What is boondocking?

Boondocking, dry camping, dispersed camping: the differences

RVers use these three terms loosely, but they mean slightly different things:

• Dry campingis the broadest term: any night spent without hookups. A KOA overflow field, a friend's driveway, or a Walmart parking lot all count.
• Dispersed camping is the official land-agency term for camping outside a developed campground on public land, typically on BLM land or in a national forest. No sites, no fees, no services.
• Boondockingis what RVers call dispersed camping in the "boonies": a self-contained rig, a wide-open spot, and nobody collecting a fee.

In practice, when someone says they boondock, they mean they spend most nights on free public land and rely on their own tanks, batteries, and solar. Overnighting at a truck stop is dry camping, not boondocking.

Where boondocking is legal

The United States has roughly 640 million acres of federal land, and dispersed camping is allowed on most of the land managed by two agencies:

• Bureau of Land Management (BLM): about 245 million acres, almost all in the eleven western states plus Alaska. Deserts around Quartzsite, Moab, Lake Havasu, and much of Nevada are BLM.
• U.S. Forest Service (USFS): 154 national forests and 20 grasslands, 193 million acres, including forests in the East (Pisgah, Ozark, Ocala, White Mountain).

Both agencies allow camping outside developed campgrounds unless a sign, a Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM), or a seasonal closure says otherwise. National parks are the opposite: the NPS almost never allows vehicle-based dispersed camping, so plan on a developed campground or a gateway town. State land varies widely: Arizona and Idaho state trust land require a cheap permit, while many eastern states prohibit dispersed camping entirely. Corps of Engineers land is developed campgrounds only.

Beyond public land, the same self-contained skills work at Harvest Hosts farms and wineries, Boondockers Welcome driveways, casino lots, and businesses that allow overnight parking. See our free camping guide for the full list of options.

The 14-day rule and other limits

The default stay limit on BLM and Forest Service land is 14 days within a 28-day period. After 14 days you must move, usually at least 25 miles on BLM land (the distance varies by field office; some forests only ask for a few miles). Rangers do patrol popular areas near Moab, Sedona, and Flagstaff, and repeat offenders get cited.

Exceptions exist. BLM Long-Term Visitor Areas (LTVAs) in southern Arizona and California sell a $40 two-week permit or a $180 seven-month permit covering September 15 through April 30. Some forests near tourist towns have cut the limit to 7 or 5 days. Always read the kiosk at the entrance to a dispersed area; that sign is the rule that applies to you.

Water: the tank that ends your trip

Most RVers run out of fresh water before anything else. A typical travel trailer carries 30 to 45 gallons; a Class A carries 80 to 100. Two careful adults use 3 to 6 gallons a day. Habits that stretch a tank:

• Navy showers: wet, shut off, soap, rinse. About 2 gallons instead of 10.
• Wash dishes in a tub, not under a running tap. Wipe plates with a paper towel first.
• Carry 5 to 7 gallon jugs plus a 12 volt transfer pump so you can refill without moving the rig.
• Know your refill points before you park: dump stations, gas stations, and many city parks have potable spigots.

Gray tanks fill at almost the same rate as fresh empties, and they are usually smaller. Dumping gray water on the ground is illegal on federal land; carry it out. Our dump station guide explains where to empty legally.

Power: batteries, solar, and generators

A single 12 volt lead-acid battery gives you a night or two of lights and the water pump, but not the furnace fan or a residential fridge. Serious boondockers upgrade in stages:

1. 200 to 400 watts of rooftop solar and a 200 amp-hour lithium (LiFePO4) bank: enough for lights, fans, a 12 volt fridge, and laptops indefinitely in the Southwest.
2. A 2,000 watt inverter for a coffee maker or microwave in short bursts.
3. A 2,200 to 3,500 watt inverter generator for air conditioning or cloudy weeks. Most areas ask for generator quiet hours, commonly 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. in some forests.

Air conditioning is the boondocker's enemy. A 13,500 BTU rooftop unit draws 1,200 to 1,500 watts. Most people simply avoid hot months, which is why the desert fills in winter and the mountains fill in July.

Waste and Leave No Trace

A boondocking site should look untouched when you leave. The rules that keep dispersed camping open:

• Use existing pull-offs and fire rings. Do not create new roads or pads.
• Pack out every scrap of trash, including cigarette butts and dog waste.
• Black tanks get dumped at a dump station, never on the ground, not even in a cathole.
• Check fire restrictions. In summer, most of the West bans open fires and sometimes charcoal.
• Camp at least 200 feet from water sources and stay off vegetation.

Areas that were abused get closed. Several popular spots near Sedona and along the Colorado River outside Moab have gone from free dispersed camping to fee-only designated sites for exactly this reason.

Finding sites

Start with a MVUM for the forest or the BLM field office map, then check reviews on apps like iOverlander, Campendium, or FreeRoam. Scout with the tow vehicle before dragging a 35 foot fifth wheel down an unknown dirt road. Cell signal, road condition after rain, and turnaround room matter more than the view. You can also browse free campgrounds and primitive sites in our directory by state, for example Arizona or Utah, to find developed no-fee options when you want a vault toilet nearby.

Frequently asked questions