Free campsite in California’s Los Padres National Forest
Like everything else these days, camping is expensive. Most National Parks are $20 a night and a campsite at a state park in California will set you back $35! If I regularly camped at State Parks, National Parks, Recreation Areas or KOA’s I couldn’t afford to live on the road. To save money and seek solitude, I stick to public lands – BLM, National Forests and National Grasslands – where the camping is free and the crowds are nonexistent.
Wyoming BLM. Brown wooden signs in that shape always catch my eye. They stand for free land!
Dispersed camping, also known as boondocking or coyote camping (how appropriate!), means free camping in remote areas without campground amenities like picnic tables, grills or bathroom facilities. Boondocking is not for everybody, especially the bathroom part, but if you’re willing to rough it a bit, there is a ton of free camping out there.
All BLM, National Forest and National Grasslands are open to dispersed camping, unless otherwise marked. Every so often you might see signs that say “No Camping” or “Camp Only In Designated Campsites”, but usually only near cities or National Park boundaries with a potential for overuse.
Free campsite in the Hoh Rainforest National Forest, Washington’s Olympic Peninsula
On most National Forest lands, you can stay at the same site for a maximum of 14 days. The BLM usually imposes a 21-day limit and Arizona and California have Long Term Visitor Areas where you can park a tent, car, van or RV for months at a time.
No matter where you end up camping or how long you stay, always practice Leave No Trace! That means when you drive away from your campsite, there should be no trace that you were ever there: no new fire rings, no trash, no mess. Take only photographs and leave only footprints!
Free campsite in Medicine Bow National Forest, Wyoming
In my two weeks in Utah I only paid for three nights of camping (one night at Hovenweep National Monument and two nights at Fisher Towers) and in Wyoming, I have yet to pay for a night of camping. This state is BLM paradise!
For more Boondocking tips check out my posts Boondocking Part 2: Finding A Sweet Free Campsite and Boondocking Part 3: Leave No Trace. For more cheap road tripping tips: How To Budget For A Killer Road Trip and for a breakdown of the cost of life on the road check out: Oh Canada: By The Numbers.
*** This post brought to you by reader request. Got questions about life on the road? Just ask! 🙂
Travels with the Blonde Coyote 
Hi there, I love your teardrop camper and would love to get more info about it and it’s design! Please contact me via email. Thanks! Rose
I am a recent subscriber and love your posts. You are living my dream. Great pictures and if you are ever in NW WA. state, let me know. I’ve got some insider locations to share with you. Safe travels…
-M.
Hi M.,
I live in western WA and am very interested in your finds for camping in WA. Would you mind sharing?
Richard
Hi there M. I would love to know some of your spots in NW WA. I live in Port Orchard and we love to go out camping. Last year we bought a 1978 Van so we can go out boondocking!! Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!
Take the 542 out of Bellingham Washington towards Mount Baker. After you go through a small town called Glacier you will come to a road on the right Glacier Creek Road. Take a right there, then an immediate left on forest service road NF3. Follow this road until you come to the campgrounds on the left. It is about 10 miles up the gravel road. This campgrounds are rustic but it does have a bathroom in is a pretty clean park and one of the most beautiful places for free or money that I have ever camped at. I have always been able to find a spot there and you are allowed to stay there for up to 20 days I think. We have our annual camping trip there and several other both trips in between and clean up our mess as if we were never there! I hope you go to the spot and enjoy yourself. The camp sites are right on the river.
I just read your comment, thought I would try to help you find some great boondocking areas. https://www.facebook.com/Boondocking-Washington-and-Oregon-1669687339977646/ Hope this is helpful.
Your blog is just wonderful! I’m so glad to see women taking adventures. Have fun and pet the pups for me.
Joni
Thankyou for another great entry,
I love camping. In England and Wales, there is no legal right to camp wild. In high mountain areas, wild camping is generally accepted if you are discreet. In Scotland, you can camp wild on hill land. I really find it frustrating that the careless actions of a few can limit possibilities for the well behaved majority, but I am also in favour of protecting the beautiful outdoor spaces that I enjoy. I would love to visit some of the wonderful places you share on your blog someday and on my tiny budget off site camping would be a must. I firmly beleve in Leaving no trace so the places we enjoy can be enjoyed by future generations.
Keep up the sharing your adventures it’s greatly appreciated!!
One of my favorite places to camp for free is at the Breckenridge ski area. I drive my truck up to about 12,000 on the ski area’s dirt service roads to a couple of existing fire pits and set up camp. I check the fire conditions before having a camp fire though.
Hey there! I’m looking for a place to camp this summer, and I live in Breckenridge. Can you tell me about your experience and which peak you were on? Did you ever get checked on or kicked out?
hehe! Had to laugh at the brown sign that read “Lone Tree Road”. There is a lone tree on that road somewhere, right? 😀
~Lisa
Tijeras, NM
Haha, I walked several miles down that road and never saw a single tree!
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This was such a great read! I have been looking for tips on where to camp, and now I have a few more ideas of where I would like to go. I love the memories that come with camping. Last year, I actually went to the Hoh Rainforest National Forest in the RV, and true to its nature, I was caught in the middle of a downpour. The only place we could safely stay was in the RV, and all we did was watch the football game in HD using the Tailgater that I bought off a co-worker at Dish. It was nice being able to watch a few shows while we were out in the open. I know for sure the Tailgater was a good thing to bring along, and it will come with me when I visit these places!
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Where is your favorite place in Wyoming? We’re trying to find a good dispersed camping spot that we can drive up to (and allows dogs) but can’t seem to find anything good. I know it’s out there!
So far, Vedauwoo Rocks in the southeast, part of Medicine Bow National Forest. There are dozens of great dispersed sites, it’s dog-friendly (no leash laws), and free! Not to mention gorgeous: https://theblondecoyote.com/2012/05/10/awesome-reader-tip-of-the-day-vedauwoo-rocks-wy/ Also check out Outlaw Cave: https://theblondecoyote.com/2012/05/15/searching-for-outlaw-cave/. Lots of free camping around there, it’s all BLM land. In fact, most of Wyoming is BLM land. You can camp anywhere! Have fun!
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anyway to get the name of the manufacturer of your teardrop camper? I love the pop-up roof in the front. never seen one like that. any info would be much appreciated.
Hi Frank, I passed your email address along to him. Might be a long wait, though: he’s all sold out for at least a year, with a long list of interested people. Good luck! M
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My wife and I live in Grand Teton Nat Park , we like to pull our RV up to the bottom of Shadow Mtn , directly east across from the Tetons in Wyo., seriously views and free ! And after traveling this state for three years we are not leaving !
Thanks for the tip about BLS camping. The US Army Corp of Engineers often allows free camping on some of their land. You can search for sites on their website: http://corpslakes.usace.army.mil/visitors/visitors.cfm
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Does anybody know of any places near new Hampshire ?
I have that same subie, how did you put a hitch on it?
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anyone know in PA, close to Phila area, where 1 can camp for free & for about 1weeks worth of time? Tryn to offer my daughter the experience of camping for a week or 2, off grid and we dont have money for those paid campsites. Planning to leave Aug5-20th.
THANK YOU FOR ANY INPUT!!
Where is the free campsite in the Los Padres National Forest? Is it anywhere near Arroyo Seco? Id really like to go there for my birthday on Aug 12th. But we love privacy and boondock camping. : ) Thanks
Hi Tara, Did you find a nice spot near Arroyo Seco?
Hi Tara,
Did you end up finding a nice spot near Arroyo Secco?
i need to find a good campsite
wow!
Have you heard about HR 5204 where they want to start charging fees for these free use lands?
Marvelous website, thanks for sharing !!
It is bout that time again off grid can’t beat it try city too not to bad
Heading for Banff in a couple of weeks. Any info on free places to stay in the area would be appreciated!! Thanks!
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My brother and I are heading out on a road trip to the Cascades and I was wondering if you knew any good free camping spots in Washington since you’ve visited the area
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Can I get a sedan into some of these places? Wyoming and Utah in particular. Mine handles the Great Lakes snow fine but am worried about some of these roads out west.
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