The Complete Book of Boondock RVing

by Bill Moeller

  Retail Stores and Restaurants

  Retail and chain stores often have large, well-lit parking lots. We have camped at Fred Meyer, Kmart, and Wal-Mart stores (or Camp Wally as they are more commonly called). In fact, Wal-Mart carries an edition of the Rand McNally road atlas with an insert that lists all the U.S. and Canadian Wal-Marts. Other options might include discount warehouses, such as Sam’s Club, or restaurants, such as Cracker Barrel and McDonald’s.

  The first step of course is to talk with the store manager or owner to get permission to boondock and find out where you can park. Wearing neat, clean clothes goes a long way to making a good first impression and reassuring the manager/owner. Sometimes such courtesy can lead to perks. He or she may suggest you plug an electrical cord into a convenient outlet. When we’ve availed ourselves of this offer, we make sure to not run our air conditioner unless we know that no other equipment is running on the same circuit. In northern climes, retail places often have electrical outlets so customers can plug in the engine-block heaters on their vehicles during cold weather, and a kind owner might suggest you use one of them.

  Other courtesies include parking in the spot they’ve selected, keeping your campsite clean, and staying only as long as they’ve allowed. It is always a good idea and good manners to patronize the store or restaurant while you’re parked in their lot—it goes a long way toward saying thank-you.

  Once when we were traveling near a small town, we hit a bad bump and broke a spring on the trailer. We limped into the town and found a convenient motel with a large parking lot. We parked the rig in a back corner, and I went in to see the manager. I explained my problem to him and asked if we could stay there until we could find someone to fix it. He said yes, we could stay, and offered names of people we could contact for help. We drove around, but the best we could do was order another spring from the manufacturer, which would take four days to arrive. I was worried about staying that long, but the motel manager said we could stay, and even offered his son as a helper. Between the two of us we fixed the axle quickly once the spring arrived, and the RV was ready to get back on the road. I gave $10 to the son, and offered some money to the manager, but he said we owed him nothing. What nice people!

  Casinos

  Casinos are excellent places for convenience camping. We don’t know of any casinos that prohibit overnight camping, unless they have a commercial campground. Of course, they expect you to patronize the facilities, so at least eat in their restaurants, which often have excellent buffets at reasonable prices. We stop and sample the food and the slots occasionally. If you do use the parking lot for camping, try to park at the outer fringes of the lot so you won’t be in the way of their higher-spending patrons. Do not abuse the privilege by staying more than a few days unless management has approved it, or by dumping trash or, do we dare mention it, gray water on the ground or pavement. With the profusion of casinos being built all over the country, they can make great overnight stops with good food and entertainment. Some casinos have regular RV parks, but still allow boondocking in certain areas of the parking lot.

  * * *

  Code of Conduct

  It is an unfortunate truth that some RVers can make a mess of a parking lot. This became apparent to us during a recent trip to Alaska.

  There are only a few private campgrounds in the city of Anchorage, and most of them are small and usually full. Consequently, it is a necessity for people to boondock in retail store parking lots, such as Wal-Mart, Kmart, and Fred Meyer stores. Kmart left a slip of paper under our windshield wiper, stating that we were welcome to stay for three days.

  Unfortunately, we saw many RVers who had left trashbags lying on the ground. We wondered whether this would cause problems in the future, and we have heard from friends that Alaskan Wal-Marts have banned overnight RV parking because RVers have spoiled the privilege.

  For these business establishments to allow us the privilege of staying in their parking lots, we RVers must exhibit good manners and follow certain rules. The Escapees RV Club promotes a Code of Conduct (RVers’ Good Neighbor Policy) to help make our stays more palatable. It is endorsed by The Escapees RV Club, Family Motor Coach Association, Wally Bynam Caravan Club, Gulf Streamers, and Life on Wheels (LoW).

  1. Stay one night only!

  2. Obtain permission from a qualified individual.

  3. Obey posted regulations.

  4. No awnings, chairs, or barbecue grills.

  5. Do not use hydraulic jacks on soft surfaces (including asphalt).

  6. Always leave an area cleaner than you found it.

  7. Purchase gas, food, or supplies as a form of thank-you, when feasible.

  8. Be safe! Always be aware of your surroundings, and leave if you feel unsafe.

  Additionally, it’s courteous to arrive after rush-hour traffic, park out of the way (e.g., on the edges of the lot) while also leaving a buffer between your RV and nearby homes, and leave your slideouts in until nightfall.

  Small courtesies will make your stay more enjoyable, for both you and your host.

  * * *

  Truck Stops

  We have often stopped at truck stops, such as Flying J. They offer hookups, restaurants, and showers.

  We’ve also camped in parking lots at Elks and Moose lodges, since we are members.

  Friends and Relatives

  Finally most RVers like to stay with relatives sometimes, parking in their driveways. This can require that you dry camp if they cannot provide water and electric service. Usually you can run an extension cord from the house or garage to your RV. However, your hosts will probably not have the ability to provide a sewer drain, so you’ll need to conserve water to avoid having to empty your holding tanks during your visit.

  HOW TO FIND BOONDOCKING SITES

  There are many places to boondock, and we have tried to list some of the most popular ones. But how do you start to compile information on your own list of sites?

  Maps and Directories

  We are great map collectors and have many detailed maps of certain areas, particularly the national forest areas of the West. Our favorite maps and directories are those from USFS, BLM, and NPS offices and ranger stations. They show the locations of back-road campgrounds and include many campgrounds not shown on regular AAA and auto travel maps or in major camping directories.

  We look at our maps often, and if we find a likely looking campground, we’ll make a special trip to the location without our trailer or inquire at a ranger station or other government office to find out if we can get into the camp. When we find a good place, we mark it on the map so we’ll remember it and also list it in our logbook. In this way, we’ve compiled our own list of suitable campgrounds.

  Another way to find good boondock campgrounds is to pick up official state maps (see below for how to get these). We also get a copy of the state’s campground directory. These two publications together will usually list all the recreation areas as well as the state, county, and city parks where camping is available.

  The Internet

  The Internet is a cornucopia of information on campgrounds, parks, types of camping available, as well as fees, reservation and contact information, frequently asked questions (FAQs), and just about anything else you might need. Many state sites have online maps for their parks and recreation areas; at the very least, they will have contact information so you can call to obtain a printed map. Search for "state of" for the state you want to visit, then go that state’s home page. Usually you will find a button for Visitors, Recreation, Travel, Tourism, or something similar, which will take you to what is available. Parks and campgrounds will be listed there.

  If you have a particular campground, park, or forest in mind, it may have its own website, where you can find the specific information you need. Keep in mind, however, that most primitive sites will not be listed.

  Other Boondockers

  Boondockers share a great sense of camaraderie, and most are all too happy to share their knowle
dge of good and bad campgrounds. (Many boondockers and RVers even have their own websites and may enjoy corresponding via e-mail. Search for "boondockers" or a variation.)

  Over the years, we’ve developed quite a list of our own favorite campgrounds, scattered throughout the country. These sites range from ocean beaches to 9,000-foot-high mountain valleys. Often they are many miles from civilization, which gives us a wonderful feeling of adventure. To start you off on your own list, following are some of our favorite campsites:

  Lamoille Canyon is about 20 miles south of Elko, Nevada, on a well-marked road. The Thomas Canyon Campground is located at the 7,000-foot level in the canyon and has a paved road up to the 9,000-foot level, where there are restroom facilities, water, and several hiking trails into the Ruby Mountains. There are several sites near the campground entrance big enough for large rigs. The loop road also has sites available, but it is best to inspect them before pulling into the road. If you climb the rocks in back of the camp to the hanging canyon above, you’ll find a pretty trail. It is a great place to visit in the fall.

  Hoback River area, located along Highway 191/26, south of Jackson Hole, Wyoming. You’ll find several good campsites on this stretch of road.

  North along Highway 352 west and north of Pine dale, Wyoming.

  Bighorn Mountains campsites are located along Highways 14 or 16, either north or south of Sheridan, Wyoming—if you can make the climb up into the mountains with your rig (be sure to check first). Do not enter or leave the mountains from the west side because of extremely steep roads (grades of 10% to 15%).

  Big Hole River, on Highway 43 between the towns of Divide and Wisdom in Montana. Fishermen especially will enjoy the many campgrounds along this river.

  Bitterroot Valley, along U.S. Highway 93 in Montana. There are lots of campgrounds and recreation areas in this valley. Additionally, the Bitterroot National Forest, with its own campgrounds, surrounds the valley.

  Willamette National Forest and Three Sisters Wilderness along Highways 22 and 126 east of Salem or Eugene, Oregon. This forest is part of the Cascades Range in Oregon, and you’ll find campgrounds in the forest and along these highways.

  Oregon coast has many great campgrounds, including two of our favorites: Cape Lookout State Park, west of Portland, Oregon, off U.S. Highway 101; and South Beach State Park, south of Newport on U.S. Highway 101.

  The hanging canyon at Lamoille Canyon, Nevada, which you can reach by following the trail from the campground.

  Although we have been to all these campgrounds, please keep in mind that places change, and these may have changed since we last visited. If you search the Internet for any of these areas or campgrounds, you’ll find more detailed and up-to-date information. We’ve also included an appendix at the end of the book with a state-by-state listing of some of our favorite boondocking campgrounds.

  American Automobile Association

  We highly recommend membership in the American Automobile Association (AAA). Their campground directories list many boondock government campgrounds you will not find in other directories. They have superior maps that are free to members. In addition, AAA tour books list good restaurants and almost all the places of interest in an area.

  Finally we would not travel anywhere without a AAA TripTik, easy-to-read strip maps of approximately 200-mile sections of your trip (interstates and major highways), which give you all the traveling information you need to sort out the interstate highway system. It’s easy to calculate mileage from either end of the strip, using the scale on the strip. They show exit numbers as well as the services found at each exit (identified by symbols). All the strips are contained in a spiral binder in the order of your trip. Once you are a member, just contact the AAA with your travel plans, and they’ll compile a TripTik specifically for your trip.

  Escapees Magazine

  The Escapees RV Club publishes Escapees, a monthly magazine that is a good resource for any RVer, and for boondockers in particular. "Day’s End" is a monthly column written by Bob and Viva Lee Ed that lists boondocking sites sent in by club members. Many of these locations are very good ones. However, when visiting these sites, or planning to, keep in mind that neither the Club nor the columnists have inspected these sites, and what is a good site for one RVer may not be a good site for you. The Eds have compiled a directory of these sites, which is available to Escapees members; go to www.escapees.com/daysend/index.asp for more information.

  Local Police Stations

  Years ago when we were in Maine, we met a charming elderly woman traveling alone in a 29-foot travel trailer pulled by an ancient car. When she arrived in a town, her practice was to go to the police station, explain that she was traveling alone, and ask where she could park for the night. Usually she would be told to park in a given grocery store or shopping center parking lot, and the police would call the manager or owner to tell them she would be there. They would also send a patrol car around periodically during the night to see if she was all right. This was almost twenty years ago, and you may not always get the same courtesy and solicitousness today, but police stations are still good places to ask for suggestions.

  We do know of a town in upstate New York where you can register at the police station with the desk sergeant for an overnight parking spot. And if you visit the police station in Arcadia, California, the desk sergeant will assign you a spot with an electrical hookup for a modest fee.

  We’ll end this chapter with one more story of a place we once stayed. We were traveling in Nebraska, doing research for the book we were currently working on, and couldn’t find any place to camp. While we were driving through one small town, we spotted an auto parts store with a good-sized parking lot. Bill asked the manager if we could camp in the back of the lot. He said yes, we could, but preferred that we park in front. You see, it was Saturday night, and he thought we might keep the local drunks from breaking his windows. And he was right—there were no broken windows during the two days we were there.

  CHAPTER 3

  Selecting a Rig

  When we decided to fulltime in 1982, we wanted to be able to continue the boondock camping experiences we had previously enjoyed. While we were still in the planning stages and studying what type of RV to buy, we gathered as many maps and campground directories as we could find to learn the locations of all the best primitive campgrounds. We noticed that many of the most interesting campgrounds had restrictions regarding RV size. Based on our findings, we decided that an RV no longer than 25 feet would probably be best for our needs since our primary goal was boondock camping. We settled for a 23-foot travel trailer, which served us well for eight years of fulltime living and allowed us to do a lot of boondock camping along the way.

  Eventually we needed far more space for our writing and photographic equipment, so we decided a larger trailer was in order. We found a 29-foot, fifth-wheel trailer that suited our storage and living needs, although we regretted that we could no longer visit many of our favorite small campgrounds.

  (RVIA)

  WHAT’S AVAILABLE?

  Obviously, the main piece of equipment you need for easy boondocking is a suitable RV. However, before you can choose an RV that suits you, it helps to know what’s available. So let’s review the types of RVs.

  Recreational vehicles include the following:

  Folding tent trailers (or pop-up trailers)

  Camping van conversions (Class B motorhomes)

  Pickup campers

  Travel trailers (conventional and fifth-wheel)

  Class A motorhomes

  Class C motorhomes (mini-motorhomes)

  Our first fulltiming RV at Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada while we were boondocking.

  RV types. (RVIA)

  For our boondocking purposes, we’ll focus on pickup campers, travel trailers, and motorhomes. The small size of tent trailers and camping vans, as well as the fact that they are not self-contained (see Chapter 4), do not make them good candidates for boondocking.

&nb
sp; Pickup Campers

  A pickup camper, the smallest boondocking RV, is installed in the bed of a pickup truck. Manufacturers are designing these campers for true boondocking, making allowances and space for solar panels, several batteries, chargers, bathrooms with showers, and other goodies. The newer ones offer all the conveniences of bigger rigs, including slideouts, which do improve the space in these units.

  Advantages of pickup campers are:

  They can go where no other RV can go—right up the mountainside on a four-wheel-drive trail.

  You can remove the camper from the truck with hydraulic jacks and set it up at the campsite.

  With the camper detached, you can use the truck as transportation so you don’t need to tow a separate vehicle.

  Disadvantages of pickup campers are:

  They are cramped, and many people find them too claustrophobic for long-term use.

  They lack storage, severely limiting what you can take with you.

  The interior of a Host pickup camper, a layout suited for boondocking.

  With a pickup camper, your "home" is installed in the bed of the truck. (RVIA)

  A conventional travel trailer. (RVIA)

  Removing the camper from the truck to set up at a campsite is a chore. You must disconnect many things, including all the electrical connections. Pickup-camper RVers tell us it is not something you would want to do all the time.