By Cade Shadowlight
In preparedness and survival circles, we talk a lot about bugging-out. But many folks don't have a bug-out location. What then? Here are six ideas for bug-out locations for people without bug-out locations.
1) A Relative's Place.
Maybe your Uncle George has a fishing cabin in the mountains. Or Great Aunt Ida lives alone in that huge old house on the outskirts of a small town in the Ozarks. Or Cousin Eddie has a small farm in Kentucky. Talk to them about using their place as a bug-out location. You could even stockpile some food, clothes, and other supplies there ahead of time. You don't have to move into the house with them. Perhaps you could park a camper or RV in their driveway or backyard.
It can be difficult relying on family at times, as pride, ego, jealousy, hurt feelings, and old grudges often get in the way. Put aside those petty family squabbles. Besides, Great Aunt Ida is a lonely old lady who will need someone when the SHTF, and Cousin Eddie could always use some extra hands on the farm.
2) A Friend's Place.
Your best friend from high school. Your old college roommate. The guy you used to golf with every weekend before you both got too busy with careers and family. Chances are you know lots of people that have scattered across the country over the years. Its time to look some of them up and reconnect. Perhaps while reconnecting, you can find a "bug-out buddy."
Reconnect first and rebuild those relationships slowly but steadily. Simply calling up an old college buddy out-of-the-blue after many years to see if you can use them as a bug-out location won't work. Rebuild that relationship now. And remember, the bug-out buddy thing works both ways. What if they are the ones needing to bug-out and your location is safe?
3) National and State Parks.
Many national and state parks have camping areas, cabins, or even RV hookups. These could be used as temporary bug-out locations. I've even heard rumors that some survivalists have buried caches of food and supplies near their favorite spots for use when the SHTF. You'll need to scout out locations ahead of time, and prepare accordingly, but these are really good options for those who have no other options.
4) For-Profit Campgrounds.
National and state parks aren't the only camping option. There are lots of private, for-profit campgrounds around the country, offering everything form cabins, to RV and camper hook-ups, to primitive camping. Decide on a general area (or areas) you may want to bug-out to, then start looking for campgrounds. And, for goodness sake, go camping there a few times before you need to bug-out. This will give you lots of practice and insights in what you need to do and to bring with you, when the time comes for bugging out.
5) A Church Retreat.
This is an idea that might work best for a small, tightly-knit church of like-minded folks. The church buys some land in a rural area. It can be used officially as a church campground or retreat, and unofficially as a potential bug-out location for church members. Start using the retreat now, and start making improvements to get it ready for a church-wide bug-out should it become necessary.
A number of churches in my area already have such campgrounds or retreat, some individually and some in conjunction with other churches in their denomination. These church campgrounds could easily be pressed into use as bug-out locations.
6) Group Purchase of a Retreat.
Go in with trusted family or friends to buy a shared bug-out property. I'm aware of three families who joined together to purchase an old homestead that was for sale in the Appalachian Mountains of Tennessee about fifteen years ago. Over the ensuing years, the families spent many weekends and vacation time on the property, working it into a very nice homestead / retreat community that they plan to bug-out to when the time cames..
Final Thoughts
Bugging out without a plan is a recipe for failure. Start now by researching, reconnecting, and preparing. Whether it’s a relative’s farm, a friend’s rural home, a campground, or a group retreat, having a destination in mind, and the relationships or resources to back it up, can make all the difference when disaster strikes. Act today to secure your options for tomorrow.
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