[cryptobrian]

One thing that worries me is what to do with them at night. Do I make a "lean-two" with a tarp? And if I do will my goats be climbing all over my tent at night? Do I tie them off on a hi-line? Or will they be very uncomfortable all night long like this.

I would like to let them roam free, but I worry about my tent. I also worry about them taking off for the trail head when it gets close to dark.

I always highline and have never had an issue with the goats on highline. They will lie down and be just fine. But that said, I would setup and use the highline at home while under your watch to get them used to it. I have one goat that initially would like to stand up and play with the line. I just put it high enough that he can't reach it and use a static rope so it does not stretch (much) ... at some point he has lost interest as he really ignores it these days, even when I have to hang it lower. The rest of the goats have never bothered with it.

If rain is in the forecast, I use a lightweight silnylon tarp, attached directly to the highline (or above) and anchored to other trees or to the ground. There is a photo to the bottom right of the forum page here that shows a couple of goats under a tarp. That is pretty close to what I do, though I put the highline considerably higher.