Google Maps will show you national forests in the US, but the boundaries aren’t always clear, so I recommend using The Dyrt to see maps of all the national forests! Look for flat areas off dirt roads, rocky or gravel spots (as opposed to grass), and small clearings! You can find great spots by just driving around and exploring! But, be sure to only camp in places that have already been camped in – this helps protect the environment, so don’t forge your own path through shrubs and plant life. In national forests, you’re allowed to camp anywhere – unless there’s a sign that specifically prohibits parking or overnight camping, but these aren’t too common, and if you go off the main road, you can usually camp for free. They usually have paid campsites available, but most national parks border a national forest – which offers less developed, dispersed, free options for camping! National parks are the ones that have an entrance fee, don’t allow dogs, and are well developed with bathrooms, overlooks, and paved roads. Some of my favorite free campsites are located in national forests. Once you’re ready to find your free campsite, here are some places to look! Free Camping in National Forests Of course, be smart with whether or not your dog will be safe off leash – but free camping gives both you and your pup more freedom! How to Find Free Camping & Dispersed Sites With dispersed camping, your dog can have a little more room to explore. If you’re bringing a pup along for your camping trip, another perk of free camping is that it tends to be more dog friendly! At paid sites, you need to keep your dog leashed, and there are likely going to be people and dogs around. Finding free camping allows you to take a spontaneous adventure, and you don’t need to worry about reserving a site! For example, campsites in Joshua Tree National Park often need to be reserved months in advance – but you can easily find a free place to camp outside of the park today. Paid campsites in national or state parks usually require reservations, and they can be busy. As any outdoor adventurer knows, the best places are the one that take some work to get to! This can definitely be a perk, but I like the adventures that free camping offers! Free campsites often require some bumpy drives (don’t worry – my van is two wheel drive and there are still plenty of awesome spots that I can get to), but you’re rewarded with great views and beautiful places. Paid campsites tend to be easier to get to, with well maintained, easy roads. Dispersed camping gives you much more privacy! Views & Adventures Paid campsites are more popular and close together, and you can almost guarantee that you’ll have neighbors. When I camp, it’s to get away from the noise – I want to be alone (or with a friend) in nature. Of course, one of the biggest benefits is that you don’t have to pay! Dispersed & Private While paid campsites usually offer a convenient option for those who want a bathroom, water, and maybe electricity, I think free camping is much better! This definitely depends on the person and what kind of traveler you are, but here are some perks of free camping. Basically, any kind of free camping that isn’t in a parking lot or city street! Benefits of Free Camping Wild Camping – this refers to free campsites that are in “the wild.” This term is used pretty loosely though – it can be a site that’s in the backcountry, or a pull out on the side of a forest road. Usually this refers to free ones, but there are also some paid campsites that offer dry camping. Literally, a campsite with no access to potable water. It means free camping, but it can refer to spots outdoors, city street parking, or Walmart parking lots – basically anywhere that you can camp for free!ĭry Camping – many campsites will provide amenities like water or electricity, so dry camping refers to any site that doesn’t have those. This is the term most often used by the NFS (National Forest Service) and BLM (Bureau of Land Management), so you’ll see this on their websites!īoondocking – boondocking is most often used by RV folks and van lifers, but it can refer to any kind of camping. Before we get into how to find free camping, let’s talk about some of the words you might hear! Of course, free camping means you don’t have to pay to stay there – but there are also words like dispersed camping, boondocking, and more that you might hear.ĭispersed Camping – dispersed camping means camping outside of a designated campground, usually out in nature – campers are dispersed, as opposed to close together at an established campsite.
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