One advantage of RVing in the western United States is the abundance of public land on which to disperse camp (aka boondock) for free. Upon arriving at an available place to camp, you have many options to consider as to how to situate your RV on the site.
Dig depressions behind the tires on the high side
Items to consider are the view, sun, shade, wind, satellite TV reception, solar panels, etc. Many times optimizing the site for one or more of the above considerations is not the best option when it comes to leveling your rig.
Those of us without hydraulic levelers typically raise the low side of the RV with blocks, but what happens when the site is extremely off-level and you don’t have enough blocks to get the job done?
Lower the high side instead! Start by digging small depressions behind the tires on the high side of the RV, then back into them.
RV parked in depressions
There are several advantages to using this method:
- It is easier to back your RV into a couple of holes than it is to back it up onto a stack of blocks.
- The RV will be more stable with the tires cradled in a hole rather than perched atop blocks. There is also no need to chock your wheels either.
- The entry step of your RV will be closer to the ground.
- Your blocks won’t get dirty or wet since you didn’t need to use them.
As always, be sure to leave your site better than you found it by filling your holes when you depart and picking up any trash left by other less thoughtful campers.
Digging in to level your RV, just another adventure in RVing!
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.
Brilliant! So simple, but so non-obvious!
We’ve been doing this for leveling for 60 years when we went camping with my parents. My dad I guess was way ahead of his time using this method. Sometimes, the camping spot is so uneven we have to use both methods, blocking and digging holes.
Damn, now I need to pack a decent shovel!
Military surplus e tool.
I don’t appreciate holes (not filled in by the previous camper) in my campsite, causes tripping and wet spots. Not everyone sets up in the same position or has the same equipment and I don’t carry a shovel. Carry leveling devices!
I agree. I’m guessing people aren’t gonna be real diligent about moving their rig then putting the site back how they found it.
I have found boondockers to be very respectful of the free campsite they enjoy, but there is always the chance of a bad apple regardless of the outdoor activity.
That is for sure, I carry different thickness planks and simply estimate the thickness and drive onto it. The boards don’t take up much space in the box of the truck. As far as blocking the wheels, I always do to help the shaking and surging while moving in the rv with the wheel clamps on the unit is much more secure.
I carry three 12″ X 6ft. wide wood planks but they get really HEAVY!
Calm down Stephen … it’s just a suggestion. And I agree most campers in commercial campgrounds or boondocks are almost all polite.
I agree, Stephen. I carry a shovel, but not for that purpose. Can’t believe this site would publish that for the simple reasons that you mention. If they wanted to add a comment about not improved sites, maybe. Fill the holes back in, sure, but doubt many would take the time to compress their fill.
This certainly solves alot if headaches !
Yes it does.
Handy/novel idea for a 5er or trailer. However, LOTS of digging for coach, especially for one with a tag axel. I think I’ll continue to use the levelers.
Definitely more advantageous for owners of trailers and fifth wheels.
Terrible article. It promotes ruining a camp site for the next person. Filling in the holes leaves uncompacted soil. Someone can step on the spot and the soil will compress and they can trip. It can rain and the soil can be washed away. There is nothing to stop a person who does this from just driving away and thus leaving a even bigger problem!
In my opinion the person who would do something like this is the same type of individual who walks their dog without a bag and leaves the dogs mess for an unsuspecting person to step in.
I am not advocating digging holes in developed campsites, but when dispersed camping (boondocking) in random locations where the likely of someone else camping in the same location is low. Always fill your holes and pick up after your dogs.
This is illegal in a National Forest
Come on be nice. Nature will always take of itself better than man. Especially in BLM.
you don,t flush the toilet ether do you
All the camper has to do is reback over the hole that was just refilled to pack it back down to its original condition. Easy… takes 5 seconds.
Add unfilled levelling holes to scorched-earth fire sites and toilet paper and disposable diapers to the list of “people behaving badly” annoyances.
Some should take a chill pill! The premise of the article was “but what happens when the site is extremely off level and you don’t have enough blocks to get the job done?”
If that is the case and you need to, just leave it the way you found it.
Thanks Dave!
Kerry
Kerry, Well stated. Thank you.
Absolutely, I’ve been leveling my trailers this way for 25 years, I always fill in the hole and compact it by rolling the trailer backwards and forwards over it several times.
As for the left over holes, how about the drainage ditches left behind by tenters, I’ve seen this dozens of times compared to nil for trailer holes!
Thanks Dave for making some RVers aware of this very safe leveling technique.
Geoff
Algonquin Provincial Park,
Ontario, Canada.
(it’s -29c here tonight, Dec 28)
Geoff, Thanks for sharing. Great idea about packing the soil by rolling the rig back and forth.
OMG. What a bunch of whiners. Read the article, it said “if you don’t have enough levellers” . Learn to comprehend the words ppl.
Great idea for remote camping! The responses remind me that 37.5% of people will find something to complain about 89% of the time.
Yep, and statistically about 85% of RVers will never disperse camp for free on public land outside of a developed / designated recreation site.
Interesting % Dave, but I totally agree with it, We dry-camp (boondock) 3 to 5 weeks each summer all across Northern Ontario and several days in Minnesota.
Cheers
Geoff
Algonquin Provincial Park,
Ontario, Canada.
If I were to lower the “business” side of my trailer I’d never be able to get the poop to flow into my tote.
Definitely something to consider!
This is geography-specific – if you are in the south with rich black top soil that you can easily dig a hole in and fill back without much trouble or compaction worry – go for it. In the west with our granite, gravel, heavy clay, and drought-impacted steel plating we call topsoil, this would be not only challenging, but as others have mentioned it would turn into a pothole after removing the rig. I’ve had challenges going down 2 or 3 feet for fence posts with a two-man gas auger… doing a 4 foot long trench even 6 inches deep for the tandem wheels with a folding shovel would potentially be a 1 or 2 hour project in some spots for an able-bodied adult male.
Good concept though – and a hybrid would work as well potentially, put one side on pads and dig a little on the opposite.
Scott,
Granted it won’t work on granite or hard packed dirt, but many boondocking spots especially in the desert southwest are a piece of cake.
Remember, like the photo shows, you only need to did depressions for the tires. No need to dig a trench to drive in.
We are heading down to the Western states from Canada. How does one find these “public” lands that are open for “Boondocking” ?
He has a youtube channel on camping all over Utah and surrounding states. Also some very helpful tips and the best Boondocking 101 video I’ve seen, esp for free BLM, USF etc lands.
You’ll have to do some scrolling thru to find things you like.
Bruce
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFbkbLZ1WoWMGkGe7gUw27w
BoondockersWelcome.com is a membership group where you can stay, rent free in a fellow RV’ers driveway,etc. Many have some kind of services provided and have a short stay cap of around 3 days.
HarvestHost.com is a group of ‘farm’ like settings such as wineries, organic farms, museums, etc. where you can stay for free although you are probably should feel inclined to buy a product. Most have no services and have a single day cap.
BLM and USFS have ‘dispersed camping’ sites which are rent free and range from being an un-level rocky road pullout to a near campground. Spots are usually more widely separated than campgrounds and have a 14 day limit.
For all of the Newbie’s out there don’t try this in an RV park especially in a park where the lots are owned and placed in the rental pool.
Take care and see ya down the road.
I don’t know about other States, but in Colorado , digging wheel holes is prohibited.
There are signs posted in campgrounds that say “Digging wheel holes in this parking lot is prohibited. ”
I’m glad our State Parks don’t have to provide additional staff to run around and rerade campsites, to prevent injury and damage.
Many Fed sits have been closed forever because of inconsiderate RVers.
But if you’re from out of State, why would you care?
Please think twice before digging or dumping in “free” sites. They are not free to those who fund them.
End of rant.
Or if you are on private property such as our friends who have a ranch. Thanks for the tip.
I always carry a shovel and rake. Out west we have lots of rocks, so a rake helps, Shovel for this and to ensure that your fire is really out.
Rake to refile the hole when you to leave things as you found them…
It seems the original subject “dispersed camping/Boondocking on public/federal land” was overlooked in too many of these comments. Dispersed camping on Forest Service, BLM, and similar lands in the west is totally free. In Utah there are millions of acres available to free camping- theoretically. (66% of the state is federal land) In many areas you can camp for 2 weeks and may never see another person. Digging a couple of small holes is nothing compared to the natural lay of the land, especially if you restore it before leaving.
While digging a hole in BLM land is not big deal and there really isn’t any true parking spaces, so the chances of you parking where some guy has dug holes in slim to none. BLM is pretty much have your choice of thousands of acres.
That said: Most RV have somewhere between 8 and 10 leveling points. I will use what has been on most of mine and that is 8 points as followsL 2 independent front, 2 stabilizers in the rear and 4 tires.
Leaving the 5th wheel attached I drop my front landing jacks till the first one hits the ground and I stop a few inches before I hit ground and check my lateral level on the nose of my pin box. I now use one or the other landing jacks to get my lateral level. I have some varying thickness of squares to level my front landing jacks with each other. I do this to prevent binding. Unhook and lower the font jacks to about 2 degrees above front level. I use a digital level placed on the bottom edge of my 5 th and vertically between my 2 tires. I now use my rear stabilizers to go to zero by lifting the rear of the 5th.
At this point I have 8 points of level all under tension and +/- 1-2 degrees level laterally and length, there no movement of the trailer.
This takes about 10 min. and by keeping the wheels under tension you have a solid base.
I find it comical to listen to some one complain about how their trailer moves when the wind blows or they walk around and I look to see 4 tires hanging in the air with some kind of array of stacks of wood all under the trailer.
I’ve been doing this for years, My pawpaw showed me this years ago on the farm, easy way to get level without blocks!