Camping away from campgrounds

Camping away from campgrounds can be referred to by several similar terms used somewhat interchangeably depending on region and context. These terms all generally indicate:

Parking your vehicle on public lands or other areas that are not in an established campground or other formal overnight parking location; there are no campground services, no facilities, and no connections to the power grid or other utilities, and there is usually no cost.

Many nomads frequently camp away from campgrounds.

Terminology

Boondocking

Camping "out in the boonies", a term for rural areas far from civilization or other habitation. Sometimes refers to any overnight parking without utilities, even in the city.

Dispersed camping

Camping with implicit permission on public lands. In the United States, this is a formal term for primitive camping on lands managed by BLM, USFS, etc.

Dry camping

Camping anywhere (possibly including campgrounds) without connections to utilities.

Free camping

Used in some countries with the same meaning as dispersed camping. In other countries, it means camping in designated public campgrounds that are free.

Moochdocking

Parking on (or on the street adjacent to) a property owned by someone you know, and connecting to or using their utilities and facilities.

Primitive camping

Camping anywhere (possibly including campgrounds) without connections to utilities.

Random camping

Camping with permission on public lands. In Alberta, Canada, this is a term for primitive camping on Crown lands.

Stealth camping

Parking overnight on city streets or other public parking areas, without permission and without being recognized as an occupied vehicle. Sometimes refers to secretly tent camping in hidden locations in the city.

Urban camping

Parking overnight on streets or other public parking areas in the city, with or without permission.

Wallydocking

An informal term for parking overnight in Walmart parking lots.

Other options

• Finding parking
• Free parking in business lots

Safety when camping away from campgrounds

• If you are parking in a rural area where hunting is allowed, know when the hunting seasons begin and end. Any time you are away from your vehicle during the hunting season in these locations, wear a "hunter orange" jacket or shirt so you can be seen by hunters. If you have dogs, get them an orange vest too!
• See additional tips on the Safety and security page.

Resources

	Resource	Description
	Dispersed Camping	Private Facebook group, 90k members. "A community of boondockers for boondockers!"
	Free Camping, Boondocking on Public Lands	Public Facebook group with 11k members as of August 2024. "A group to discuss travel, sightseeing, camping and equipment for off-grid boondocking on public lands."
	Boondocking	Subreddit for boondocking
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	Search NomadLife.wiki	Search other pages on this wiki for "camping away from campgrounds"