#Boondocking rv resources how to
#Boondocking rv resources free

↠ Stealth Camping: This term got its popularity with the rise of #vanlife, where people would park their relatively “discrete” looking campervans in mostly urban areas such as neighborhoods, parking lots, scenic overlooks, etc.

#Boondocking rv resources free

↠ Backcountry Camping: We occasionally hear this term to describe free camping, but we think of it as applying more to wilderness backpacking. However, it does accurately describe the fact there will be no available water, which is the case at just about every free camping location we’ve visited. ↠ Dry Camping: The term dry camping is similar to boondocking, but we hear it less often. This term is used a lot on personal websites and forums. Everything from camping in a national forest to spending a night at a Walmart can be considered a form of boondocking. ↠ Boondocking: We hear this informal term used most commonly among RVers, road trippers, and other long-term travelers to refer to all manner of free camping. If you’re going to call up a ranger station to ask (something we highly recommend), use the term dispersed camping and they’ll know exactly what you’re talking about. If you’re reading a US government website that refers to dispersed camping in an area, they’re talking about camping in non-developed areas usually without a daily fee. ↠ Dispersed Camping: This is the official term used by the National Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to describe free camping. Here are some of the more common ones we’ve seen: There are a bunch of names used to describe different types of free camping. Of course, nothing is free and most locations are taxpayer-supported (more on that later), but there is no cost to the individual user on a per-night basis. Leave No Trace Principles For Dispersed Campingįree camping is exactly what it sounds like: a place you can legally camp without having to pay a fee.What To Pack For Dispersed Camping Or Boondocking.

#Boondocking rv resources how to

From what to expect, what to pack, and where you are allowed to camp for free, and most importantly, how to find it. Now that we have a little more experience with free camping, we decided to compile this guide to help anyone who is just starting out.īelow, we’ve outlined everything you need to know about free camping. Little did we know, we were right next to some of the most epic free camping in the state! The next day, we drove straight to San Francisco to stay with a friend. We couldn’t find anything definitive and in desperation, we ended up nervously sleeping in a pullout. On our very first night out, we remember pulling off on the side of the road in Big Sur and frantically searching on our cell phones for the rules of dispersed camping in the National Forest. We know what we’re doing now, but when we left on our first road trip, we were completely clueless. There are a ton of free camping options out there -you just need to know where to look. Whether you call it dispersed camping, boondocking, dry camping, or wild camping, the end goal is the same: a place to enjoy the outdoors without having to pay a daily fee. Instead, we’ve gotten very good at finding places where you can camp for free.

If we had to pay the usual $20-$30 per night to stay at established campgrounds, we would have gone broke long ago. One of the most frequent questions we get asked is “How do you afford to pay for campsites every night?” We spent a total of three years living on the road full-time and have traveled all over the US and Canada. We’ll show you how! A campsite we found this summer near the Tetons-and it was FREE! Thankfully there are many places where you can still camp for free-the trick is just knowing how to find it.