location without suitable trees.
By hanging your hammock in a more unusual location and manner, you can change things up a bit and still have that relaxing experience in nature you hoped for, without injuring yourself or the nature surrounding you!
