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Camping is an inexpensive way to stay the night and in many places may even be free. The purpose of this page is to give you a general idea of where the free places are as well as to provide some helpful pointers for camping on your roadtrip.
WHERE TO CAMP - - CAMPING TIPS
One Stop Info-Center: The
Public Land Information Center is a private, nonprofit organization. This
site is one stop shopping for information about public land use. Visit it for
anything you need to know concerning camping, maps, land use, etc.
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BLM land: The Bureau of Land Management is a government agency whose specific purpose is to administer 264 million acres of America's public lands with the goal of the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. In turn, camping on BLM wilderness areas (areas away from development) called dispersed camping is, for the most part FREE!!! There are also many developed camping locations for your use. CollegeRoadTrip.com highly recommends using BLM to camp on as you are allowed to make a fire (given no fire restrictions at the time) and spend the night! Rules vary slightly from one location to the next. In most BLM wilderness areas, you are allowed to stay in one camping location for a maximum of 14 days and then you must move at least 25 miles. The following may be helpful in planning your roadtrip: |
| BLM Office Link | Notes | Specific Link |
| Arizona Office | Lots of available dispersed camping areas. | Recreation |
| California Office | Tends to have slightly harsher fire rules. Make sure to check with the local office! | Camping |
| Colorado Office | 85% of their land is undeveloped with few usage rules. | State Offices |
| Idaho Office | ||
| Montana Office | Travel on existing roads - no 4x4 bushwhacking here. | Camping |
| Nevada Office | Campgrounds | |
| New Mexico Office | ||
| Oregon Office | ||
| Utah Office | Recreation | |
| Wyoming Office | Unless otherwise posted, all public lands are available for recreation use. |
Recreation |
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National Forest Lands: For the most part, National Forest land is very similar to BLM land in terms of rules governing camping. Dispersed camping is also available as is specific camping areas. Camping areas may fill up and require advance reservations. For specific information about each National Forest Office CLICK HERE to go to the National Forest web page and view a clickable map of all National Forests. |
State Parks & Forests:A great place to spend
the night is in a state park / forest. For a small charge ($2.00-$15.00 usually)
per night per site, you will have access to running water, toilets, fire pits
and other amenities. The following list contains links to individuals state's
state park websites. Many of the individual states offer free information brochures
on parks in their states and many of the websites offer online reservation systems
as well as "state park passports."
National Grassland: Another great place to spend the night is within
a National
Grassland. Camping is permitted anywhere on the National Grasslands. Wild
fire danger is often present, so we don't recommend open campfires. Make sure
to pack your own water as there are few dependable sources on grasslands.
Packing Lists: There is a whole bunch of extra stuff
that you should bring if you are planning on going camping. Please refer to
CollegeRoadTrip.com's What to Bring Section
for more information and packing lists.
Maps, Maps, Maps: Count on getting lost. Even though you may not, it
is best to have maps of everything imaginable so that you do not wind up in
an emergency situation and can always get out. Check out CollegeRoadTrip.com's
Purchasing Maps Advice for helpful tips on what you may need and where to
get it.
Compass too: Yes, you should have a compass too! Make sure you know how
to use your compass before you head out and try to find something!
Carry it Out: As you travel, you will find that you are traversing directly
through pristine and untouched wilderness. It is therefore your obligation to
leave it how you found it and to take only pictures. Make sure you pack out
all of your trash and make a valid attempt not to disturb the natural environment
around you. Check out this link to TreadLightly.org
camping advice for more information on sustainable and environmentally conscience
travel and camping.
Fires: Before making a fire, make sure that you are aware of the current
fire conditions and that there are NO fire restrictions in place for your camping
location. When creating a fire, make sure it is contained in a pit. To create
your pit, dig down to a hard surface (3-6 inches) and surround your pit with
rocks. Gather fallen wood ONLY as it burns better and does not damage the local
environment. DO NOT cut down trees, break branches, etc. Be sure your fire stays
contained within your area as you do not want to be responsible for starting
a forest fire. Upon leaving your campsite, MAKE SURE THEY ARE OUT! Do so by
dowsing the fire with plenty of water until you can no longer feel any heat
with your hand.
Leave it Better than You Found it: Make a point to fix something or clean
something up at each campsite you visit. Leave it so that the next person never
knows you were there.
Have fun: Camping is a great experience that should be enjoyed by all.
Don't forget the smores!
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