Tax day, April 15th! Did you pay Uncle Sam this year instead of getting a tax refund? My wife and I did. Don’t despair! Those of us in the Pacific Northwest can take advantage of free camping courtesy of Uncle Sam! Think of it as a tax refund paid in campground fees. The Spokane office of the BLM (Bureau of Land Management – a federal agency) operates a number of campgrounds across the state (most on the eastern side). Many are free year around, while others are free in the off season with a nominal fee in the summer (May 15th – September 15th). The camping areas run the gamut from beach front, mountains, sand dunes, historic ranches, lakes, rivers and more. Most sit on large tracts of public land with hiking trails and other areas to ramble. My wife and I recently took advantage of one of the campgrounds during a nice stretch of weather. Even though schools were on spring break, there was still plenty of room to camp. Camping on Uncle Sam’s nickel, one of the better adventures in RVing!
Learn more here.
Next week we will look at the BLM campgrounds in the Yakima Canyon where you can camp for free until the middle of next month.
Dave Helgeson’s many roles in the RV industry started before he even had a driver’s license. His grandparents and father owned an RV dealership before the term “RV” had been coined, and Dave played a pivotal role in nearly every position of an RV dealership. He and his wife Cheri launched their own RV dealership in the Pacific Northwest. The duo also spent 29 years overseeing regional RV shows. Dave has also served as President of a local chapter of the Recreational Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA), worked on the board of advisors for the RV Technician Program of a local technical college, and served as a board member of the Manufactured Home and RV Association. Dave’s reputation earned him the title of “The foremost expert on boondocking,” bestowed by RV industry icon, the late Gary Bunzer (The RV Doctor). When he’s not out boondocking, you’ll find Dave in the spotlight at RV shows across the country, giving seminars about all things RVing. He and Cheri currently roam in their fifth travel trailer, with Dave doing all the service, repair and modifications to his own unit.
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