This may be old news to some of you, but I know there are those who may not have this information or know where to start, so I'm posting it here.
How to Find Recreation/Camping Sites
There is literally a plethora of resources out there to assist, but unless you know what to look for, it can be difficult to find places. In my opinion, the two best resources are Google Maps and Gaia GPS.
Google Maps is a good place to start to determine where recreation areas exist, such as National Forests, Parks, and State Parks. For example, you can simply type "camping near me" in the search box to find what is local to you while at home or traveling to begin researching potential places to recreate or camp.
Gaia GPS takes it a step further by allowing you to view areas using "layers" that can be used to identify exactly where BLM, State Trust Land, State and National Parks, National Monuments, Native American Reservations, Military Reserves, etc. (see the sections below for an explanation of BLM and State Trust Land) are located. You can also use waypoints (like dropping a pin in Google Maps) and tracks that show where you've traveled. The big plus to Gaia GPS is that you can use it without having Internet or cell service, as it utilizes the GPS capabilities of your phone or device (if equipped). Gaia GPS is free, but to take advantage of the extra layers and features, a paid subscription, which is very inexpensive, is recommended.
Resources
Here is a list of the resources I have consulted and found to be useful in finding recreation area and campsites:
This is a small list, as there are others available, but these are the ones I prefer to use. For example, Freecampsites.net can be a starting point to find something local to where I am. Once I identify a few potential sites, I can further investigate with Google Maps and Gaia GPS to determine whether the site would suit my needs.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
As you may know, BLM is a federal entity that manages our public lands. BLM consists of many "Field Offices" that monitor different areas within the country. For example, the Tucson Field Office monitors the public lands within the Ironwood Forest National Monument. I always consult the BLM website for information on any area I am considering visiting to understand their rules and regulations, as they can differ from area to area. For example, some BLM areas only allow camping for 14 consecutive days, after which time you must relocate 25 miles away. Other BLM lands are considered "long-term" usage that are free, while others require payment for 6-month usage. This is the common type of BLM land near Quartzsite, AZ. Typically, permits are not required to use most BLM areas, but I learned through research that BLM does require permits if you are planning on coordinating group use where payment to attend an event that occurs on BLM land is involved.
As I mentioned earlier, I always consult the BLM website to understand what I can and cannot do in a particular area. You can also call or visit a local field office and they are more than willing to help with information and maps.
(I am only familiar with my home state, as there may be similar lands in other states as well)
AZSTL are public lands owned by the state of Arizona that can be accessed only by permit for individuals, families, and groups. The permits are inexpensive and can be obtained online and include a parking permit when accessing State Trust Land. These lands are typically utilized by hunters and come with restrictions regarding camping. A permit is good for one year, but only allows a total of 14 days for overnight camping. So, if you go out and camp for two weeks straight somewhere on State Trust Land, you can't camp anywhere else that year until your permit expires and you obtain a new one.
Wow! This is really valuable information, Deb. And, written in your very thorough detail as I have come to expect! I have also used a few others including FreeRoam, The Dyrt, and HipCamp... add those to the list!
Thanks for the info. I'll ad one more to the list. Campendium, I found this one as I'm waist deep in my new offroad RV trailer research. It is geared more for the RV crowd but has a great section on free campsites.
I've started using The Dyrt because of its layering maps and route-planning capabilities. I occasionally use an app called Avenza Maps, but you have to know exactly where you are going because it isn't a very user-friendly app but it does have access to all of the ranger maps and fire road trails. You just need to know the name of the map to download. It's kind of a pain, but it is very useful if you can find the exact map you're looking for. If anyone has any knowledge of how to better use Avenza Maps, I would really enjoy learning more about it.
Hello from Colorado. For the past year I have been using FunTreks Guide to Colorado Backroads. Mainly a 4x4 trail guide.., these books notate dispersed camping for each Jeep trail. It also lists other notable attractions such as abandoned mines, ghost towns, river crossings, etc. These books are available on Amazon. From what I understand, there is also Arizona, Moab, and So California additions
Hello from Colorado. For the past year I have been using FunTreks Guide to Colorado Backroads. Mainly a 4x4 trail guide.., these books notate dispersed camping for each Jeep trail. It also lists other notable attractions such as abandoned mines, ghost towns, river crossings, etc. These books are available on Amazon. From what I understand, there is also Arizona, Moab, and So California additions
Those look like "Tote" size books, am I right? smaller size? Which would be nice. I also like the ring binder design. That is very very helpful in the field. Thanks for the add Victor. I am glad to see you on here posting. Cheers my friend!
I personally just choose a general area for my campsite, and wing it. I'm so surprised at the amount of amazing camp spots I have come across just by winging it and drive it in somewhere. When I was up on the coast to California I literally randomly camped across the whole coast for up to four or five days. Finding some of the most magnificent campsites I've ever seen. Getting myself in the situation I never thought I would. I know it's best to be prepared on where you want to camp, but I always say be spontaneous and go where it feels right. One of my all-time favorite camp spots was stumbled upon in the middle of the night up in San Bernardino national Forest on the coast to California. Once I got there at night I never would've anticipated the view I was about to wake up to. Miles and miles of amazing Mountain ranges and 180 degree views of the ocean. Stumbling upon these types of camp spots has its negatives too though as sometimes people didn't really like that I was staying on this part of the national Forest, but that's what we do in Arizona. Luckily I left before everything escalated, but still my favorite I spot ever been to.
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok
