Where can you Boondock?

[Lonely Road]

Originally Posted by Gordon in Idaho

I think the point is that camping at a Walmart (and many other parking lots) is safe, legal, and a place to rest overnight when you're going from point A (home) to point B (insert favorite camping spot here). In many parts of the continent, hopping from one campground to the next isn't easy.

Gordon

I have chemical sensitivities and a few health issues, so fumes etc. might not be so good for me, but I think I could do it once in awhile.

Also, not sure where dogs would go to the bathroom in a Walmart lot!

What about hopping from one Natl Forest to the next?

Some Natl Recreational areas also allow boondocking.

Also would love some specific examples of good places throughout the country.

Margaret

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by Lonely Road

Maybe boondockers could give examples of some specific places? I'm not very keen on camping at Walmart . . . what's the point?

Margaret

It's because you are not camping, in that sense of the word. These types of parking lot places are for overnight respite and are used to go between other places as Gordon mentioned.

[Raz]

Originally Posted by Lonely Road

Also, not sure where dogs would go to the bathroom in a Walmart lot!


Margaret

That's one reason we've never stayed at a Walmart or a Cracker Barrel, or a truck stop. We like being in a campground where we can go for a walk with the dog, take a shower, meet people, etc. A parking lot doesn't really do it for us. Most places we stay are $20 or less. There are many apps, Allstays is one that comes to mind, that identify local town or county campgrounds that can be quite reasonable. While state parks are getting pricey, NFS and Army Corp campground can be a bargain aswell. Raz

[Gordon in Idaho]

"What about hopping from one Natl Forest to the next?"

Maybe you could, Margaret. Take a look at this map:
National Forest Locator Map

Gordon

[anne myette]

We have been on the road for 3 weeks now, traveling from Michigan to Vancouver, BC. Over half the nights were spent in Wal-mart parking lots. Of course you don't want to do it every night. But this makes it possible for us to be gone so long. National Park, National Forest and 1 private campground along with friends and relatives made it all possible and we're not done yet. 15 days to go. I just read on this about the Cracker Barrels. Hooray! Another choice. We don't stop until evening. We can go into Wal-mart, get a $5.00 deli chicken and have a hot meal with a cold beer before crashing. We feel very lucky to be having this adventure!

[Carl Pa]

Originally Posted by Gordon in Idaho

"What about hopping from one Natl Forest to the next?"

Maybe you could, Margaret. Take a look at this map:
National Forest Locator Map

Gordon

A lot of the times SP and NF are way off the beaten pass, which makes it harder, more time to get from point A to B. The big box stores are mostly on your way, right off your route. carl

[Lonely Road]

Originally Posted by Carl Pa

A lot of the times SP and NF are way off the beaten pass, which makes it harder, more time to get from point A to B. The big box stores are mostly on your way, right off your route. carl

It might be worth it; I don't know, having never done it (at least yet).

Margaret

[k corbin]

Originally Posted by Bluetang99

Unfortunately all the free campsites are all about 2hrs+ from me so it doesn't make sense to drive that far and use more gas to get a free site. When we go out west in the future I'll hope we have more luck.

We were also planning to go out east to the New England states, is free camping just as scarce out there? There is so much unused land around here that it makes me wonder, unless more people willing to pay for sites around here?

here is a video about some free camping opportunities in Ohio

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q571I7aNtzQ

[Gilda]

Try www.Campendium.com for free camping sites.

Consider joining Harvest Hosts www.harvesthosts.com for about $40 per year. They list farms, wineries, ranches (alpaca) and special attractions all over the country where you can camp for "free" in your self-contained RV! All they ask is that you purchase something from the host.

Recently we camped 4 days at three different wineries in Lodi, CA (2 hours from our home). Local campgrounds charge $50-65 per night! We had a delightful time meeting the vintners, tasting wine and enjoying the beauty of the area. Most vintners and farmers have dogs, so yours most likely would be welcome.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Lonely Road

Maybe boondockers could give examples of some specific places? I'm not very keen on camping at Walmart . . . what's the point?

Margaret

Camping and Overnighting are two different things with two different purposes...
While in transit,I'm not very keen on paying to park overnight, stopping late and leaving early. Walmart is excellent since they are usually close to the highway, have security cameras, movie rentals, hot food in the deli (supper and breakfast), fuel nearby,and all the supplies you are likely to need on a trip.Sometimes even WI-FI!
Save your lodging money for when you arrive at your destination.
Fact is we usually leave home in the evening and drive until late, which gives us a headstart on our "vacation".
My point was that if your budget is a little tight, overnighting can help you get better accommodations and better destination stays.

If you overnight one night outbound and one night on the return home and spend two nights at your weekend destination at $20 per night, then your trip average would be $10 per night.
Longer trips and longer stays... you do the math.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Raz

That's one reason we've never stayed at a Walmart or a Cracker Barrel, or a truck stop. We like being in a campground where we can go for a walk with the dog, take a shower, meet people, etc. A parking lot doesn't really do it for us. Most places we stay are $20 or less. There are many apps, Allstays is one that comes to mind, that identify local town or county campgrounds that can be quite reasonable. While state parks are getting pricey, NFS and Army Corp campground can be a bargain aswell. Raz

You make good points.
We have a shower on board and no pets, and while to some, (not you or me of course), it may sound interesting to meet people in the shower, I'm sure the reality would never match one's sweet imagination.... everything looks worse in black&white...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4ltLp30KVs

[honda03842]

Originally Posted by Carl Pa

A lot of the times SP and NF are way off the beaten pass, which makes it harder, more time to get from point A to B. The big box stores are mostly on your way, right off your route. carl

To quote my wife, it's the journey, not the destination. We don't mind wandering a bit to a COE park or a national park, that's all part of the adventure. We travel an a slow pace, trying to see more, not racing from location to location.

We've only stopped at a Walmarts once, just to try it. It works, but it's just not our style to beeline, of course we're retired.

Finally we always feel safe where ever we camp. Now if you read the paper and scour the news you'll find a rare event in a campground, they are extremely rare. Our Caravan to NL we had two members have rig problems where absolute total strangers helped them out.. Most people are nice, Ginny says so....

[ZachO]

Yeah I've skipped the forests and parks when I'm just passing through, pretty often. You can plan ahead, but if you just see a sign and follow it, you might be driving 30-45 minutes before you're to a camp site. That's 1 hour + off your highway. Depending on how you're traveling, that might be ok. For a lot people it's not.

There are almost always patches of grass around Walmart parking lots. The few times I've camped at one, that's where the dog goes to the bathroom.

You'll figure it out. Get out there and travel and you'll understand why people do what they do, and also find out what works and doesn't work for you. Everyone does it just a little differently.

[Lonely Road]

Originally Posted by k corbin

here is a video about some free camping opportunities in Ohio

Hey this is great. That's the kind of information that might be useful to people.

Margaret

[steve dunham]

We were on the road for over 90 days last year . Never camped / overnighted once at a Walmart . It just doesn't appeal to us. The cost of camping is an issue for us as it is for nearly everyone but even though it's free, Walmart is not our campgrounds,of choice.
Considering a nice motel room runs $80 to $140 a night , $25 for a nice campsite at a State or County Park does not seem unreasonable to me.

[Lonely Road]

Originally Posted by Gilda

Try www.Campendium.com for free camping sites.

Consider joining Harvest Hosts www.harvesthosts.com for about $40 per year. They list farms, wineries, ranches (alpaca) and special attractions all over the country where you can camp for "free" in your self-contained RV! All they ask is that you purchase something from the host.

Recently we camped 4 days at three different wineries in Lodi, CA (2 hours from our home). Local campgrounds charge $50-65 per night! We had a delightful time meeting the vintners, tasting wine and enjoying the beauty of the area. Most vintners and farmers have dogs, so yours most likely would be welcome.

Gilda, Those are fabulous ideas!

Margaret

[Lonely Road]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

We were on the road for over 90 days last year . Never camped / overnighted once at a Walmart . It just doesn't appeal to us. The cost of camping is an issue for us as it is for nearly everyone but even though it's free, Walmart is not our campgrounds,of choice.
Considering a nice motel room runs $80 to $140 a night , $25 for a nice campsite at a State or County Park does not seem unreasonable to me.

Steve Dunham, I was looking into camping at one of the state parks at the beach in SC, and it costs $35 to do tent camping, plus more than $50 for RVs! (I was going to go with my tent, but there's now way I'm paying $35 to sleep in a tent. Same deal and same price at a state park in the mountains of VA. Holy Moly. Makes me kind of nostalgic for the good old days.

Margaret

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by Lonely Road

Steve Dunham, I was looking into camping at one of the state parks at the beach in SC, and it costs $35 to do tent camping, plus more than $50 for RVs! (I was going to go with my tent, but there's now way I'm paying $35 to sleep in a tent. Same deal and same price at a state park in the mountains of VA. Holy Moly. Makes me kind of nostalgic for the good old days.

Margaret

I agree ,many public parks are pricing themselves,out of the reach of the average taxpayer. But what did people expect when funding for the parks was slashed and the parks were told they need to be self funding. The KOA's in our area are over $50 and you are sandwiched in like sardines . We made reservations at a Michigan SP in the UP , $19 /night for an RV site which includes electric.
My home state of Wisconsin charges $56/ night for one nights camping in a SP . We quit camping in Wisconsin SP's.

[Lonely Road]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

I agree ,many public parks are pricing themselves,out of the reach of the average taxpayer. But what did people expect when funding for the parks was slashed and the parks were told they need to be self funding. The KOA's in our area are over $50 and you are sandwiched in like sardines . We made reservations at a Michigan SP in the UP , $19 /night for an RV site which includes electric.
My home state of Wisconsin charges $56/ night for one nights camping in a SP . We quit camping in Wisconsin SP's.

Good point! It's sad when parks have to fund themselves. remind me to avoid Wisconsin (meanwhile you avoid the mountains and coast of NC).

People are going to stop buying campers at the rate prices for camping are going up!

Margaret

Margaret

[Glenn Baglo]

Originally Posted by Lonely Road

Good point! It's sad when parks have to fund themselves. Margaret

So, who is going to fund them? Are you willing to have your income tax and sales taxes increased to fund parks?
Apparently, most people are not willing to do that.
Nobody wants to pay more, but somebody has to pay for benefits or they cease to exist.