Getting Started Boondocking
What is boondocking? The term boondocking means different things to different people, and is occasionally argued at length amongst camping enthusiast. Some reserve the term for independent camping in truly remote locations (i.e. at the far end of seasonal roads), for some it means camping in forest service campgrounds, and for some, anything less than four point hookups constitutes boondocking.
The term boondocking comes from the term boondocks, which is derived from “bundok” the Tagalog word for mountain. It is likely that the term boondocks entered American English usage through interaction of U.S. military personnel serving in the Philippines in the first part of the 20th century. Overtime, the term boondocks has come to mean any rural or remote location, generally without the facilities of civilization. Here, for clarity, I propose definition of boondocking and for dry camping. Much of what follows in this article is applicable in either case; however, in some cases, such as finding places to boondock the differences are more important.
For the purpose of this article, dry camping refers to any camping that takes place in a setting where there is no electric, water, sewer, or other hookups provided. Camping in the driveway, overnighting in a Wal-Mart parking lot, or truck stop are examples of this. Also included, but more closely related to boondocking is camping in a developed campground with a table, fire rings, and pit toilets. Here, boondocking will be taken to include dry camping with the additional requirement that the camping be in a non-established campground.
Far more important than debating the ‘what’ of boondocking is the ‘why’. The reasons for boondocking are as numerous as there are boondockers but there are some reasons that are more common than others. Certainly a major draw for many is the mystique of being in the wilderness on an adventure while enjoying the luxury of a camper. Another big advantage is the solitude. If you have ever been to the big parks at peak season, you know the experience of being stacked up campsite on top of campsite being subjected to the cacophony of dogs, music, fighting families and so forth. During the same high season, you can find beautiful places to camp where you can be entirely alone. Big difference. For others, their independent nature comes into play, they would rather chart their own wilderness adventure than go to the same parks with everyone else. This allows a less generic experience. The last of the big reasons is to be near a prized location, maybe a special trail or fishing hole. For example, I have favorite spots on the beach, the rim of the Grand Canyon, near hot springs, near fly fishing, and near places to photograph. And finally, it is dirt cheap. It is usually free, although sometimes you will need to pay entry fees or use permits.
Now that we have taken a look at ‘what and why’, the remainder of this article will address the more practical ‘where and how’ questions. There are lots of places to boondock once you get an idea of what to look for. There are some general approaches you can use to get started. First, pick a area or attraction of interest. For example, are you looking for some prime trout fishing? Maybe you want to camp on the sand next to the Gulf of Mexico, or perhaps it is the Grand Canyon you hear calling. Knowing your purpose narrows things down a great deal. Ask around, other RVers have a tremendous amount of information about where to go and many are willing to share information about favorite places to boondock with other campers.
Get out the maps. There is no substitute for map time if you are going to be boondocking. There are a wide range of maps available that will help. Among the more useful are the state atlases like those by Delorme. These give great detail and topographic information and some give local recreation tips.
Talk to the managing agency. I haven’t found them to be all that helpful in terms of pointing out good places to go, but they will tell you where you cannot camp. There are a variety of publicly owned lands that allow boondocking. Call it boondocking and they will have no idea what you mean, the use the more bureaucratic term ‘dispersed camping’ and you will find them much more helpful. The big three agencies are the National Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and the National Park Service. They are not the same, they are entirely separate in administration and they have different missions and operational philosophies.
The National Forest Service is a part of the Department of Agriculture (yes, Agriculture). Besides recreation, they are concerned with timber sales, mineral extraction, and assorted other multiple use issues. Each National Forest in the National Forest system determines the rules for dispersed camping. Contact the local ranger district before you go to make sure you know what the rules are. In general, the rules for dispersed camping in National Forest usually will be close to the following: At least 50 feet from roads, streams, and meadows and not near major attractions and campgrounds.
The Bureau of Land Management is a part of the Department of the Interior. These lands are more predominate in the western part of the united states,
The National Park Service is also a part of the Department of the Interior. Unlike the BLM which has a mission to manage resources for a variety of uses, the NPS has as its central mission the preservation of parklands. Vehicle based camping is generally highly regulated in the National Parks, however, there are exceptions. Beach camping on Padre Island National Sea Shore is an example of this. Additionally, some national parks offer what they call ‘back county’ campsites for vehicle camping which are pretty close to boondocking. Examples of parks that allow this type camping are Big Bend National Park in Texas, and Great Basin National Park in Nevada.
National Recreation Areas may also offer opportunities for boondocking. NRA's are more confusing to deal with as they can be under the management of various federal departments. The most common are the National Forest Service and National Park Service. An example of a NRA that offers boondocking opportunities is Land Between the Lakes in west Kentucky and Tennessee.
For the occasional boondocking experience, you wont need to make any changes to your camper. If you plan on doing a lot of boondocking, there are modifications that you might find worthwhile. Boondocking will make you more aware of the rate at which commodities are expended. Water and power are limited when you are camping without hookups.
Water is a major limiting factor in terms of how long you can remain off the grid. The bigger you fresh water tank, the happier you will be. Conservation is key to extending your stay. I make a point of using fresh water only where I have to. If I am camping near a water source such as a stream, I frequently use that water to wash dishes, flush the toilet, and to take my showers. Showers use a lot of water, even when using the wet-soap- rinse method. Using a shower bag or a portable heated shower (like the Zodi) can save considerable amounts of water. By restricting water usage to cooking and consumption purposes, I can stay off the grid for over a week. When I know I will be boondocking I carry two additional 7 gallon tanks in the truck. Often, while out seeing the sites, you will find a spigot to refill them at further extending your time off the grid.
Electric issues are the second big issue. The three major components related to electricity are: storage, conservation, and replenishment. Opinions vary widely on this subject so I will simply tell you what I have found I have found that two batteries will give me sufficient reserves under most circumstances. Beyond that I can only and suggest you read up on the topic. Some are convinced you need larger battery banks, some will argue for six volt batteries. Both of these scenarios are really considerations for more advanced boondockers and beyond the scope of this article. Getting started, you will be fine using the battery bank you have now.
Conserving power will go a long way to solve your electrical issues. Turn lights and appliances that you don’t need off, replace the standard energy hog bulbs with LED lights. Minimize or eliminate furnace usage (the furnace will kill your batteries overnight), and minimize use of your inverter for powering/recharging gadgets.
Replenishing power if you are staying out for extended periods becomes a necessity. For the most part, this is accomplished through the use of generators or solar chargers. Over the past five years the choices in both categories have expanded immensely. Not surprisingly, generator choice is also hotly debated so I will offer my experience and suggest further reading. First, and foremost, get a quiet generator. The cheap units available in parts stores and some big box stores are loud and usually have short life spans. Spend the extra money for a quiet unit designed for RV use (Honda and Yamaha both offer excellent models). Before you buy, think about how much electricity you really need. In my case, about all I do is recharge the battery bank, so a small unit would cover my needs and be easier to get in and out of the truck to boot. If you want to run your AC you are looking at a larger unit. Microwave, coffee pot: ditto. I have intentionally designed my camper with a bias for propane burning devices over electric using ones for this reason. I don’t own a microwave and the coffee gets perked on the stove. This means no firing up the generator just for a cup of coffee and hot sandwich. Other considerations are if you should get a propane converted unit, and whether you want to have one big generator or two smaller ones in tandem.
For many, solar represents an attractive option to the use of generators. They are quiet and environmentally friendly. Over the past several years they have become more efficient with many users reporting that solar is sufficient to meet all their 12 volt needs. My sense is that the further south and west you are camping, the happier you will be with solar. Before buying solar, think about where you will be camping. If you are camping in areas that tend to be overcast or shaded, or in the winter where shortened charging hours will be an issue (paired with increased power usage) then solar might not be the best first line choice for power replenishment. Solar systems are not inexpensive, plan on spending about the same that you would for a high quality generator.
The better systems are designed as systems (chargers matched to panels and so forth). Avoid the temptation to build a system ala cart unless you are very knowledgeable about electrical systems. Yes, you can build one on the cheap, but be prepared for grief if you do. Because I camp under a wide range of conditions and full time, I decided that the reliability of a generator was required. Having said that, I am a fan of solar and will eventually install a high quality system on my Trade Wind when funds become available.
When boondocking, elimination of waste becomes a larger issue. Haul out all trash. Find out what local regulations are in place regarding gray water. You may be able to drain on the ground. I carry a 50 ft hose to carry gray water away from the camper. Make sure that you are not draining near water sources or where others may want to set a tent (think bears and skunks). In other cases you will need to haul your gray water out. This is not that much of an additional problem since you will be hauling your black water out for disposal in an approved dump station. The only real change is you need to find dump stations to use. If you are headed to a campground for your next stop you are in luck, also some travel centers (truck stops) have them, as do some rest areas.
A last piece of advice: bring plenty of boards for leveling. It is common to need four or more inches of lift to bring one side of the camper level when boondocking. So, what are you waiting for? Go out and try some boondocking!