How to Find The Best Free Campsites in the US: The Complete Guide
Free camping is an incredible way to explore some of the US' coolest, most rugged, and off-grid landscapes in a super cheap and affordable way. Here's how to find the best free campsites in the US for yourself!
The US has 640 million acres of federally managed public land, all with their own incredibly cool, rugged, and stunning landscapes, and many that get to enjoy for $0. You just have to know where to look! Read on for everything you need to know about public land camping, and how to find some of the best free campsites in the US.
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Table of Contents
**Reminder that these public spaces once belonged to Native tribes who were forcibly removed from their land. Please acknowledge and give back to the native communities whose land you have the privilege of enjoying. Download the Native Land App to learn about local indigenous territories.**
The Lango
During your research (and throughout this post), you might come across some jargon. Here's what the heck I'm talking about:
Dispersed Camping: Any type of camping that's away from developed recreation and facilities. Backpacking campsites are often labeled as dispersed camping too.
Boondocking: Another way to say camping without facilities. This is often used among RV'ers for camping without hookups. Also called "drydocking."
Backcountry Camping: You'll hear this term used more for wilderness backpacking than free camping, but it could happen!
Primitive Camping: Foregoing amenities for campsites in rugged nature. Often used interchangeably with "backcountry camping."
Check out one of my favorite camping trips of all time in my post:
Grand Teton National Park: Everything You Need to Know About Camping Under the Big Titties + 2 Trips
What Really is "Free Camping"?
Free camping is a piece of land you can legally camp on without any fees. How freaking cool is that?
So, How is Free Camping Possible?
There are two main government agencies that manage millions of acres of public land for a variety of uses–one such use is free camping. Well, to be honest, our taxes are paying for these public spaces, so you're paying pennies every year for access to these lands, but pennies is less than $40/night for a campsite, am I right? Take advantage!
Why Should I Camp for Free?
Well, besides the fact that it's free, it's also an epic way to get up close and personal with some of the United States' most scenic, off-grid, and natural landscapes, many of which still look and feel totally untouched.
Public land is also great for last-minute trips! When campgrounds book up, you can always count on a spot on public land. When I went to Zion on a whim in spring, there wasn't an open campsite in a campground for months! Luckily, there's some pretty sweet public land super close by. I drove in that night, found an opening immediately, and got a couple hours of sleep before my sunrise hike! And it was freeeeee!
Lastly, dispersed camping is great for some one-on-one time with you, your favorite people, and the great outdoors. Many who camp on public land enjoy the seclusion and solitude. You might be the only campers for miles!
The Cons of Free Camping
Dispersed camping and boondocking definitely have their tradeoffs, the biggest being lack of amenities.
Here's what you're giving up:
Bathrooms
Showers
Nearby stores
Potable water
Nearby gas
Trash cans (pack everything out with you)
Picnic tables
Paved roads (sometimes)
Consistent cell service
Are You All Geared Up?
As a certified Gear Expert, I can recommend the best gear for you and your adventures! Send me a text and let's chat gear! (415) 549-1749
Know Before You Go:
As with any adventure, proper prep and planning is key to a safe and enjoyable experience. There are a few public land-specific rules and requirements I'll touch on below, but first, let's talk about a few things you can do to minimize your impact.
Always Leave No Trace! A good rule of thumb is to leave the area better than you found it. That means pack out what you pack in and any other trash you find in the area. Avoid disturbing wildlife and flora and build your campfire where others have been built before. More ways to Leave No Trace here.
When you gotta go (as in nature calls), make sure you're at least 200 feet away from any water sources, and you bury all hard waste at least 6 inches below ground. (The same distance requirement goes for setting up camp!). Pack out all toilet paper.
Camp where others have camped before. Finding a campsite could get a little tricky since they're not marked! Look for flattened grass, a fire ring, tire marks, or anything else that tells you the spot has been used as a campsite before. Even though we're here to enjoy rugged nature, we want to limit our impact as much as possible. Need help finding a tent? Send me a text: (415) 549-1749
Plan ahead! You're heading out into the wilderness. There are no facilities. There's often no cell service either. Bring everything you need for a safe and enjoyable experience. Click to check out my Packing List below for everything I like to bring on a dispersed camping adventure, or send me an email: eva.seelye@experts.curated.com I love chatting about gear and I can help you find the right gear for your adventures!
TYPES OF PUBLIC LANDS
Many fire lookouts are on public National Forest Land and some are free!
Forest Service Land (USFS)
The United States Forest Service (USFS) is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) whose mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the land. They manage 193 million acres of public land that includes 154 national forests and 20 grasslands, many of which allow free dispersed camping.
Just like BLM land, there are a few things about National Forest dispersed camping you should know before you go! Many of these can be found on their website.
No amenities are provided such as water, restrooms or trash cans.
You may camp in a single dispersed area for up to 16 days. After 16 days, you must move at least 5 road miles away from your previous site to camp again.
Campers are welcome to use wood found in the National Forest. Read more on safe and low-impact fire practices here.
Campers must place their campsites within 150 feet of a roadway to minimize environmental impact.
Groups of over 75 people who wish to use the forest need to obtain a special use permit. There is no fee and permits can be obtained at the nearest District Office.
USFS has a great interactive map for finding free campsites. Check it out here.
Forest Service Land Campsite Outside of Grand Teton National Park.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is an agency within the US Department of the Interior that manages the United States' public lands that supports programs such as grazing, mining, and recreation.
While the majority of BLM land supports dispersed camping, there are often a few established BLM campgrounds with amenities that require a fee to help maintain their facilities.
Dispersed camping or boondocking isn't limited to just tent camping–it's also great for RV's, vans, etc.!
Explore BLM's interactive dispersed campsite finder here.
Because dispersed camping offers no amenities and little information, some serious prep and precautions come into play. Here are a things to know before you go, many of which are included on the BLM website.
Before settling into your campsite, check to make sure there aren't any signs that advise against camping.
Dispersed camping is allowed on BLM public lands for no longer than 14 days within a 28 consecutive day period.
BLM dispersed campsites are usually located along secondary roads and may not be marked, meaning they may be a little hard to find. Either bring along a tangible map or download your maps beforehand. Better yet, do both! And always bring a compass with you.
Some states have their own unique dispersed camping rules. Make sure you check up on that state's local laws before venturing out.
Local Free Camping Options
State parks, city parks, and county parks sometimes maintain free camping areas, along with entities like water management districts, trust lands, conservation areas. It can vary from state to state and park to park, so check up on local laws before setting up camp!
The Army Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of Reclamation and other smaller US federal agencies often have a few free campsites too!
I'll share a few of my favorite public land finding apps below, so you can check some of these out for yourself!
OTHER FREE "CAMPING" OPTIONS
Sometimes, you just need a free space to rest your head after a long day on the road. If you feel tired while driving, pull over immediately!! Here are some spots you can rest your eyes for free!
Pro tip: Check the state laws to make sure they allow sleeping in your car overnight. Some outlaw this all together. And never pop up a tent at these locations. These are sleep-in-your-car options only.
Rest Stops
These are built specifically for mid-trip breaks and naps, and they're always free with at least restrooms available to use. That said, some don't allow overnight parking, so know before you go!
Truck Stops
Another always-free place to rest your head on the road is truck stops like Loves, The Flying J, or Pilot Travel Centers, which often offer travel amenities such as gas, restrooms, food, and sometimes even showers too!
Neighborhoods
You can find free street parking throughout many neighborhoods around the US. Use your best judgement when picking a spot on a neighborhood street.
Store Parking Lots
Wal-Mart, Costco, Sam's Club, Home Depot, Lowes, Menards
Always call ahead to make sure the store manager is cool with you spending the night and ask them where they'd like you to park. I once parked in a Wal-Mart parking lot without calling ahead and woke up to a parking ticket. Don't make my same mistake!
Cabela's
Many offer free overnight camping, but it's best to check in with a manager to make sure! Some even offer dumping and water stations.
Casinos
Some casinos offer free overnight parking. Check out casinocamper.com to find where it's free!
24 Hour Fitness, Planet Fitness, Anytime Fitness
Get a membership (they're relatively cheap) to have access to their showers and wifi too! They have plenty locations around the country, making them great pit-stops to freshen up when you need it!
Camping World
Some offer free electrical and water hookups, which is crazy cool. Again, call ahead and see if they'll allow overnight parking.
Cracker Barrel
Call ahead of time to ask, but odds are Cracker Barrel will let you stay in their lot free of charge. Leave before breakfast if you can!
Rad!! Now that we know where we can camp for free, let's dive into how to find the coolest free campsites!
HOW TO FIND THE BEST FREE CAMPSITES IN THE US
Apps + Websites:
There are some pretty sweet and extensive apps and websites that I use to find some of the coolest free campsites (and apps make it easy for life on-the-go). That said, I prefer to use my computer when I'm at home site scouting–I like the bigger screen and added features.
Free Roam
This is one of my favorite websites for finding free campsites! Here's what to do: Head to freeroam.app's interactive map, and click both the "Satellite," "BLM," and "USFS" map views. The BLM map view will highlight all public BLM land orange and USFS in green–find a plot of public land along your trip route. Once you have a generic idea of where you'd like to camp, click off the BLM and USFS layers and check out the satellite view for sweet features to camp by! freeroam.app; Free.iOverlander
Features campsites of all types! Search by amenity makes it super easy to narrow down campsites fast. www.ioverlander.com; Free.
FreeCampsites.net Search by site, accessibility, and activity on their interactive map. Includes 5-day forecast. App and website versions available. https://freecampsites.net/; Free.
Campendium Search by destination, or check out some of the top free campsites on the website! iPhone users only. www.campendium.com/free-camping; Free.
The Dyrt
You can find free dispersed campsites with the free version, searching by accessibility, camping type, and even air quality. The Pro Membership lets you search by BLM, National Park, or National Forest land in their interactive map, includes a road trip planner, offline use, and gear discount codes. https://thedyrt.com/; Pro: $35.99/yr
US Public Lands
Similar to Free Roam, US Public Lands allows you to search by agency (BLM, National Forest, Army Corps of Engineers, etc) and has a satellite version so you can check out cool land features at each. It also links to each of their websites so you can check out unique rules and regulations of each. Available for iPhone or Android $2.99Outly
Create an account to access dispersed campsites on their interactive map. Fishing, hunting, and other activities are included on here too. Disclosed dispersed campsites are limited. https://freecampsites.net/; Free.Boondockers Welcome
It's like HipCamp but for RVs! This app and website only allows you to contact hosts if you're traveling in a self-contained RV or van. https://www.boondockerswelcome.com/become-a-guest/; Free.
Gaia
Gaia is like AllTrails but with so many more features including USFS land! It doesn't show specific campsites, but this could be used if you're looking to site scout yourself. Other free layers include Native lands, national parks, fires, air quality, and more. Upgrade to Premium for a public land layer, weather, avalanche reports, private land, cell coverage, etc. https://www.gaiagps.com/map. Free. Premium: $39.99/yrCalTopo
This is a pretty impressive interactive topography map that also includes trails and filters including forecasts, sun exposure, and fire activity. However, CalTopo doesn't suggest any campsites, so you're on your own for that one. It's very rugged, if you will, but it's great when combined with another app or website on this list! www.caltopo.com. Free.
Google Earth
This is such a powerful tool for scoping out terrain ahead of time! You can get up close and personal with campsites, forest roads, and more before even hitting the road. That said, Google Earth isn't updated as frequently as we'd like, and your real life experience might look slightly different than through the eyes of Google Earth's satellites. Use it along with one of the public land apps for location scouting.
Pinterest + Blogs
No joke, I get a majority of my trip inspo from Pinterest. I'll save photos of places I want to go to Boards labeled with that destination, and when it's time to plan the trip, I have all my bucket list items saved in one place.
The best part is, many of these photos also link to blog posts from those who've done them before! Blogs are great ways to get rec's and pro tips from adventurers who've experienced these spots for themselves.
Look for adventure bloggers who also value a free night's stay in wonderful places. They probably include a few in their posts!
My 24 Hours in Zion National Park post includes that BLM free campsite I mentioned earlier. There are also tons of free campsites basically in Grand Teton National Park that I disclose here!
Talk to Your Neighbors!
Believe it or not, fellow hikers and campers often LOVE sharing their sweet camping spots, so don't be afraid to ask! I've found some of the coolest sites this way!
WHAT TO PACK
Have specific gear questions? Shoot me a message and let's chat! I'd love to recommend gear for you and your specific adventure!
Water filtration system: I'd recommend a larger gravity filtration system like this one since you'll likely be close to your car. These require less physical effort that results in more filtered water.
Outdoor hygiene essentials
Eco-friendly toothbrush and toothpaste
Eco-friendly shampoo bar
Eco-friendly, biodegradable wipes
Deodorant
Toilet paper (pack this out with you too!)
Car Camping Essentials
Sleeping bag or blanket. Here's a great all-around down sleeping bag!
Sleeping pad or air mattress
Camp pillow (optional)
Camp Kitchen
Plenty of food + water
Camp stove and pot. This all-in-one is lightweight and super packable.
Fuel
Plates and bowls. This stove kit comes with cups, bowls, pots, and utensils!
Mug: I'd get an insulated Yeti mug since you don't have to worry about weight! Mine keeps my hot drinks hot and my cold drinks cold for HOURS.
Aeropress: I use this thing as my primary at-home coffee maker too. It's compact, light, and super quick and easy to use!
Trash bags
Paper towels
Bear Vault
Safety items
Portable power bank. Also consider one that can jump start you car too like this one from Cen-Tech.
Window coverings
Bear spray and/or pepper spray
Navigation (map, compass, garmin mini)
Comfort items
Roasting sticks: No way your marshmallows or hot dogs are falling off these!
SAFETY REMINDERS
Listen to your body!! Whether you're feeling sketched out by a road, or like there might be some eyes on you, or you just feel straight up weird about the situation, listen to your gut. Get the heck out of there. Your body knows best. Listen to it.
Here are a few additional tips to stay safe whenever you venture out.
Do your research. Read trip reports (the good AND the bad), check the weather, look at Google Earth, use the free camping apps mentioned above, know where you're going and what to expect before you arrive for the safest and most enjoyable experience.
Tell someone where you're going. Send a friend, a parent, a sibling, someone your itinerary, even if it's just a rough outline of where you're going and what you're up to.
Don't share your location until you've left. With social media, it's super fun and easy to share where you're at and what you've been up to in just a few seconds. That said, try to refrain from posting any exact check-ins until you've left the area to keep unwanted visitors away.
Carry some sort of defense. This can be bear spray (which is what I use most often), a knife, a taser, or anything you could use against an attacker, whether that be an animal or a human. This can be anything that can help you fight off an intruder. Whatever it is, make sure you're comfortable using it so it's second nature if you're forced to use it.
Get some window shades. I've tried to sleep in my car without window coverings and I got zero sleep. I was always worried about people walking by, peeking in, and just felt totally exposed. Window coverings give you a bit of privacy and others won't be able to tell who if anyone is in there, and will keep your valuables out of plain sight.
Lock your car. Whether you're inside or out, keep your car locked as a good safety precaution.
Prepare for a quick getaway + have an escape plan. Sometimes things happen. Maybe you sprain your ankle or you're just uncomfortable in your spot. Regardless, having a setup that's quick and easy to pack up and move could be a game changer in an emergency, and have a plan in place so you know exactly what to do.
Say hi to your neighbors to get a good feel for the site and how comfortable you'll be at night. If you get any weird feeling, leave. Remember not to give too much away, about where you're camping, how long you're staying, who you're with, etc.
Feeling good about finding your next free campsite? Get after it!
