RV and Motorhome Lifestyle

Boondocking -- The Art of Camping for Free

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Boondocking is the term used to describe camping or parking your RV where it's free, but there are no facilities. No facilities means that there's no electricity, no water and no sewer connection.

It's a great way to save money when traveling and almost all RVers take advantage of it from time to time. RVs are completely self-contained and don't need to be connected to the world all the time.

The lighting is all 12 volts and works for days off of battery power. Having all LEDs makes the batteries last a lot longer before they have to be recharged. I changed all of my bulbs to LEDs about a year ago.

You have a generator as a back up to charge the RV batteries and provide 120 VAC for the microwave and coffee pot and to charge computers, cell phones, etc. You have propane for cooking, heating and hot water. And you have holding tanks for fresh water and for shower and sink water (which is called gray water) and a holding tank for the commode water (which is called black water).

How many days you can go without connecting to the outside world mainly depends on how good you are at conserving water. If you're going to boondock much, you will need to learn how to take what's called a navy shower where you get wet, turn off the water and lather up and then turn it back on to rinse off. Also, you can't leave the water running all the time you're washing dishes. None of this is a problem if you're boondocking for two or three days and is only a concern if you plan to stay disconnected for several days.

There are a lot of techniques that you can use to extend the time you can stay disconnected from the world. There are a lot of little techniques that add up. One such technique is to have a bucket in the shower that you can use to run water in while you're waiting for the water to get hot. Then you have a bucket of water to use to wash dishes (you can heat it on your propane stove). If you just let the water run until it gets hot, you're using up your freshwater supply and you're also filling up your gray water holding tank.

I'm scheduled to attend an 8-day boondocking trip with two dozen other RVers in a cow pasture soon. The purpose of the boondocking week is to have fun and learn from other more experienced boondockers. There will be some seminar type presentations and a lot of sitting around the campfire with other campers and discussing boondocking. The week will not be highly structured, but there will be some potluck suppers and some happy hour times for more socializing. I'm looking forward to it.

Some RVers who boondock for extended periods of time, install solar panels so they don't have to run their generators to recharge their batteries. Solar panels are becoming less expensive and more efficient. I just checked on Amazon and found a 100 watt system that included the solar panel, the controller and the wiring for $165. The controller would handle three or more panels, so you could add more solar panels later if you decided that you need more power. If you're camping in a place where you can get sun about all day, a 100-watt system may be all you would need.

I don't do a lot of boondocking (but I may in the future). When I need to charge my coach batteries, I just push the button and crank up the generator. It needs to be run every now and then anyway. Of course, running the generator is not free.

One friend explained boondocking this way, he said, "I don't go to the grocery store unless I need groceries. I don't go to the barbershop unless I need a haircut, I don't go the to service station unless I need gas. So why should I go to an RV park and pay $30 unless I need the services they provide?" He said, "About once a week when I need to dump the holding tanks, charge my batteries, fill up my fresh water tank and do laundry, I stop at an RV park for the night."

If I just want to stop for the night, my favorite boondocking place is Walmart. They are everywhere, they're convenient and they're safe. Some of the Flying J and Pilot truck stops are good options too. (By the way, Flying J and Pilot have the same owners now.)

Here's a partial list of places you can boondock

  • Walmart parking lots: This is the most popular place when traveling. About 90% of Walmart stores allow boondocking. Be sure to ask the manager for permission. Only stay one night -- two at the very most.

  • Cracker Barrel restaurants: They have long, pull-through parking places behind the restaurants to accommodate trucks and RVs and most stores will allow overnight parking, but be sure to get permission from the manager.

  • Movie theaters: This is a little known boondocking place and is usually available except on the weekends: Again, ask for permission and while you're there, why not take in a movie. I'm sure the manager would appreciate it. In fact, the best way to get the manager to say, 'Yes,' is to say, "We're going to go to a movie and was wondering if it would be ok if we parked our RV in the back corner of your parking lot overnight?" This will get you approved almost every time. Of course, at the price of movies these days, you may not be saving much compared to staying in an RV park.

  • Truck stops: Flying J is one of my favorites. Some truck stops have sewer dumps and most of them have a spigot where you can connect your hose and fill your freshwater tank. They have plenty of pull-through spaces. They are also safe. Be sure to fill up with gas while you're there and of course, ask for permission to park overnight. I would ask for permission while I was parked at the gas pumps and before I filled up with gas. If they won't let you park overnight, go somewhere else to park and fill up with gas there.

  • Sam's Club

  • Costco

  • Lowes

  • Kmart

  • Rest stops: I like the ones that have full-time security. Even if they have a sign saying no overnight parking, ask the security guard or highway patrol officer and they will usually let you stay there.

  • Federal BLM (Bureau of Land Management) land: You will find these mainly in the western part of the U.S. -- there are a few in the eastern part of the U.S., but not many.

  • Camping at wineries and farms that invite self-contained RVers to visit and stay overnight for free. Of coiurse, you're expected to buy some items, fresh fruits and vegetables, wine, etc. Also, it a great place for kids to pick an apple or som estrawberries, etc. You can find a list of the farms and wineries that offer free camping to RVers at http://www.HarvestHosts.com

  • One other place to boondock is called courtesy parking. That's where you spend the night in a friend's driveway. If you stay more that one night, be sure to make yourself useful by mowing the grass, cooking dinner for them, helping with a computer problem, taking their dog for a walk, etc. In other words make yourself useful and you will be a welcome guest the next time you want to stop for a night or two.

Below are some rules (written and unwritten) that apply to boondocking in parking lots. Be sure to follow these rules. These rules don't apply in BLM areas

  • Rules for boondocking in parking lots

  • Ask the manager for permission.

  • Don't put your leveling jacks down.

  • Don't put the slides out (maybe just a little bit).

  • Don't put the awnings out.

  • Don't put lawn chairs out.

  • Don't pull your grill out and start cooking.

  • Don't run your generator.

In other words, you are 'parking' and not really 'camping.' It's not actually required, but for common courtesy reasons buy things from the business while you're parked in their parking lot -- things such as gas, groceries, supplies, etc. Since you're going to be buying these things anyway, why not buy from the businesses that are being nice to you?

Bottom line: Boondocking is a great way for RVers to save a lot of money. Mix some boondocking in with your stays at campgrounds and your monthly campsite expenses can be cut way down. That puts more money in the budget for gas.

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