Burning Man 2014: Where to Camp and How To Send A Letter to Black Rock City NV

So you’re going to Burning Man?

Do you know your address yet?

If you want people to be able to find you, or you want to get snail mail via the Black Rock City Post Office,

 you need an address:

Your Name (playa and photo id name)
Contact Phone Number (recommended)
Camp Name
Camp Address
C/O BRCPO
Gerlach, NV 89412

In order to have an address, you need to figure out the general area where you want to camp.

So where should you camp?

If you’re affiliated with one of the 1000 accepted theme camps, placement has already sent your camp a letter with your general address. Learn more about Theme camps here.

For example, the Camp of the Space Wanderer –my camp– is located in the 6 o’clock sector at Cinnamon and Rods Road, pictured above. That’s 6 o’clock leading out from the center of the eye (center camp) going left out to the entrance/exit.  Rod’s Road is the exterior circle. If you come looking for us, we’re on the 530 side of Cinnamon (not the 630 side).

Here’s my address if you want to send me snail mail:

Art Predator aka Gwendolyn Alley
The Chrono-Synclastic Infundibula:
Camp of the Space Wanderer
Rod’s Road and Cinnamon and 5:45
C/O BRCPO
Gerlach, NV 89412

For many, many years now (since 1998!), the streets that radiate out from the Man are aligned with the hands of a clock: from 10-2 is reserved for art, with the Temple at 12, and major sound camps at 10 and 2. So if you LIKE big sound, camp out there! Toward 6pm, it’s usually quieter; Kidsville and Hushville are usually around 5 and 530 and on both sides of 6 going from center camp to the perimeter are theme camps as well as camps for staff and volunteers.

Black Rock city streets revolve and radiate like waves in a circle around the Man evoke the theme AND the best years offer an easy intuitive way to know whether the street is toward The Man or away from him–yes, alphabetized, or in some years, the order of the planets or the order of parts of the body from head to toes.

The street that is the hippest, most happening, and that faces out to the Man is always the Esplanade; it is a ring of theme camps. Then, in alphabetical order, the streets this year are:
Antioch
Basra
Cinnamon
Darjeeling
Ephesus
Frankincense
Gold
Haifa
Isfahan
Jade
Kandahar
Lapis lazuli

An interesting collection of stones, tea, incense and cities, yes? Download the PDF version (80k).

You might also choose to camp near a favorite theme camp or where activities will be held that interest you. Those are the  grey shaded areas on the map above; green is reserved for folks coming by Burner Bus.

IF YOU ARE NOT OFFICIALLY AFFILIATED with a Theme Camp BEFORE Burning Man, don’t expect to be able to camp in the shaded areas! Those are RESERVED for theme camps! (They may have some extra real estate –so it is worth asking!)

Here’s a link to the list of theme camps for 2014; note this is a list of camps that applied for placement as well as links to their websites

The PRINTED What, Where, When guide lists activities that have been submitted before it is filled up; these are given out at the gate. The Guide has limited space so once it is filled, it is filled, and it has long been filled.

The most complete guide to playa events is here and it will continue to have events added to it until the very last minute! Consider printing it and reading it with a highlighter while you travel to Burning Man.

AND Here’s an unofficial map of where all the theme camps will be placed if all goes somewhat as planned! Check this out!!! It is really cool. Really. Cool.

PLEASE NOTE: Pins DO NOT equal reserved space. These are approximate locations for registered theme camps who have volunteered to share their location. Remember, only the official Burning Man Placement Team determines the location for Theme Camps. If your camp has been placed, you must ask the gate to let your Placer know you’ve arrived so they can place you. If you are not in an officially placed camp, be careful not to set up inside the blue flags of placed camps. If you are unsure, find and ask Placement to help you!

To add your camp, please submit your Camp Name, Address, Description (optional), and image URL (optional) to unofficialburningmanmap@googlegroups.com

This way your friends can find you and send you mail–remember your mail box for deliveries! Here’s ours on the road to BRC in 2013; we’re planning on painting it to go with our theme camp for this year.

Are you going to Burning Man 2014? Where are you camping? If you are, please come visit! And if you aren’t,  please send us mail!

NOTE: This is the first in a series of blog posts about Burning Man 2014. Don’t miss out–subscribe today!