How to Find Free Camping Across the U.S.: Your Step-by-Step Guide

One of the questions we get most often is: “How do you guys find free campsites out in the wild?” Over the years, we’ve refined our system, tested tools, hit dead ends, and learned what works (and what doesn’t). So here’s our process – like we’re showing you where we look when we’re hunting for hidden, free camping spots.

What Is Free / Dispersed Camping?

“Free camping” and “dispersed camping” are often used interchangeably. What we mean is camping outside of developed campgrounds, on public lands, without amenities like hookups, bathrooms, or reservations. You pick your own spot (within legal boundaries), set up, and rely on your own systems (water, power, waste) to camp self-sufficiently.

Unlike regular campgrounds, dispersed sites are typically first-come, first-served. No reservations, often no facilities – just you, nature, and maybe a gravel pad or old road to park on.

Where You Might Find Free Spots

Not every parcel of public land allows free camping, so part of the art is knowing where it is allowed. Here’s the usual suspects:

• National Forests – Many allow dispersed camping unless posted otherwise.

• BLM lands – Especially in the Western U.S., BLM is a goldmine for boondocking.

• State forests or wildlife management lands – Some have more liberal rules than others.

• Wilderness edges & backroads – Sometimes along forest service roads or in less-visited corners.

The trick is doing your homework. Rules vary by region, forest district, or state unit. Always check the managing agency’s site or call ahead.

The Tools We Use (And Love)

Over time, we’ve built a “toolkit” for finding free spots. Use these in combination, not just one alone:

We usually start wide (with OnX / public land overlays), then narrow using iOverlander or Campendium, then scout via satellite maps, then double-check legality and access.

Don’t Forget the Power of Community

While apps and maps are amazing, some of the very best camping spots we’ve found have come from conversations with other campers. RV life naturally builds community – whether you’re boondocking by a river, parked at a Harvest Host, or chatting with your neighbors at a campground. People love to share their favorite hidden spots, especially if they know you’re adventurous and respectful of the land.

We’ve swapped stories around campfires and walked away with pins dropped on our phones to places we never would have discovered otherwise. These aren’t always listed on apps, but they’re often the real treasures – tucked-away lakes, quiet forest roads, or epic ridgelines with views you can’t find in a guidebook.

Our advice? Be open, ask questions, and share your own experiences. Every camper you meet has a little goldmine of knowledge from places they’ve already explored. And when you share back, you’re adding to that circle – creating a traveler’s network that goes way beyond apps.

Some of our favorite long-term friendships started this way, too. RVers and campers love to help each other, and those conversations often lead to lifelong memories as well as great campsites.

Our Step-by-Step Process

1. Pick a target area
   Start by picking the general region you’ll travel through (e.g. “Sierra Nevada,” “Central Rockies,” “PNW interior forests”). You don’t need a specific spot yet – just a zone.

2. Scan public land with maps / overlays
   Use OnX (or your overlay app) to see where public lands exist. Look for pockets of forest or BLM adjacent to highways or backroads.

3. Use user-shared campsites as hints
   In iOverlander, Campendium, or FreeCampsites.net, look for free or primitive listings in that area. Even if you don’t use one listed exactly, they often lead you to viable zones.

4. Zoom in with satellite maps
   Pull up Google Maps / Earth or your mapping app. Look for dirt roads, pullouts, clearings, skid trails, or old roads leading from main roads into public land.

5. Verify ownership & restrictions
   Use your overlay maps or parcel / public-land views to check that the parcel is public and camping is allowed. Then check the managing agency’s rules – whether you need permits, how many nights you can stay, seasonal closures, fire restrictions, etc.

6. Scout your access route
   Trace your route from a paved road into the potential site. Make sure the road is passable, no gates block you, or no private land you must cross. Always leave yourself alternative escape routes.

7. Arrive with daylight & backup plans
   Get in with some daylight, so you can back out if the site doesn’t work. If you find that access is worse than it looks, move on – don’t force it. Always have secondary options.

8. Be respectful & leave no trace
   Pack out what you bring in. Stay on durable surfaces if possible. Use fire rings only where allowed. And if you stay somewhere, update listings (iOverlander, Campendium, etc.) so the next person benefits.

Common Mistakes (Learned the Hard Way)

• Relying on a listing without checking satellite view – roads change, closures happen.

• Believing every “free site” is legal – sometimes people camped where they shouldn’t have.

• Not checking for seasonal restrictions or fire bans before arrival.

• Ignoring road conditions – some spots that look good on maps are impassable for big rigs or after rain.

• Showing up after dark – if you can’t see where you’re going, chances you’ll get stuck go way up.

Why We Love Free Camping (And Think You Will, Too)

Free camping gives you freedom and flexibility. You can stay deeper in nature, sometimes far from the crowds, without paying a nightly fee. It lets you be spontaneous. We’ve found magical corners of the U.S. this way – secret forest roads, riverside camps, quiet ridgelines.

Most of all, there’s satisfaction in the art of the hunt. Scouting a site, getting in, and waking up to stillness – it reminds us why we chose this life.

Hi! We’re Vern & Kati – young(ish) empty nesters living and traveling full-time in our RV. After years of nomadic living, we’ve learned that the best time to live your dream life is right now. Follow along for RV tips, boondocking guides, and travel stories – plus a little encouragement to get out there and live big.

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