14 Reasons Why I Would Rather Boondock
If you have been reading this blog over the years you know that I camp in the boondocks often. When I was young, I thought boondocking was just for those that were RVing on a limited budget and needed to save a buck or two. As my wife and I have RVed over the years, we found the boondocks have become our preferred place to camp. Here are 14 reasons why:
1. We don’t have to deal with the inconvenience of making reservations and adhering to a rigid travel schedule that comes with them.
2. A boondocking camp spot is typically closer to the activities and places we want to see, as many of the things we enjoy are located on public land.
Lack of manmade things blocking the view – Photos via author (Dave Helgeson)
3. The price is right!
4. We can arrive and leave when we want as there are no check-in or check-out times.
5. We don’t have to deal with other campers who think the rules don’t apply to them as you will often find in a campground.
6. We can orient our RV however we like in the boondocks to take advantage of the wind, sun, or the view, unlike a campground with a predefined space to park in.
Dark skies
7. We don’t look out the window at the neighbor’s slide-out, as our RV neighbors in the boondocks (if we have any) are hundreds of yards away.
8. We are parked in natural surroundings.
9. We don’t have to deal with other RVers roaming or barking dogs.
10. There are no street lights or lights from other RVs to disturb the night sky or our sleep.
11. We are never awakened early in the morning by a garbage truck emptying the campground dumpster.
12. If we choose to travel with others, they can camp with us not five campsites away.
Unspoiled sunrises & sunsets
13. The views from our campsite aren’t cluttered up with buildings, other RVs, or manmade obstructions.
14. While we no longer have a dog, the boondocks are much more dog-friendly than any RV park or campground.
Enjoying the carefree RV lifestyle in the boondocks, just another adventure in RVing! For more boondocking tips, check out this great video from Drivin & Vibin:
See also: 15 Reasons Why I Like My RV Better Than A Hotel
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.
Nice, but my wife is scared being out there. Personally, I love our deserts…especially the BLM’s at Saddle Mountain. I just don’t like the idea of no hook ups, and I’d like to be out there for a week. I like my showers but I could do without every other day…. but the wife? No way. I might be able to coax her into it for a couple of nights some day- followed by a week long stay at a fhu resort with a spa!
Drew, You need to ask her what she is sacred of?
We are more afraid in the city at home than we are even down on BLM land near the AZ border.
I dunno, Dave, what his wife is sacred of, but I have been RVing for almost 40 years and this is what I am scared of when boondocking: https://www.unionleader.com/news/crime/rumney-couple-slain-in-texas-had-been-living-an-unconventional/article_f703f3dc-8fac-5443-aa78-675f7faeb4b5.html . My hubby and I do not boondock alone. Period. End of discussion.
People who are afraid that a serial killer is going to go out into the middle of nowhere to find victims should stick to where they feel safe. In a city. Preferably one where no murders have ever been reported. Because crimes so often happen where there are no people.
Those remote locale murders are really piling up.
Glad that never happens anywhere else.
This was a rare event and I still believe you are statistically safer in the boondocks than a developed campground or RV park. The only time we have experienced police cars roll in on us was in a nice RV park in Nevada. Seems our neighbor decided beating up on his wife was an okay thing to do!
I like the idea of boondocking but I don’t own a gun, never have. So I just try to stay at the more “rustic” campgrounds with full hook ups. no wifi or cell service would be a deal breaker. the pics of wide open country with no neighbors is tempting I have to admit.
How many boondockers carry firearms for protection?
The only time I do not have possession of a means of equal self defense is when expressly prohibited … then I often just do not go there.
Likely will just never visit the NE and Left coastal states 🤔
having a firearm legally, is possible in the US of A of course, but is it legal to have with us while traveling as well? and if it is allowed, what guarantees we’ll be able to use it effectively if/when attacked by other people also carrying their own guns even if we’re good at handling our own!? and in the end, let’s say we manage to injure or worse, kill our attacker, in which case, even if we are cleared for self-defense by the law, we’d still be carrying the guilt in our minds forever …
I am going to need to boondock as we are traveling the first 2 weeks in July from Indiana to Idaho! So reservations are booked at most places. Any suggestions to find boondocking spots for us? We are traveling in our converted mini bus. Thanks
sorry this is a very late response but apparently each state’s local government have their own list of boondocking sites available to the public … you may want to check out the state’s websites for such info … and you may also want to make sure the list is still up to date and valid btw as it so happens that info of this nature could be old and useless or major changes have been made to them …
Amen..seems everyone walks right through your campsite or have their dog leave you a “gift” in your site… Also the new trend in campgrounds seems to be washing all your dishes at the community spigot, brushing your teeth there and taking a shower..yes all things I just witnessed while at a state park in Kings Canyon!
We love boon docking and always have bear spray as a deterrent for bad folks, which in 50 + years of camping we have never felt we needed it. But like seat belts better safe than sorry.
you’re certainly right at that … unfortunately, isolated ugly incidents of violent people attacking innocent citizens in America have been made into movies and shown on tv with their re-runs repeated so many times that one such incident appears to be like it happened a million times! the media is more to blame in this respect than active bad people apparently!?
I agree with Dave on every reason wholeheartedly!
I might also add, that if necessary, I can run our 2 quiet generators in parallel at 7 am to use the electric fireplace, the coffee maker or microwave without disturbing anyone in the “semi-built up” campgrounds (those with gravel parking pads and fire pits but no hookups).
The main downside I see is the fire restrictions we have out west during prime camping season – no fires in undesignated fire areas allowed, must be in fire pits with metal rings, usually only found at designated campgrounds. Then, however, we usually just use a propane lava rock, self-contained unit which provides the heat while camping in the mountains or high deserts when sitting outside is almost always chilly once the sun goes down.
That is great when you aren’t alone. I would boondock more often if I weren’t a woman RVing alone.
Check out “RV Sue and her Canine Crew” She RVed solo for many years and her preferred campsite was in the boondocks.
Y’all far western campers are spoiled. There are little to no opportunities to boondock alone like you mention in Texas. There is no BLM area in Texas.
that’s strange! isn’t Texas the largest state? is it not famous for so many acres of uninhabited deserts?
I suppose the infield during the Daytona 500 would be entirely off your radar? We’ll report back, new for us too😉
I can dig it. So, now what’s the bad part about boondocking? …cuz it can’t just be “no wifi”.
Trevis,
Really is no bad part, you just need to learn how to conserve / manage your resources.
We used to boondock a lot in our last 2 rigs. The one we have now has a residential refrigerator and a vacuflush toilet so more than 2 nights is pushing it. Yes, the generator works fine, but the big coach doesn’t take the rough forest and desert side roads much.
Well stated!😊
The residential fridge. Who would ever want a camper with that . Must be wifey. They don’t understand that yes you can have ice cream in an RV fridge. Mine is always packed with it. Men !!!! Take the time to reason an explain .
@Steve Edwards, we don’t have a coffee maker or a microwave. We use a French Press or a pour over and the cooktop or the oven. The boss hates microwaves, at home or in the camper, so the camper was ordered with it deleted for extra overhead cabinet space. I prefer tea, so we need to heat water regardless. In the 5+ years we’ve had the camper I’ve found we didn’t need the generator (it has only been used once) and the air conditioner (also only used once…too noisy). The dual Fantastic Fans are adequate. But we would prefer more grey water storage. It makes no sense to have 50 gals. of fresh and only 24 of grey. We would prefer something like 35/35 or 40/40.
Joe,
I too have more fresh water capacity than grey water. Here are some tips to manage your grey water. http://rvlife.com/gray-water-tank-tips/
Unfortunately not mentioned is how more and more boondockers are found dead or injured from illegals and other idiots in our Southwestern deserts. Here in Texas a retired Navy family was recently found days after they had been murdered. Boondocking is getting dangerous for individuals. These seem to only be local newsworthy.
when boondocking, we’re mostly on our own, very far away from even the smallest towns … no water or sewage hookups … no public toilets, baths, laundry facilities etc and fully exposed to Mother Nature’s deserts or forests with all kind of wild animals … it’s not for everybody really …
I am not a fan of deserts… I like trees, creeks, etc. I live in the state of washington. Doesn’t seem like there are many boondocking opportunities on the west coast unless they involve bad roads or are so isolated it is scary. If any one knows of any in the PNW with trees and not too far out, decent roads, I would love to hear about them. Thank you
I too am from Washington and there are plenty of boondocking opportunities. Here is one example
http://rvlife.com/recreation-abounds-at-buck-creek/?fbclid=IwAR3MPPiRlm4msgMz_9cOaWFVh3gAjMpJwRhjQ86Q88m_Ug8jJEh1BuiiJCw
Always check out the road to the public land. Sometimes it’s great, sometimes not. At one spot in Colorado I didn’t and got stuck on a 4×4 road that was not marked. Most of the others I had seen were marked and it looked fine starting out.
Also, make sure to arrive with plenty of daylight to set up.
I absolutely love boondocking, about 80% of my camping nights are boondocking.
check out Washington state’s website and other tourist info resources … your public library should have some published material for example …
Agree 1000%
Which is why I bought an ORV. Made to be off grid.
Only boondocked by accident. Guess tent camping is about the same. The upside in a RV, you could run generator if needed. Hot water is available by propane or electric. May need a remote holding tank installed in bed of a truck with pump to empty holding tanks. That alone would probably be the deal-breaker for most campers.
What do you do with your sewage?
Larry,
Many associate boondocking with long term camping, but that isn’t always the case. I seldom stay any where more than 2 or 3 days before moving to the next camp. I search out dump stations as needed when between camps.
Flying J to empty and fill. Only $15.
I have never been a fan of the deserts but would love to have a dark evening sky. That said, my biggest concern is we have a very curious dog and I am afraid of her getting bit by a rattelsnake.
Don’t feel like boondocking is DP friendly. I’ll stick to my full hookups unless we “boondock” in a roadside rest on our way somewhere.
To each his own.
No all boondocking is in the desert. I live in Washington State which has the least amount of federal land compared to the other western states and mostly boondock in the forest or on fish and game land in eastern Washington,
We want to try camping in the desert. We also have experience boondocking but have no desert experience.
Lots of horror stories abound on the internet re: packrats, chewed wires in engines etc., rattlesnakes and scorpions and finally the fear of being robbed or worse.
Have you ever had call to deal with any of these situations?
Michau, you have got to be kidding? I live in eastern Washington and know of several places on the west side and go there several times a year but I really prefer to stay on my side as there are a few less trees so visibility is better. One place is bty Shelton and and its where the high bridge is there is even a camp ground there. As far as showers go my 5th wheel carries 75 gal of potable water and if my wife and I shower everyday and take quick showers we can go 5 days then need to dump and add water so we go to a rv spot pay for a night dump/fill take a warm shower on there dime (nice long one) load up with groceries and head back to the woods. She is retiring this April (yeah) and I can’t wait to do that in the desert so I can rock collect and metal detect for gold.
That’s all fine and dandy if you happen to live out west where there are huge tracts of public land. But try to boondock east of the Mississippi river and your appreciation of campgrounds will probably change. Boondocking in the east usually involves some kind of parking lot.
We have been motorhome camping since the mid 50’s and have had unwelcome “guests” in primitive camping venues, decide to join us and share our food, etc. Some looked like harmless vagrants who just wanted to “share” , others appeared to be recently out of jail , hard to tell! I do not carry a gun and am 5’6″, now 81 years old. We feel much safer in a camp area where rangers or police periodically drive through or are quickly available.
i read online once about how unsafe the forests in the Yosemite Valley are because of criminals hiding out there … maybe the info there was a little too exaggerated but it drew a very scary picture about little kids going there for camping with their parents and then kidnapped and so on …
The private campgrounds including national forest campgrounds are run now like the motels, all reservations only, and if you would like a space when you pull in for the night, all reserved, most of them empty, but reserved, that is why I only boondock all summer.
Any tips on having power for CPAP machines besides using a generator or a marine battery with converter?
CPAPs do not consume large amounts of power. Some incandescent trailer bulbs will burn more energy than your CPAP. If your existing battery system is maintained and up to snuff, and used efficiently and effectively, you already have plenty of capacity for the CPAP.
I have always had a CPAP in the trailer. We do a lot of boondocking/no external power. It is a non-issue. The simple, simple solution is a portable single outlet 12VDC-to-120VAC power inverter. This will have a 12V cigarette lighter male connector on the cord end, and one120VAC female socket on the device/box. Plug and play. Size is very compact, about 4″W X 2″H X 6″L, maybe 2 lbs depending on power capacity and device quality. Come in many power capacities, configuration(s). and quality. Widely available. Easy analogy is like auto tires. IMHO avoid national chain auto stores or hardware – the repeated use durability (code for quality) just ain’t assured. There is a reason it only cost $12.99. I’m sure Mr. Google can help in this regard.
Look at the data plate on your CPAP or owner manual. It will state the power( measured in watts, abbreviated as “W”) your machine requires. “W” is typically between 8 to 25 W for the CPAPs I have seen. The lower number is machines with no heater on the moisture function, higher when the moisture must be heated.
Shop for an inverter rating (also printed on its data plate and Operator manual) approx 2X your CPAP requirements. More than 2X is overkill and unnecessary size and expense. The inverter may have more than one 120V socket, but resist the temptation to power more than one device. If you feel the need to run more than one device just because there is more than one socket, the conversation needs to start over. Bottom dollar for a quality BRANDED inverter at a responsible retailer is probably about $50 for 40W these days. I don’t know precisely–my decent quality inverter is almost 20 years old with no hiccups.
Energy and resource conservation is the key to off-grid camping. Our truck camper carries two 100-watt solar panels for portable use; we have one deep-cycle 12v battery with a solar charge controller. We carry two 5-gal propane tanks, a 25-gallon fresh water tank, plus several 1/2-gal jugs for drinking. We installed a composting (AirHead) toilet. We use a propane refrigerator, and a diesel air heater.
Our water consumption averages 1.5 gallons a day for two of us; propane lasts several weeks; food ditto; our battery stays charged by solar even during cloudy winter days. Diesel air heating uses 2 quarts/day on cold days. The compost toilet last 2 weeks between empties. Grey sink water can be emptied via long garden hose to safe areas. “Navy” showers are the rule.
Personal safety is in one’s mind. Some never worry; others will always be in fear. Many thousands boon-dock every year with little concern and no problems.
Outdoor safety comes with experience; I grew up in the rural West in remote areas, deserts and mountains, and am more comfortable there than in any US city. Your mileage may vary. Most fears are hugely exaggerated. I prefer rattlesnakes to human snakes; rattlesnakes warn you. Human snakes prefer the anonymity of urban jungles and strike without warning.
Stick to your comfort zone; the fewer folks who dare to boondock leaves more open space for the rest of us.
My husband and I are interested in Boondocking but he uses a CPAP machine. Can you suggest options we may have, to power the machine other than by using a generator?
Debi & Larry,
We RV with friends that utilize a CPAP while boondocking. He uses his with the humidifier turn off and on a 12 volt adapter (which most CPAP machines offer) hooked to a dedicated 12 volt battery. He can go days without charging the dedicated battery.
That was one of my main concerns. We both use C-PAPS. I’ll look further into this idea.
Sure would beat running the gen all night long.
You nailed it very well!!! Most “problems” are in our minds and not real. In 2000, I took 6 months off and I re-walked/backpacked Colin Fletcher’s 1000 Mile Summer. His route in 1958 ran the entire length of eastern California. Mexico to Oregon…
I too would rather deal with REAL rattlesnakes than those of the human kind. Seldom, if ever, do Police get involved if you shoot a real rattlesnake… not so the other way around. The good news is, for the human kind there’s more to prey on in the city and they understand MANY pack iron while boondocking.
My wife and I have had only one problem with a human snake and that was in Nevada in 2006. We were camping in the middle of nowhere at some warm springs when late one night a “gentleman” stopped by to “hang out”. I expressed we were not looking for company…. he left and an hour later came back by…. what he didn’t know was my 12ga. shotgun was pointed at him in the dark the whole time. After he left the second time…. we did too. I have never broken camp and disappeared that fast since then!!!
Every thing and every place can have it’s moments… you just have to be prepared to the best of your ability. Life will not always be fair or fun… you just learn to make the most of each day with a joyful attitude.
Really, the only safe and easy way to boondock is in a 4wd pickup and a truck camper. You may think the dirt road you are on towing something is OK but you never know when 4wd will come in handy. I would like to see more truck camper articles in RV Life. They are kind of lacking.
I’ve been boondocking for the past few years, and use a 12v deep cycle battery to power my CPAP machine. Like others have mentioned, being able to use solar to re-charge the battery has been essential.
I also have a few other deterrents in place, like battery operated security cameras with night vision, a small but visible sticker stating RV owner is armed, and motion detector lighting. Small things, that make boon docking feel a little safer in questionable areas.
For $8900 I bought a 5 acre place in colorado to boondock. Miles to the nearest neighbor and very quiet. Never worry about reservations or if someone else is near. Other than my RV its the best investment I have maade.
items 5 +9
even boondocking, sometimes others can be inconsiderate and camp too close or have dogs that roam…
I am from WI and I wouldn’t dare be on someones land without permission. When I went to AZ was the first time I heard of BLM land for boondocking. How many states have land you can go on? How do you find out who owns the land as you are traveling along? People have been killed for trespassing.
Boondocking sounds great. But for those of us of a darker persuasion this is and will be a problem. As recent years have found that we can’t necessarily go anywhere we wish. There has been incidents even at private/public campgrounds that lends itself to stay where safety is somewhat guaranteed. We have now limited ourselves to military bases (I am retired Navy). I boondocked during my time on active duty with friends/fellow active duty but that was under different circumstances. Yes some Navy slept under the stars in a placed called Vietnam. And I also grew up on a farm so night time was never a problem. Maybe one day my grandsons, both in the military, may get to boon dock and travel unrestrictive.
#5 and #9 aren’t necessarily true. I boondock exclusively, and I can tell you that you certainly might run into inconsiderate boondock campers that don’t think the rules apply to them. It is just much less common.
As for dogs, yes there are also wandering and barking dogs. Just last summer I stepped out of my TT to find a pit bull barking at me and my dog right outside my door. A few minutes later the (rules don’t apply to me) owner finally wandered over to collect his dog, seconds before I was about to pepper spray it. And that is not the only dog incident I’ve experienced in the boons.
Seems there are alot of people who are very scared of what may happen. There are tons of info online about boondocking and many websites, apps and Rv clubs where you can educate yourself about it. Research, research and research, it takes a little effort but the rewards are so worth the effort. Private campgrounds are ok for some but boondock camping is the ultimate experience.