Free Camping is definitely my favorite way to explore the United States during weekend and overnight adventures. My Chloe pup and I have had the opportunity to find free campsites all over Oregon, Montana, Idaho, North Dakota, Florida, Minnesota, Michigan, North Carolina, South Dakota, South Carolina- and the list goes on. They are everywhere. The key is simply to find them!
National Forest, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) all offer opportunities for free camping throughout the United States. These campgrounds are maintained by the people who use them; so YES you will likely stumble upon areas where people have dumped garbage, deer carcasses and other sad dumping circumstances. My advice (except for deer carcasses) is to ALWAYS bring a garbage bag and an airtight method for keeping your garbage to help protect and maintain these campgrounds. Also LEAVE NO TRACE. This includes your dog’s waste as well as your own.
I have found the most beautiful places in the country by finding these free camping spots; yet I have also found the most garbage ridden places. In one occurrence I used THREE garbage bags to pick up items just outside of the Great Smokey Mountain National Park; and had to leave a mattress behind that was too gross to move. By volunteering to maintain these lands as I use them; I feel I am making an important contribution to our beautiful Earth and to the protected lands that lay within the United States (and beyond- free camping is also available in Canada (Crown Land!) and Mexico for sure; though some countries allow you to camp almost anywhere for free, like Ireland’s ‘wild camping’ which is SUPER awesome).
**Bear in mind, free camping typically involves being without electricity, water, and bathrooms**
Online Resources to Find Free Camping
Freecampsites.net
Freecampsites is one of my all time favorite apps to locate free campgrounds. Yes, I cannot deny it looks like a website that will dominate your phone full of bugs. However, I have successfully used this website for 3 years with no issues! They are growing, and expanding their influence which will in turn allow their website to also grow and expand as well! I always make sure I camp somewhere that has a review, especially if I will be arriving after dark; and I honestly do not recommend to arrive somewhere after dark.
I also use this app to look for places where Chloe might be able to roam free for a while! In packed campgrounds, state parks and even busy hiking trails she is on leash for most of the day. During road trips or weekend adventures I rely on these public lands to allow Chloe to safely run around off leash; without bothering any other people or dogs.
FreeRoam
The rest of these online apps I use significantly less often. I will refer to them if I am having difficulty finding a freecampsite; however they are awesome resources to have in a list together!
FreeRoam is used often in South America, Canada and the United States. If you have ever watched Eamon and Beck on youtube (highly recommend these vegan van-lifers! They are so awesome!), they often recommend this online resource to find free camping.
The Dyrt
This is a more popular app that van lifers, tent dwellers and RVer’s use often! Similar to those listed above, users will provide reviews for the places they have stayed. The Dyrt also has state parks and county/local campsites listed that require pay. They are an updated, reliable, kind of cool resource for free camping.
Campendium
Campendium is similar to freecampsites.net; however it is more vetted and for profit (verses a network). It’s another great resource that I honestly haven’t used in my adventures.
IOverlander
I used the IOverlander App one time; and it resulted in the neighbors calling the police for parking on a spot that was illegal at the time. *Insert cringing face here* However, it is a great app that has many campgrounds listed! It is just SUPER important to read signs about when it is legal and safe to camp somewhere, compared to when it is not.
US Public Lands
A different sort of online resource; the US Public Lands App allows you to search for public land closest to you, use satellite images to find a relatively clear space near a rural roadway to park and camp. It is a great resource if you are planning on off road adventures as well; as you can download the maps for when you don’t have cell reception. It does cost 2.99 to purchase, but on my opinion is very much worth it.
There are more online resources that I chose not to mention such as ultimatecamping.com, and the BLM interactive map. What resources have you used in the past? Which are your favorite?
Other Ways to Find Free Campsites
Motor Vehicle Use Maps in National Forests/Grasslands
I love maps! I am so serious right now; they are incredible to have as resources! You can either find the MVU maps at your nearest national forest office (give them a call to see if they are operating during this COVID crazy time- they might not be open in office), or you can download them online HERE.
https://www.fs.fed.us/recreation/programs/ohv/ohv_maps.shtml
Local Books
I love books! Yes, I am totally serious! Your local REI, Book World or even Barnes and Noble will likely have a section from local authors. I found over 100 free campsites in the Willamette National Forest in Oregon by purchasing a book from REI about it. The most beautiful campsites, hiking trails and river views are available for free, if you simply take the time to seek them out!
A Chloe Tale
Chloe and I have done so much free camping, I am not even sure which is the best story for you! I believe hearing the parallels between freecamping and state park camping might be the best way to describe our adventures.
Before I had Chloe, I lived in McAlester, Oklahoma for six months. Oklahoma is not known for it’s beauty, but I had the opportunity to find some incredible views including Turners Falls, Broken Bow area, and the setting of this story: The Witchita Mountains. I chose to stay at a state park in the summer months, using my 3 season tent; which involved hiking into the campsite. I was hoping it would be extremely quiet and secluded, but unfortunately I was one of many who had a similar idea for a camping weekend in the Witchita Mountains.
I was watching the stars outside, until I began to drift off to sleep, so continued to star gaze from my tent, where I left the door uncovered to keep a cool breeze and to allow a gorgeous view of the stars. My face was pretty close to the tent door, and just as I was drifting off, I felt it. It was a soft, brushing that started alongside the tent, and continued over my face. I yelped loudly, grabbing my flashlight and shined the light directly upon a racoon, who had walked almost literally across my face.
The racoon was shameless and completely unafraid of people; who had left trash unprotected and other smells nearby. He prowled around disturbing the campers for some time. I slept far away from my door that night, with my preferred form of protection in hand.
And that my friends, is what happens at State Parks sometimes.
On the other hand, I took another opportunity to enjoy a star gazing event in one of the darkest places in the United States: The Alvord Desert of Oregon. It was the evening of a meteor shower; and the desert was windy. I had parked the truck to block the most wind from our tent (same tent as I had in Oklahoma actually) and I had tied down the three season cover protection tight. The Steens Moutains were slightly visible when we woke up at 3am to watch the meteor shower. Grabbing my sleeping bag and an old pair of binoculars I decided Chloe would be happiest staying in the warm tent (she hates mornings). I sat watching the brilliant stars fall from the sky in one of the most stunning moments I have ever experienced in my lifetime.
And guess what? It was free.
In the end, Chloe and I love finding freecamping! We find the most beautiful sights all over the nation free of charge. I hope you learned some clever ways to camp for free in the United States ♡ In the meantime, happy tails and happy trails to you!
Find BarkingEmbarkers on Social Media! You can find us on our
Facebook group, Instagram, or Pinterest Pages. Chloe and I are also now on tiktok!
Check out our brand new Youtube Channel with a PCT “Captains Log” journal right here.
You can also ALWAYS reach out with questions by emailing us at barkingembarkers@gmail.com.
What great resources! I can’t believe your neighbors called the cops on you or that you had such a close encounter with a raccoon! Ohmygoodness you have the most interesting tails to share.
Thank you! Yes, it is always an adventure that is for sure!!