The 10 best free campsites this summer (2023)

FAQs

The 10 best free campsites this summer? ›

The State of California does not have any laws against boondocking in general. The question of whether boondocking is permitted or not is specific to each locality, state park, or federal agency in question.

The State of California does not have any laws against boondocking in general. The question of whether boondocking is permitted or not is specific to each locality, state park, or federal agency in question.

Thanks to the U.S. Forest Service and the Florida Water Management Districts, free camping in Florida can be found from the Panhandle to the Everglades. The United States Department of Agriculture National Forests in Florida include the Ocala, Apalachicola, and Osceola forests.

Boondocking, or camping on public lands without amenities, is legal in Florida in certain areas. While Florida does not have any BLM (Bureau of Land Management) lands, there are other options for boondocking, such as national forests, wildlife management areas, and water management districts.

Boondocking is camping without any hookups outside developed campgrounds. Federal agencies refer to boondocking as dispersed camping. Other terms used to describe boondocking include dry camping and off-grid camping.

The boondocks is an American expression from the Tagalog (Filipino) word bundók ("mountain"). It originally referred to a remote rural area, but now, is often applied to an out-of-the-way area considered backward and unsophisticated by city-folk.

Free camping, or dispersed camping, is allowed in all national forests, unless noted otherwise. You can find places to camp on the side of main roads, or follow forest access roads (often gravel or dirt) to more remote sites.

Americans and Canadians have it easy. Legally, you can wild camp in US national forests and grasslands (unless otherwise marked), on Bureau of Land Management lands (providing they're suitable for camping and not being used for cattle grazing or mining operations), and on Canadian Crown Land.

BLM-managed lands offer numerous opportunities for camping under the stars ranging from staying in an RV at a highly developed campground to simply throwing a sleeping bag on the ground in the backcountry. No matter what type of experience you are looking for, you can find it on BLM-managed public lands.

Is there a blm land in Florida? ›

BLM Eastern States manages over 40,000 surface acres of public land for multiple use in the 31 states east of and bordering the Mississippi River. They include the historic Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse Outstanding Natural Area in southern Florida and famous snow-white beaches of the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico.

Throughout the Florida Keys, and especially in Key West, there are not any places where you can pitch a tent, or park a normal car to sleep, without being disturbed by the police. Formal campgrounds are the only places where you can legally camp.

In Florida, you can sleep in a tent on the beach in certain designated areas, typically within state parks and campgrounds. It is essential to follow specific rules and regulations, as camping directly on the beach is often prohibited in most locations to protect the environment and wildlife.

While we do not offer electrical service or accommodations typically necessary for RV customers, Walmart values RV travelers and considers them among our best customers. Consequently, we do permit RV parking on our store parking lots as we are able.

There's a three-hour parking limit at rest stops—overnight parking and/or camping are illegal. Some Florida cities and counties ban sleeping in your car. (Key West is probably the most famous place where you can't sleep in your car.) This is to stymie vagrancy while also boosting income for hotels and tourism.

No. Overnight stays in Florida's state parks must take place in a designated campsite, cabin or lodge to better preserve our natural features and the safety of our park visitors.

Also known as driveway surfing, moochdocking is a lot like couch surfing in your RV. Basically, you park on someone's driveway or land, and you camp there.

When boondocking, you take a shower just like you would when camped at an RV Park with full hookups. Taking a shower while boondocking doesn't have to be any different. However, most full time boondockers prefer to shower more efficiently.

If you're planning on primarily using your RV for boondocking, a smaller RV (a Class C or B motorhome, van, truck camper, teardrop, or small trailer) that's under 30 feet will allow you to access more remote places.

Quartzsite, AZ- the RV boondocking capital of the world. Every year during the winter months retirees from around the US and Canada pack up their RVs and campers and head south. The small truck stop along I-10, normally a town of around 3,000 will swell to nearly 700,000 people.

Is it safe to leave your RV when Boondocking? ›

It is totally legal to leave your RV unattended while boondocking on all federally managed lands, and even most state managed lands.

Yes, it is very safe to leave your camper while boondocking. Very rarely do campers, RVs, and trailers get broken into or stolen when boondocking.

Can I Camp Anywhere in Yellowstone? Camping or overnight vehicle parking in pullouts, picnic areas, picnic grounds or any place other than a designated campground are not permitted and there are no overflow camping facilities. However, camping is often available in neighboring communities and forests outside the park.

Grand Canyon National Park has four established campgrounds, three on the park's more popular South Rim and one on the North Rim, which is less-visited and closed in the winter. On the South Rim, you can make advance reservations through Recreation.gov for Mather Campground and Desert View Campground.

Most of the land in the Naonal Forest is open to camping free of charge which is referred to as “dispersed” camping. Visitors can camp just about anywhere in the naonal forest, unless specifically prohibited*.

Dispersed camping is allowed in a one-mile perimeter away from campgrounds and 100 feet from any stream. Don't sleep on the side of the road – it's usually illegal. To prevent resource damage, keep your campsite within 150 feet from a roadway. Bring plenty of your own water, or have a way to treat it.

The Vagrancy Act officially made it an offence to sleep rough regardless of a person's reasoning behind doing so. This decree of parliament not only had devastating ramifications for the homeless but also hindered those wishing to sleep in the open such as during camping.

Stealth camping is illegal in places like cities and towns along city streets and in public parking lots or areas. While there are many reasons for stealth camping to be illegal, the main reason stems from people living in vehicles putting strains on local law enforcement agencies.

The BLM holds the coal mineral estate to more than 570 million acres (2,300,000 km²) where the owner of the surface is the federal government, a state or local government, or a private entity.

Google Maps does show BLM land for places like national monuments as well as many developed campgrounds. However, it does not depict all BLM lands. Otherwise, there are only two ways to find BLM land. You can use the “interactive map” on BLM's website, or use the BLM map overlay on FreeRoam.

What does it mean if land is BLM? ›

The Bureau of Land Management administers more surface land (245 million acres or one-tenth of America's land base) and more subsurface mineral estate (700 million acres) than any other government agency in the United States.

Most BLM public lands are located in 12 western states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

BLM Land

You can camp on most BLM land for up to 14 days, even if there are grazing or mining claims (just watch out for cow pies), unless otherwise posted. Most BLM lands are in these 12 western states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.

As long as you don't exceed the maximum time limit for camping at a particular area, and as long as you move far enough away, you can legally live on BLM land forever. Most boondockers use their sewage tanks as the signal to relocate. Once it fills up, they pack up camp and head to a dump station.

Yes, you can and will be arrested for DUI in Florida if you're found sleeping in the driver's seat of a car. You don't have to be driving to get a DUI. According to Florida law, you can be arrested for DUI as long as you have actual physical control of the vehicle.

Applicable Laws

There are no applicable federal or state statutes in Florida that address sleeping in your car in public places; you will have to check your local ordinances to see if any additional rules apply to you. To browse municipal codes, you can search using this website.

Turn Off Your Car — Never leave your car running overnight. Keeping the engine running can lead to dangerous carbon monoxide poisoning. Make a Bed in the Back Seat — If you can, fold down the rear seats of your car to create room for your bed. If you can't, sleep on the back seats.

Applicable law prohibits "night swimming" unless the lighting requirements of Section 64E-9.006(2)(c), FAC are met. A community that does not meet those requirements must ban pool or spa use from a half-hour before sunset until a half-hour after sunrise.

Legally, these landowners do own the beach up to the mean high tide line. And Article X, Section 11 of the Florida Constitution clarifies that the state holds the land seaward of the mean high-tide line (MHTL) in trust for the public.

How do you find Boondocking locations? ›

Is Boondocking Legal in Arizona? Like anywhere, boondocking is legal as long as you find the right places to camp. Most Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land allows dispersed camping for up to 14 days. Unless otherwise noted, it's perfectly legal to camp on this public land for free.

Can I Go Boondocking in Texas? The short answer: of course, you can! While it doesn't have the vast expanses of BLM or Forest Service Land found to the west of the Rockies, there are still plenty of places for boondocking in Texas.

Boondocking is legal across North Carolina at several designated areas within the Croatan, Nantahala, Pisgah, and Uwharrie National Forests. As long as you do not encamp near trailheads and follow all regulations related to fire safety (especially in summer), you're usually good to go.

Boondocking in an RV is when you camp without hookups to electricity, water, or sewage. You can boondock in many different ways, like staying overnight in a business parking lot or camping on public lands.

Many boondockers do online customer service, write documentation, and handle client accounts. Ask your employer if you can shift to remote work. Offer Repair Services – Set up in a popular boondocking location like Quartzsite or Slab City, and hand out business cards offering RV or vehicle repair work.

Boondocking involves camping in your RV on public land (for free), without any hookups. This requires boondockers to be self-contained and bring their own water supply, power system, and waste water management.

Can You Sleep Overnight at an Arizona Rest Area? Yes. ADOT welcomes travelers to sleep in their vehicles at all Arizona Rest Areas. One of the primary goals for a rest area is to promote safety, which is why ADOT uses the term, “Safety Rest Area”.

Is it Illegal to Sleep in Your Car in Arizona? The answer is no, as long as you don't camp outside your car or park on private property without permission. You can even rest in your vehicle whenever you want, even if it's more than 24 hours.

RVs are not considered permanent residences. Therefore, there are strict zoning ordinances and local laws that dictate whether a person can live full time in an RV. Local zoning ordinances and laws also dictate where RVs may be parked.

Can you sleep in your car at a rest stop in Texas? ›

Can You Sleep at a Texas Rest Area? Yes. The State of Texas has no rules prohibiting sleeping in your vehicle at its rest areas, picnic areas, and travel information centers. As long as you remain in your vehicle, and do not sleep on the grass or picnic tables, you'll be fine.

It's not illegal to sleep in your car in Texas. In fact, there are public rest areas along our highways at which you're actually encouraged to stop and, well, rest if you're in need of a break. You can also catch some zees in your car at public picnic and information centers.

Whether you're boondocking or staying in a campground, there are hazards. However, boondocking can be less dangerous than campgrounds. Theft is more likely to happen in a campground. A thief will more quickly target a campground than a forest in the middle of nowhere.

You can boondock just about anywhere in Grand Canyon National Park, as long as you have obtained a “backcountry camping permit”. Unfortunately, backcountry camping is largely restricted to hikers who carry their camping gear deep into the Park. It's not intended for campers with vehicles.

Camping along the coast and on the outer banks is ideal for water lovers. There are several boondocking spots in North Carolina, no matter where you look.

The good news is, like many things in life, all you need is a little bit of practice to boondock comfortably and confidently. Take boondocking one small step at a time and you'll find you'll want to do it again and again. Let's go through some tips to help you get comfortable with boondocking little by little.