On our most recent trip out west, we took our teardrop trailer to Utah and Colorado. We spent a grand total of 10 nights in the trailer (including one night at a rest stop on our way out west from Michigan). We had no firm plan for this trip, just a list of parks and areas we wanted to visit. We ended up camping at a different spot each night, all free, all with no reservations, and all close to the national park, state park, or city we wanted to visit. We loved all the spots we found! We did stay in a few that were fairly crowded but the vast majority of our nights we were one of the only, if not the only ones camping in the area. It can be done! Here are our tips for how to find great free camping…
- You can stay on BLM land or in National Forest. Use the Gia app or another map app that outlines what designation you are in.
- Use apps such as the Dyrt. We have successfully found several great spots using this app. It is all crowdsourced. You can read reviews from other people and leave a review yourself. We filter by free and drive-in. You can also find paid campgrounds and hike in only camping on this app.
- Go farther away from the nearest city/town. The further out you are the better your chances of finding more private, less crowded spots. Not to say you can’t find great spots close to town but if you are having trouble or want fewer people then drive further away and you’re sure to find what you’re looking for.
- Avoid know ATV/off-road areas. These are noisy and these areas will be more crowded because you’ll get campers and off-roaders.
- Look for free camping outside National and State parks. While these parks all have a campground, they will often be full and certainly not the most private. We have successfully found spots within a 5-15 minutes drive from the park entrance at several different parks. This allows you to enjoy the park for as long as you want and then escape to a quiet spot to camp for the night once your done exploring. You typically get at least a few days to re-enter the park so leaving and coming back in shouldn’t be a problem once you’ve paid your park entrance fee initially.
- Don’t be discouraged if you have to pass private property on your way into National forest or BLM land. Near Telluride Colorado, we pulled off onto a road where the sign said National forest access. We drove several minutes on a dirt road, past sign after sign saying “private property” and “no camping”. I began to get discouraged but our map showed that we were growing closer to National forest land. Sure enough, once we passed that line on our map we found a fantastic campsite. While it wasn’t the most private site, the views were incredible so we didn’t mind!
- You can find a spot later into the evening but we recommend beginning your search midafternoon. We are early risers, especially when camping. We tend to get up, get going and by 2-3, we are done exploring/hiking and ready to find a spot for the night. When you start around this time you give yourself some wiggle room to take your time finding a spot. Or if you don’t like a location, find another option. This also gives you time to relax, make dinner and take in the views wherever you are. If you are getting to your destination later in the day you can still find a spot so don’t be discouraged!
- The smaller your rig, the easier it is because you can get back into places that large RVs cannot.
Remember to pack in/pack out, leave no trace so you don’t ruin these great spots for others!
What did we forget, any other tips/tricks you have for finding great spots?
