Dry Camping, Boondocking... whatever you call it- this is the quintessential way to camp in your van!
Top of the Mountain Dispersed Camping | Deadwood, SD
Dry camping often offers rustic campsites with little to no facilities. Surrounded by the beauty of nature, many states in the US offer countless opportunities to dry camp (excluding Texas). These sites are usually unmarked and can only be found by those who know where to look! Luckily, this is my favorite way to road trip, so I've perfected the art of dry camping!
The Campendium App
This app is my go-to for finding a camping location. The app's interactive map is very visually helpful for choosing a nearby campsite! Save your favorite dry camping sites and view photographs of the area. This app relies on other campers to review and rate the campsites, so you can trust the camping community's word!
Nomad View Dispersed Camping | SD
The Campendium app allows you to search for free camping, public campgrounds, RV Parks, free public parking (Bass Pro Shops, Walmart), and dump stations. Choose whether your site needs hookups, and read trustworthy reviews about the site before you show up. As someone who doesn't like to plan ahead for campsites, this app has made it so easy to get up and start driving. I can't recommend this app enough! Check out their website here, or find them in the app store.
Dry Camping in National Forests
I love to look for campgrounds maintained by the National Forest Service. This campground in the Sawtooths of Idaho was picture perfect and full of families enjoying the mild summer weather. If the site has facilities like water or bathrooms, they may charge a small fee for overnight camping. National Forest Campgrounds tend to be busy, but they offer a really nice camping experience! Grandjean Road Dispersed Camping | ID
I often use the USFS Portal App to find nearby National Forests. Don't forget to check out your road atlas to see an overall view of the National Forest System. Check out their website here.
View from a free roadside boondocking site on Hungry Horse Reservoir, Montana.
My Favorite Dry Camping Spots:
Stanley Lake Dispersed Camping
National Forest Service
Cost: $0
Alabama Hills Recreation Area
Bureau of Land Managment
Location: Lone Pine, California
Cost: $0
Upper Madera Canyon Campground
Texas State Parks
Location: Big Bend Ranch State Park
Cost: $12
Nomad View Dispersed Camping
National Forest Service
Location: Hwy 240, Wall, SD (Badlands NP)
Cost: $0