Chickery's Travels

Chickery's Travels logo. A blue-green Earth globe with continents surrounded by dots with an arrow denoting movement or travel and "Chickery's Travels" as part of the dotted circle. Next to this is a photo of their blue and white Arctic Fox 5th Wheel with the awning out.
  • Home
  • Campground Reviews
    • Alternatives To National Park Campgrounds
    • Best Luxury RV Resorts For All RV Types
    • Best Waterfront Campgrounds For Every Budget
    • Alabama
      • Gunter Hill Campground (Montgomery, Alabama)
    • Arizona
      • Best Campgrounds in Arizona
      • Aspen Campground (Payson, Arizona)
      • LazyDays KOA (Tucson, Arizona)
      • Lost Dutchman State Park (Phoenix, AZ)
    • Arkansas
      • Catherine’s Landing (Hot Springs, Arkansas)
      • Downtown Riverside RV Park (Little Rock, Arkansas)
    • California
      • Best Campgrounds in California
      • Crescent City Redwoods KOA (Crescent City, California)
      • Sea Breeze RV Park (Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station)
    • Delaware
      • Cape Henlopen State Park (Lewes, Delaware)
    • Florida
      • Best Campgrounds in Florida
      • Blue Angel Naval Recreation Area (Pensacola, FL)
      • Jonathan Dickinson State Park (Southeast FL)
      • LazyDays RV Resort (Tampa, FL)
      • MacDill AFB FamCamp (Tampa, FL)
      • Military Camping in Key West
      • Patrick AFB FamCamp (Cocoa Beach, FL)
      • Rainbow Springs State Park & Campground (Ocala, FL)
      • Walt Disney World’s Fort Wilderness (Orlando, FL)
        • Halloween at Disney’s Fort Wilderness
        • Chickery’s Travels Podcast Episode 5: Fort Wilderness Campground Review
    • Maryland
      • Cherry Hill Park (College Park, Maryland)
    • Michigan
      • Port Huron KOA (Kimball, Michigan)
    • Nevada
      • Las Vegas RV Campgrounds: Nellis Air Force Base and Lake Mead RV Village
      • Boondocking Near Las Vegas
    • New Hampshire
      • Lincoln / Woodstock KOA (New Hampshire)
    • New York
      • Round Pond Recreation Area (West Point, NY)
    • North Carolina
      • Outer Banks West / Currituck Sound KOA (Coinjock, North Carolina)
    • Oklahoma
      • Oklahoma City East KOA (Choctaw, Oklahoma)
    • Texas
      • Best Campgrounds in Texas
      • Alsatian RV Resort (Castroville, Texas)
      • Maverick Ranch (Lajitas, Texas)
      • Texas Wine Country Jellystone (Fredericksburg, Texas)
    • Tennessee
      • Camp Margaritaville (Pigeon Forge, TN)
      • Crossville I-40 KOA (Crossville, TN)
      • Midway RV Park (Memphis, TN)
    • Virginia
      • Fort Belvoir Travel Camp (Alexandria, VA)
      • Harrisonburg / Shenandoah Valley KOA (Broadway, Virginia)
      • Luray KOA (Luray, Virginia)
      • Lynchburg / Blue Ridge Parkway KOA (Monroe, Virginia)
      • Shenandoah River State Park (Bentonville, Virginia)
    • Washington
      • Crescent Bar RV Resort (Quincy, Washington)
    • West Virginia
      • Harper’s Ferry KOA (Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia)
  • USA
    • Arizona
      • Apache Trail: A Crazy, Scary, Beautiful Drive
      • Lost Dutchman State Park (Phoenix, Arizona)
      • Phoenix Faves
    • District of Columbia
      • Budget Friendly Fun in Washington D.C.
      • Favorite Hikes near Washington DC
      • Indoor Skydiving and TopGolf: Just Another Day of Family Fun!
    • Florida
      • Best Walt Disney World Festivals For Adults
      • Blowing Rocks Preserve – Jupiter Island, Florida
      • Bok Tower Gardens
      • Daytona Beach – The World’s Most Famous Beach
      • Epcot International Food & Wine Festival
      • Gasparilla – Tampa’s Pirate Invasion
      • 3 Days on the Nature Coast 
      • Florida Freshwater Springs on the Nature Coast
      • Halloween at Disney’s Fort Wilderness
      • Kennedy Space Center – Cape Canaveral
      • Island Hopping at Honeymoon Island and Caladesi Island State Parks
      • Must See Sights in St. Augustine, FL – America’s Oldest City
      • Rainbow Springs State Park & Campground (Ocala, Florida)
      • Sunny Sarasota
      • Tampa
        • Get Back to Nature in Tampa Bay
        • Take Me Out to the Ball Game – Spring Training in Tampa, FL
        • The 5 Best Beaches in the Tampa Bay Area
        • Why We Love Tampa
      • Tarpon Springs – The Gulf Coast Town with Greek Flavor
      • Top 5 Things to Do on Florida’s Space Coast
      • What Not to Do When Kayaking on the Weeki Wachee River
      • Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure
    • Georgia
      • Visiting Atlanta? Don’t Miss These Civil Rights Museums
    • Illinois
      • One Day In The Windy City – Chicago Itinerary
    • Maine
      • Coastal Maine Vacation
      • Monhegan Island Maine
      • Two Days in Acadia National Park
    • Nevada
      • Planning an RV Trip to Nevada
      • Las Vegas RV Campgrounds: Nellis Air Force Base and Lake Mead RV Village
    • Tennessee
      • Burgess Falls: 3 For 1 Waterfall Special
      • National Civil Rights Museum – Memphis, TN
      • Window Cliffs, TN – I’m Not Afraid of Heights, But I am Afraid of Falling!
      • WWII History in Tennessee
    • Texas
      • Best Eats in Fredericksburg
      • Enjoy a Bird’s Eye View of Texas Hill Country
  • RV Resources
    • 3 Simple Steps to Find the Best RV Campgrounds
    • 5 Years Full-Time RV: Lessons Learned & Biggest Regret
    • Boondocking – What We Learned From Our First Dry Camping Experience
    • Tips for Boondocking Success
    • Essential RV Gear
      • Essential RV Gear Guide
      • DIY RV Power & Solar Upgrade
      • RV Must Have: Tire Pressure Monitoring System
      • RV SnapPads Product Review
      • RVLOCK Keyless Entry Door Handle Installation and Review
      • Shop “RV Local” With TechnoRV
      • Top RV Gadgets & Accessories
      • WeBoost Cellular Booster Review
    • Living in an RV
      • 9 Lessons From 2 1/2 Years on the Road
      • Biggest Regret Full-Time RV Living
      • Dealing with my Biggest Full-Time Travel Struggle, Missing Family While Traveling
      • Downsizing: 3 Areas That Make The Biggest Impact
      • Full-Time RV: 2019 Year in Review
      • Full-Time RV: 2018 Year in Review
      • Full-Time RV Travel – 2017 Year In Review
      • How Full-Time RVers Celebrate the Holidays
      • How to Prepare for Full-Time RV Travel
      • Internet Solutions for RV Travelers
      • Learn How to RV Full-Time
      • Living in a Tiny, Traveling Home
      • Making Friends (and reconnecting with old friends) While Traveling Full-Time
      • Pros & Cons of Full-Time RV Travel
      • RV Organization & Storage Ideas
      • Short-Term RV Storage: Leaving The RV Behind
      • Top 3 Lessons Learned & Biggest Regret: 3 Years Full-Time RV Living
      • What We Wish We Knew Before Full-Time RVing
      • What You Need To Know Before Selling Everything And Moving To An RV
      • Why We Are Traveling Full-Time In Our RV
    • Maintenance Tips
      • DIY Power Upgrade – “Solar Ready” Arctic Fox Fifth Wheel
      • DIY RV Power & Solar Upgrade
      • Easy DIY Project to Protect Your RV Water System
      • An Easy Way to Protect Your RV Water Heater
      • How to Reduce the Likelihood of Tire Blowouts on your RV
      • Odor Free RV Black Tank Tips
      • RV Condensation: What It Is, What It Does, and How To Stop It
    • Must Read Books Before Becoming A Full-time RVer
    • RV Organization & Storage Ideas
    • RV Remodel
      • Planning an RV Remodel
      • RV Kitchen Cooking Videos
      • Painting Your RV Interior
      • Update the RV Kitchen – Backsplashes & More
      • Updating Your RV Window Treatments
      • RV Bedroom Makeover
      • RV Remodel Costs with Before & After Photos
      • Vintage Camper Renovation
    • RV Holiday Tour – Decorating Our Small Space
    • RV Hurricane Evacuation
    • RV Misery Can Be Overcome By The Generosity Of Others
    • RV Travelers: How to Read Books While Saving Space and Weight in Your RV
    • Slow Travel
    • Small Kitchen Cooking
      • Cooking Videos
      • Eating Healthy on Travel Days
    • Staying Healthy
      • Traveling with Fibromyalgia, Arthritis, and Other Chronic Pain Conditions
    • Trip Planning
    • Traveling with Pets
      • RVing with Your Cat
      • Traveling with Restricted Breed Dogs
    • Why I Prefer RV Travel Over Flying
    • Your Guide To Planning The Best Family Vacation This Summer
  • Travel Finance
    • 5 Tips to Save on RV Travel
    • 5 Ways to Fund Full-Time Travel
    • Full-Time RV Expenses
      • Annual Full-Time RV Expenses – The Big Three
    • Five Credit Card Strategies To Improve Travel
    • How Much Do Campgrounds Cost?
    • How Much Does it Cost to RV Full-Time?
    • How to Camp for Free
    • How to Start a Profitable Blog
    • How to Save Money on RV Fuel Costs
    • How to Save on Food While Camping
    • How We Earn A Living While Traveling Full-Time (And How You Can Too)
    • How We Paid $139,000 of Debt in 2 Years While Full-Time RVing
    • Learn How to Finance Your Dreams
    • The Top 7 Ways to Save Money While Traveling Full-Time
    • Roadmap to Financial Freedom
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report April 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report May 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report June 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report July 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report August 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report September/October 2018
    • RV Purchasing
      • RV Purchasing: Understanding RV Types
      • Benefits of Renting an RV
      • Should I Buy A New or Used RV?
      • The Costs of RV Ownership
      • The True Cost of Financing an RV
      • Why You Should Attend An RV Show
    • Save Money Using the Public Library (On More Than Just Books)
  • Military Travel
    • Guide To Using Military Campgrounds
    • Health Care for Retired Military Full-Time RVers
    • Why Military Retirees Should Fly Space-A
  • Videos
  • About Us
    • RV Shows We’re Attending
    • Contact Us
    • Follow Us
    • Why We Are Full-Time RVers

August 21, 2019 by Guest Post 2 Comments

How to Camp for Free

1667 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet

If you’re looking for ways to save money on RV travel, reducing campground expenses should be at the top of your list. One great way to do that is to do some free camping. Whether  you’re looking to just do it for a night or longer stretches, this article will help you figure out where you can camp for free. 

 

  • What is the Catch?
  • Free Camping on Public Lands 
  • Where to Find the Free Spots
  • Free Overnight Parking
  • Membership Programs 
  • Share Your Experience
  • Related posts:

What is the Catch?

The vast majority of free camping is without services or hook-ups like power, water, and sewer. You may also hear this type of stay called boondocking, primitive camping, dispersed camping, wild camping, stealth camping, dry camping. If this sounds a little intimidating, click here to learn more about how to dry camp with confidence.

Free Camping on Public Lands 

You can camp for free on public lands in some of the most spectacular locations across the United States. Most of these free dispersed camping or boondocking sites are managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the National Forest Service, and the National Park Service. 

The video below shows several examples of free camping available around Las Vegas, Nevada including at Desert National Wildlife Refuge, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, and the Bureau of Land Management in Overton.

We enjoyed this free dry camping site at a National Conservation Area in Arizona.

View this post on Instagram

We did it! After 4 1/2 years full-time RV travel, we went boondocking all by ourselves! Have you done any dry camping? Do you prefer to go off by yourselves or with a group? #rvlife #fulltimerv #boondocking #offgrid #lovearizona

A post shared by Chickery's travels (@chickerystravels) on Feb 14, 2019 at 7:24am PST

It is important to note that not all camping on BLM land is free, nor are all National Forests. For example, Finger Lakes National Forest in New York has some areas where free camping is available, but there are other areas that require a permit and fee. When in doubt, check in with local ranger/forest offices.

Some states have their own version of public lands offering free dispersed campsites. They may be called Public Trust Land, State Forests, and Wildlife Management Areas. While the vast majority of free camping is found in the West, there are plenty of places to dry camp for free in Florida. The Escribano Wildlife Management Area is a perfect example of totally free campsites in Florida. 

Where to Find the Free Spots

While the National Forest Service has an Interactive Map to find potential free camping, BLM and state options are not quite as easy to locate. I think the best tool is Campendium, a free website where RVers share camping spots and reviews. I provide a tutorial on how to use it in the video below. The process is the same whether you are looking for free camping, boondocking, or established campgrounds. 

Free Overnight Parking

The second type of boondocking is overnight parking. I hesitate to use the word camping because it typically involves pulling into a parking spot and staying overnight without any services. This usually occurs when RVers are traveling longer distances and just want a free spot to get a few hours of sleep.

Some of the most common places to find free overnight parking is WalMart, Cracker Barrel restaurants, and Cabelas. It is important to always ask if overnight parking is allowed and not take it for granted. Many of these establishments have a restricted area for overnight parking. In addition, some cities and counties have established local ordinances prohibiting the practice. If it is authorized, be sure to follow these tips for overnight parking etiquette provided by Escapee’s RV Club.   

When we’re traveling and just want to park overnight, we prefer Casinos. We use the Casino Camper website to read reviews and get additional information. When staying overnight at a Casino be sure to get a player’s card inside for discounts on the restaurants and sometimes even “free play” on the slot machines.    

Many states limit the amount of time you can park at a Rest Area so always look around for signage that indicates if you can stay overnight. While we haven’t stayed at a Rest Area yet, our friends Kenny & Sabrina of Moving Forward Adventures have several times. Kenny provides some of his lessons learned in this video.

Membership Programs 

There are a few membership programs that advertise “free” camping, but obviously if you are buying the membership, then they are not truly free.

We purchased an annual membership to Harvest Hosts for $79 to be able to stay at member wineries, distilleries, breweries, farms, and museums. In addition to the membership fee, additional costs are incurred by the obligation to make a purchase. Of course, we love these locations so much that we don’t mind. We get the opportunity to meet and support small business around the country like this one in Manteca, CA.

View this post on Instagram

Forgot to share our awesome Harvest Hosts stay at the Indian Peak Vineyard in Manton, CA. Beautiful location, terrific wine & an amazing host — we couldn’t have asked for more! #rvtravel #harvesthosts #winerytour

A post shared by Chickery's travels (@chickerystravels) on May 20, 2019 at 3:44pm PDT

Some of our favorite Harvest Hosts stays include a farm with a petting zoo & camel right out our window, a Rum Distillery in Arizona, the General George Patton Museum near Joshua Tree National Park, and pretty much every winery we’ve visited. 

Another membership program we’ve heard of, but aren’t members of is Boondocker’s Welcome. For $30 per year, you can stay on private land owners’ property. Most of the hosts are RVers themselves so it is a great way to get to know like-minded travelers.

Share Your Experience

We’d love to hear your experiences with free camping and boondocking. Do you do it often? Which type do you frequent the most? 

Sharing is caring! Feel free to share this image on Pinterest.

Learn how to find the most epic free camping spots. Also known as boondocking, free camping is available in some of the most beautiful places. Take your RV, motorhome, fifth wheel, trailer, or camper off grid today!
camp-for-free
Learn how to camp for free and where to find the best boondocking spots. Also known as dispersed camping, these campsites can be found in some of the most amazing locations. Take your RV, motorhome, Fifth Wheel, trailer, or camper off grid and enjoy free camping!


Related posts:

Road Trip Playlist
6 Years Full-Time RV: Lessons Learned

Filed Under: RV Resources

Comments

  1. AnneMarie says

    August 22, 2019 at 2:38 pm

    This is a great article. I am new and remodeling a camper. Want to hit the road as soon as possible. Thank you

    Reply
    • Julie Chickery says

      August 23, 2019 at 12:49 am

      Glad you enjoyed it. Best of luck with the remodel!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Full-time RV Finance is a program designed to help you find the means to the live the life of your dreams.
Learn how to start a blog for free. This simple course will walk you through the steps you need to make money anywhere.
Learn how to camp for free at over 2500 locations worldwide.

Signup to receive weekly updates and exclusive free content only available to subscribers!

Privacy Policy

Travel Schedule

Recently
Cape Henlopen State Park, DE

Currently
Front Royal, VA

Next Stops
See our RV show schedule

Notice

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

top rv blogs
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Email

Free RV camping guide with over 30 pages of tips and worksheets

Download Now

Never see this message again.

1667 shares