BOONDOCKING 101 - RTR 2021 PRESENTATION
Natalie and I have been living in our van and driving around North America for 2 years. That’s 730 days/nights on the road and we’ve only paid for a campsite 3 times. How is that possible? We boondock!
Boondocking is our favorite way to camp and I am so excited to be sharing my knowledge and experience with you all in this blog.
Prefer a video version?
Check out my full presentation on the Homes On Wheels Alliance YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/c/HomesOnWheelsAlliance
as well as a shorter edited version on the CheapRVLiving Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/c/CheapRVLiving
You can also check out a short video on our Lets Play Ride And Seek YouTube channel as well. This one is especially helpful for a more detailed review of the app iOverlander:
WHAT IS BOONDOCKING?
So, what is boondocking? If you’re new to the camping scene, there’s a pretty good chance this is the question that’s rolling around in your head right now.
Boondocking is off-grid camping, or camping outside of developed campgrounds or RV parks. It involves heading into the middle of the wilderness—the boonies, if you will—and setting up camp. It’s a quieter way of camping, one that often lands us in beautiful destinations for days or weeks at a time.
This means camping without electricity, water, or sewer hookups. It could also mean you have the luxury of camping without a neighbor in sight, and with some absolutely gorgeous scenery right outside of your door. It also means you will likely camp for free, something we can all appreciate.
TYPES OF BOONDOCKING AND TERMS
Now let’s go over some of the terms associated with boondocking
DRY CAMPING: Boondocking is also called dry camping. Dry because there are generally no water services.
PRIMITIVE CAMPING: On apps like iOverlander, boondocking may be called primitive camping or wild camping. This is the same thing as dry camping.
DISPERSED CAMPING: In forest areas, boondocking is often referred to as dispersed camping, again this means camping outside of developed campgrounds.
WALLY-DOCKING: Staying overnight in parking lots like Walmart is technically dry camping. But we call this Wally-docking or simply overnighting. It doesn’t really capture the essence of boondocking, but if you’re a full-time nomad like us, you’ll probably do your share of Wally-docking.
MOOCH-DOCKING: Similar to Wally-docking, we nomads may find ourselves dry camping at a friends house. Staying in friends or family members driveways is called mooch-docking. Did someone say “hot shower”? Yes please. If you know us, then you know we’ll trade ya a home cooked meal for a shower with an unlimited supply of hot water.
HOW TO FIND BOONDOCKING SITES
If camping out in the middle of a beautiful remote landscape appeals to you, your next question may be “how do I find these spots?” There are several ways to find great boondocking.
Research
Websites for Free Camping
Camping Apps
1. Do your research. Did you know there is a lot of public land here in the USA where you can camp for free? Through research we discovered that in the STATES, Bureau of Land Management Areas (BLM), National Forests and grasslands are hotspots for boondocking.
Bureau of land management, referred to as BLM land, these areas are abundant in the west. Generally You are permitted to camp for up to 14 days at a time on BLM land. These locations can be very remote and beautiful.
National forests and national grasslands across the USA allow dispersed camping outside of developed campgrounds. However, the rules may vary from forest to forest. Some allow up to 14 days, while some limit to 7, we’ve even seen some with up to 21 days! It’s also possible that some national forests may have established dispersed camping sites while others allow you to make your own, as long as you’re the appropriate distance off a main road. Since the rules vary, It’s always smart and responsible to check in with the local forest ranger or check for dispersed camping guidelines online for the national forest you want to visit.
Some wildlife management areas allow free camping but rules vary, so be sure to check in.
Bureau of Land Management - https://www.blm.gov/
National Forests and National Grasslands - https://www.fs.fed.us/grasslands/
Fish and Wildlife Services - https://www.fws.gov/
Public Lands App - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/us-public-lands/id723185418
If all of this info seems daunting to sort through and remember, don’t worry, there are website resources and apps that make it super easy to find boondocking sites.
2. When we first started out we used a website called free campsites.net . You can enter your location and it brings up a map with pins of free sites. It’s pretty good but you will need a good cell service or wifi to use it.
3. We really leveled up our boondocking game when we discovered apps on the phone. There are quite a few apps for finding camping. My personal favorite is iOverlander. This app is super user friendly. Simply open the app, go to the map and see the campsite options. It lists campsites ranging from free dispersed sites (perfect for boondocking), to camper friendly parking lots and also paid developed campgrounds. It coordinates the type of sites with a certain color. Light green for dispersed or wild camping, middle green for parking lots and dark green for developed campgrounds. I love that because then I know to look for the light green pins for great boondocking sites. I also love that it has a filter option, I will filter out the paid campgrounds because we don’t use them, so I only see the free sites when I open it. iOverlander also includes other resources, like places to get water, rv dump stations, propane, etc… It’s an amazing app for the full-time nomad and for anyone looking to find camping.
Most of the sites are user generated. This means that anyone can add a site to the app. Users can add descriptions, reviews and pictures of the site. This is super important. Be sure to read the description, view the pictures and check the most recent reviews. Sometimes a site can change over the years, so it’s good to know what you’re getting into.
Some other apps that will help you find camping are Campendium and Park4night. I personally don’t use these as much, but I have heard from nomads in Europe that they love Park4night and it’s very helpful over there. There have been a handful of times when I have found a site on Campendium that wasn’t on iOverlander but a lot of the times, they have the same sites listed. In my experience, I’ve found that iOverlander generally has more options than Campendium or Park4Night.
We’ve used this app while traveling US, Canada and Mexico and it’s been a real lifesaver when trying to find a place to overnight or boondock.
Apps
Campendium - https://www.campendium.com/
HOW TO PREPARE FOR BOONDOCKING
Now that you know how to find boondocking sites, let’s talk about how to prepare for dry camping in the wilderness.
Remember, boondocking means off-grid camping. There is no electricity, water, or services provided and many times, you’ll be miles from the nearest town or store. This means you need to plan ahead and bring everything you’ll need with you.
WATER- Be sure to have an adequate supply of water for the amount of time you plan to camp. Plan, not just for drinking water, but water for cleaning and bathing as well. Collapsible water containers are a great way to bring extra water while maximizing your storage needs. We knew we would be doing a lot of boondocking, so we installed a 33 gallon fresh water tank in our van. We also carry a 6 gallon portable tank for our bathing needs. This supply lasts us 2 weeks!
FOOD - Of course you’ll need to bring food with you as well. If you’re planning on boondocking for a long time, dry and canned goods go a long way to extend your stay. There are lots of vegetables, like potatoes, carrots, squash… that can be kept unrefrigerated for a week or two.
ELECTRIC - If you want electricity available to you, you’ll want to invest in a solar powered electrical system. There are tons of systems out there, from very simple portable plug and plays to more advanced permanent fixtures. I know there is a class on that this RTR, so check that out for more info on solar.
TRASH - You’ll be responsible for collecting and disposing of all of your garbage during your stay. So be sure to bring a trash receptacle and bags. If you’re camping in bear country, you’ll want a bear-proof bin to avoid unwanted guests in your camp site. We usually carry a large canvas bag and hang it on the back of our van. When we leave our boondocking site, we head straight to a fuel station or somewhere to dispose of our trash.
Safety Tips
When you’re preparing for your boondocking adventure, take safety precautions into consideration. Camping out in the wilderness is an adventure and anything can happen. Be prepared for an emergency situation. An emergency situation could mean a flat tire, a breakdown, an injury, etc...
It is absolutely necessary to bring a first aid kit. Just in case.
Do you take medications? Bring enough for your stay plus a little extra in case something happens.
Have a spare tire or fix a flat kit
Many boondocking sites will not have cell service available. Some may choose to bring a satellite phone or GPS. Or pay attention to when you lose service on the drive in, that way, if you’re able, perhaps you could walk back to that spot in an emergency situation.
Before you leave, tell someone where you are planning to go and for how long. Have a plan in place. i.e. if you don’t hear from me by ____ this date, something is wrong.
There may be wildlife around, observe from a distance. Don’t approach wildlife.
Don’t do anything stupid.
Don’t let the possibility of something bad happening scare you from taking the opportunity to boondock. Take the precautions and know you are prepared and then you can really enjoy yourself!
General Tips
Let’s move on to some more general tips that will improve your boondocking experience.
Most boondocking sites are down a long dirt road. Most of these roads are doable for all vehicles, but it will be a slow, bumpy drive. There are some that are high clearance or 4x4 only. Do your research and if possible, read reviews on iOverlander or other apps to be sure that your vehicle will be able to make it down the road.
Plan to get to camp early. You will be driving down dirt roads without lights. It will be difficult to see in the dark. Also, you’ll want daylight to properly choose your site and set up camp. It would be a huge bummer to arrive in the dark and set up, only to realize the next morning that a better view or site was just a little further ahead.
Have a plan B and be flexible. It’s possible you’ll get to a site and it doesn’t work out. Always have a backup plan and be flexible about having to change at the last minute. For example, we chose a spot on iOverlander that looked great for boondocking. We arrived, only to see brand new “no camping” signs. So we had to go with our plan b, another site that was 30 minutes away. We were happy we left early so we had plenty of daylight and time left to get to this other site. The other site ended up being quite lovely.
Avoid arriving on a weekend. You may not be the only one headed out into the wilderness to camp. These areas are becoming more popular which can mean weekends become busy. If you can , try to arrive Sunday afternoon through Thursday. We had to learn this the hard way a few times. Last year We made the mistake of heading to a blm land site in Sedona, Arizona on a Saturday. There was literally no space left to camp. Every single available spot was taken, so we had to turn around and head to our plan b spot 45 minutes away. It was a real bummer. We’ve always had better luck when arriving to a site early or mid-week.
Be open for an adventure. Unlike developed campgrounds where you make a reservation and know exactly what you’re getting into… boondocking is an adventure! Being open minded and flexible will go a long way into making your boondocking experience more fun. Last year, we were boondocking in the white river national forest in Colorado. We were enjoying our morning coffee under the trees when we heard a commotion. MOOOOO. The sound got closer and closer and then a huge herd of cattle appeared, along with people on horseback and herding dogs. They all came trotting down the road and through our camp. It was a sight to see and a pretty cool experience.
SUMMARY
Boondocking can be an amazing experience if you plan ahead and keep an open mind. We hope that sharing our experience and tips helps you get started on your own boondocking adventure.
Wishing you safe travels and happy camping.
