Can you imagine hanging hammocks without trees? If not, you will be surprised that lots of awesome ways to hang a hammock are possible even without trees around!
This is the main reason why many people choose places with at least two trees for wild hammock camping. Now, forget about it! If you are going for a camping trip somewhere without trees, I will share some smart tips on how to hang a hammock without trees.
How to hang a hammock without trees
Don’t worry that hanging a hammock without trees is just rocket science. All that you need is something you can use as the anchor points, and a bit more extra knowledge.
Sometimes, it may require a little higher budget, but this point is also optional as it depends on the way of hanging hammocks.
A hammock is quite versatile to hang. Not only two trees can be your anchor points in the hammock camping. With the different approaches, you can hang your hammock almost everywhere!
Can you camp with just a hammock?
When going hammock camping in an area without trees, you need just some extra items and skills. The good knot-tying skills are great pros in hanging a hammock without trees.
Take an extra rope, tree straps, or webbing along with you, and you can use them creatively to attach your hammock.
What can you attach a hammock to?
To choose the most suitable anchor points for hanging your hammock, you have lots of different options:
- Portable hammock stands
- Hammock stand that is designed for a vehicle
- Vehicles
- Rocks
- Fence posts and poles
- Building columns
- Roof joists
- DIY stand hammock structures
- Other creative options
If some of these sound good to you, let’s take a closer look at each of them.
Portable hammock stand
The best and the most reliable way to hang a hammock without trees is to take a portable hammock stand with you.
If you go camping with a portable hammock stand, you don’t have to worry about the trees or any other anchor points at all! You can make a hammock-friendly zone almost anywhere.
Portable hammock stands are comfy to take for a camping setup. They are relatively lightweight and compact, and you will have no problem with setting them up.
No matter if you are backpacking or traveling with your vehicle, it is still a great idea to take a portable stand with you!
What is the best portable stands?
For a backpacking trip, choose a more lightweight model of a hammock stand. Such hammock stands as the Eno Nomad Hammock Stand, or the Kammock Swiftlet Hammock Stand weighs about 15 or 17 pounds.
A good general rule of thumb is to choose hammock stands of under 20-pounds for backpacking trips.
For camping with a vehicle, choose a hammock that stands under 30 pounds in weight. For example, both the Ozark Trail 128″ Portable Steel Hammock Stand and the Tranquilo J6YQ Portable Hammock Stand weigh 28 pounds and can be ideal if you travel with your vehicle.
Portable stands usually come with a carry bag, so they are extra handy to take with you. Besides, all of them have clear instructions on how to set them up.
If you don’t mind taking some extra equipment with you, then a portable stand is the best option for you.
Hammock stand designed for a vehicle
One more smart option is to get a hammock stand that works with a vehicle. Although it fits only for car campers, it is still a great variant.
The ENO Roadie Hammock Stand is quite popular with those who enjoy hammock camping when driving a car. Fasten it securely with your car’s wheels, and create a perfect angle to hang a hammock. It is compact and collapsible, so you can easily set it up or break it apart into 6 pieces.
Vehicles
When you travel by car, you can use it as an anchor point for the hammock structure. It doesn’t work perfectly, but is still good to go.
If you travel in one car, you need a secondary anchor point, such as a sturdy post, building column, roof joist, rock, tree, or any other suitable good attachment point.
If you have two vehicles, you can just hang a hammock between them!
If your vehicle has a roof rack, it is the best anchor point for hanging a hammock. It is very sturdy and placed high off the ground.
Open the car window and roll the window a little down. Tie one of the hammock line ends or webbing around the top of the car door frame. Then, close the door.
Now, attach the hammock end to the anchor point made by the webbing.
Rocks
One more good variant of how to hang a hammock without trees is to use large rocks. It may sound quite weird, but it is relatively easy to hang a hammock on the rocks.
Find the rocks that are at a suitable distance from one another. Generally, they should be 10 to 18 feet apart. Then, make sure the rocks are big enough to handle your weight. Normally, these are large rocks of at least 6 to 8 feet in height.
Then, you have a few options for the hammock setting on the rocks.
The first choice is to tie very long pieces of webbing or hammock straps around the rocks and make strong anchor points.
The second variant of making hammocking anchors is to use your climbing gear. Use cams and nuts to create the anchor points, but make sure that you know how to do it properly. You can get climbing gear in the outdoor gear stores.
Loop the tree straps or webbing around the rocks and tie them with tight knots. Then, secure the hammock ends to the anchor points with 2 carabiners. To hang a hammock at the preferred height, adjust the hammock tension.
Fence posts and poles
If you don’t feel like buying a hammock stand or fiddling with a DIY project, then you have a lazy option to hang a hammock. Use the fence posts and poles in your backyard to fasten the hammock!
This work can seem like a bit of brainstorming, but you can easily find tutorial videos that will show you how to hang your hammock in your garden.
The major point is to make sure that fence posts and poles are of the right height to hang a hammock and double-check if they are stable enough. Then, use hammock straps to fasten your hammock between the hanging points. In general, these posts and poles are always tall enough to hang your hammock above the ground.
This way works not only for your backyard, but is also good for an outdoor adventure. Wooden posts, telephone or trekking poles, and any other round supports are easy to find almost anywhere. Give them a good shake to make sure they are strong enough to keep your weight.
Many national and state parks offer free-to-use hammock posts for campers. As their number is increasing, this option has all the chances to be even more often available in the nearest future.
Buildings or sturdy structures
If your camping place is not completely wild, you can attach your hammock to some buildings or sturdy structures around. Besides, you can hang a hammock in the same way in your backyard.
For a hammock camping without trees, but with some buildings, switch on your creativity for a comfortable hang.
You can place your camping hammock on the concrete columns, or a sturdy banister, using them as two long supporting rails. Just make sure they are strong enough and can’t break down under your weight!
For a good night’s sleep, you need the distance between the anchor points to be at least the length of your hammock plus two feet. If the anchor points are too close to each other, you will give yourself nasty back pain!
You can combine two ways of hanging a hammock without trees. Attach one end to your vehicle’s roof rack, and use the building structure as a secondary anchor point.
If you can find some exposed building parts, such as roof joists, or any other suitable exterior parts, you can make a great hammocking structure to comfortably support you when sleeping.
DIY hammock structures
If no suitable trees, buildings, and posts are around, what about hanging your hammock on the DIY hammock structure?
A DIY hammocking structure is also called “a turtle-dog stand”. Search for more variants of such hammocking structures online, and choose what fits your needs and budget!
The Sunnydaze heavy-duty steel hammock stand is perfectly strong to hold two people inside it and fits camping hammocks between 9 and 14 feet long.
You can make a hammock stand in your backyard. Cement 2 sturdy wooden posts into the ground to create an ideal stand. Then, fasten 2 big eye screws into each post, and you will be able to tie your hammock there. Just secure the hammock ends with the carabiners.
Other creative options
Along with the variants above, you have some more good options on how to hang your hammock without trees.
Playground equipment
If you stop at the unused playground, there are lots of ways to hang a hammock. You can attach it between the slides, on the swing sets, or a soccer goal post. Just make sure they are firmly secured into the ground!
Two picnic tables
Why not use two adjacent picnic tables as the anchor points for your hammock? The key points are to secure them firmly and place them at the right distance from one another.
Under a deck
If you can use any buildings for hanging hammocks, why not under the deck? Its beams are great permanent fixtures where you can tie your hammock. They are safe and sturdy enough to keep your weight.
Can you put a hammock anywhere?
As you can see, the answer is a total “yes”! The hammock itself is quite versatile to hang on many points. In addition, you can get a portable hammock stand to facilitate this task.
How do you find a good hammock spot?
When choosing a good place to hang a hammock, consider the available space.
The ideal setting for a hammock is the place where you can settle two attachment points at a distance of about 12 feet from each other.
In height, the ideal distance for a hammock is 18 inches from the ground. Add the clearance to 6 feet above, and at least 2 feet on either side of it to swing your hammock a bit.
What are the worst choices to hang a hammock?
When choosing the anchor points to hang your hammock on, be attentive and careful. Never try to create anchor points in places that are not safe and sturdy enough.
When attaching your camping hammocks to the cars, avoid such parts as the rearview mirror. As they can easily break down under your weight, you can injure yourself and damage your car.
Use such sturdy parts of your car as a closed car door or a roof rack.
What ropes and knots work best for hammocks?
When looking for a good rope for a hammock, opt for synthetic ropes made of nylon or polypropylene.
Tying the knots is a key skill for hanging a hammock. The Falcon’s knot works the best, but you can also use the shoelace knot, half hitch, and taut line hitch.
Final thoughts
Among the multiple tips on how to hang a hammock without trees, the portable hammock structures are the best. However, you can always do something different.
I hope this article will be useful for planning your next outdoor adventure!
Your Turn
Have you tried any of the ways how to hang a hammock without trees mentioned in the article? Please share your experience in the comments below.
My name is Olivia Kellison. I have been camping with friends and on my own for a long time. For me, camping is a great way to escape everyday life’s chaos. I started this blog because I have always had a passion for the great outdoors, and here I am gladly sharing what I know with other outdoor enthusiasts. It does not matter whether you are an experienced adventurer, or just planning your first trip, my blog will be of great help to you.