How to Find Information on Back Roads
In two previous posts, we shared how to determine the conditions of back roads leading to boondocking campsites using both satellite and street view.
Here, we will share how and where to find information from other RVers who have traveled the back roads to places you may want to boondock.
Read reviews
First, check one of the many websites/apps like Freecampsites.net and RV LIFE Campgrounds to see what others have experienced and the type of RV they traveled the back road with. This will give you a good idea whether or not the road is suitable for your RV. Be sure and take note of how long ago the review was posted as road conditions can change over time.
Second, follow the blogs/websites of other likeminded outdoor enthusiasts that enjoy exploring the backcountry. Many of you reading this blog know I like to explore old ghost towns, forgotten mining camps, slot canyons, ATV/motorcycle riding, and other back road adventures. Many times I will find references concerning the road conditions to these places providing me with insight on how far I might choose to drive my RV down the same road to secure a boondock campsite.
One example is a blog I follow called Watsons Wander. This couple lives full-time in their RV, and enjoys boondocking and exploring the same types of remote places my wife and I do. One of the places I have wanted to camp/explore is the Little Grand Canyon located in Utah’s San Rafael Swell. The canyon is located many miles from the nearest paved road and there are multiple routes to choose from to take you there. The Watsons camped near the canyon and wrote a blog post about it.
While they didn’t discuss road conditions in their blog, I just clicked “Contact Us” and wrote them a short message asking about the road conditions and which of the several access roads they had used. Luckily they had spent some time there and knew the conditions of all the routes and were able to recommend the best one for RV access.
Join Facebook groups
Finally, there is Facebook, which has groups dedicated to about every interest imaginable. I follow multiple boondocking/free camping groups along with those that enjoy adventures in the backcountry. Again, while a Facebook post may not include road conditions to the place featured in their post, it is very easy to reach out to Facebook users to inquire.
Use the RV LIFE RV Safe GPS
The best way to travel safely is with the RV LIFE App With RV-Safe GPS. The app turns your smartphone into an RV Safe GPS, so you can use it wherever you go. It helps you avoid unfriendly back roads, steep mountain passes, low clearances, weight limits, propane-restricted tunnels, etc. It also has turn-by-turn navigation, with voice- and lane-guidance, and syncs with your RV LIFE Trip Wizard account to access already-planned trips.
This concludes my three-part series on determining back road conditions to boondocking sites, I hope you found it informational.
Now get out there and enjoy an adventure down a back road near you!
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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